Local History

Fen Ditton can trace its past back to at least the later Stone Age, and has been continuously occupied since then. The Fleam Dyke, thought to be middle Bronze Age at the latest, cuts through the village and gives it its name: the earliest written record of its existence, in the middle 10th century, names it Dittone, or "Ditch Town".

The Church of St Mary the Virgin was originally built by the Normans, in the mid-12th century, and remains the centre of the village, next to the War Memorial that commemorates villagers who died in the First and Second World Wars.

The streets of Fen Ditton feature many historic buildings. The oldest date from the 17th century. Many buildings are thatched, and one or two show pargeting, a style of wall plasterwork into which moulds are pressed to leave decorative patterns, common throughout Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. The brickwork on the end wall of Flendyshe House, in the High Street, shows a style of decorative brickwork known as diaper pattern.

If you're interested in a more detailed history of Fen Ditton, have a look here.