Burnt Fen

Introduction

Now a dry parish. A remote and isolated area of Ely (Cambridgeshire) and Beck Row parish. It must have been more populous in the past; the war memorial records 17 men lost to Burnt Fen and Kenny Hill in the Great War. The area was depopulated in the 20th century; long-standing residents recall many more houses than now stand.

The name Burnt Fen is said to come from William the Conqueror's "Scorched Earth" policy when dealing with rebels such as Hereward the Wake.

Shippea Hill station was called Burnt Fen station between 1885 and 1904 (it was originally called Mildenhall Road station). It was officially Britain's quietest station in 2016 with a mere 12 passengers using it every year. Not least because there's only a token single train per day; departing for Norwich at 0730.

Also see Beck Row, Holywell Row, Kenny Hill, Mildenhall and West Row. We have so far been unable to find a map showing the boundary of Burnt Fen, so only the Mildenhall parish boundary appears on our map.

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