Memorial Garden

If you follow the Memorial Walk from the NE corner of the Memorial Playing Fields (wooden kissing gate) on Thrapston Road you will find behind the football pitches a small oasis of attractive ornamental trees and a paved garden with benches and tables.
This is our Memorial Garden which was laid out in 2008 using monies allocated to Brampton from the development of the garage on Thrapston Road into what is now The Hurdles.

It was laid out and planted by volunteers and some members of the Parish Council. Frosts Garden Centre supported this project giving financial help and advice on choice of perennial flowers and shrubs. These have been maintained by members of the Parish Council and gradually added to. Additional planting of daffodils and snowdrops has been carried out by village residents and children.  The garden is now well established and provides a scented, shady and attractive seating area.

The decision to plant memorial trees in the area surrounding the garden was welcomed by those who wished to sponsor a tree in memory of a loved one who had lived in Brampton. The trees were chosen from a list of those suitable for the area and are now flourishing, producing varied foliage and blossom throughout the year. A further nine trees were planted in memory of those who lost their lives in the Second World War.

We are grateful to our groundsmen for their valuable contribution in keeping the grassed area of the Memorial Garden trimmed and cut.

The Green

The main area of The Green is a roughly triangular area with a variety of trees planted over the years by the Parish Council.  It is fringed by the Primary School, the Methodist Church, a pub with Indian restaurant as well as houses both ancient and modern. A small remnant of the original green across the road has an oak planted in 1994 by our, then, local MP and Prime Minister John Major. The green has a long and interesting history and has been used by the people of Brampton in various ways such as for grazing cattle, special celebrations and, perhaps in the distant past, even archery. It continues to be used by the people of Brampton for the celebration of local and national events, fetes, annual fair, and shortly a visiting human circus.  It is a pleasant green area for all to use and contributes greatly to the rural appearance of the village.

The Black Bull

The Black Bull is one of the oldest pubs in Brampton. The house is basically 16th century with 17th & 18th century additions.

It is known that Samuel Pepys, the diarist, who lived in the 17th century, took his ale here. His patron was the Earl of Sandwich who lived at Hinchingbrooke House, now a school.
The Black Bull was once the court of the manor where cases concerning the estate of the Earl of Sandwich were dealt with.

To visit the Black Bull web site click here.

Rural Brampton

As well as having the sort of facilities one expects of a small town  Brampton has retained its rural feel. The parish extends outside the built–up area and stretches 7km (4.5miles) from E to W and 3km (1.6miles) from N to S to include accessible countryside. There is an extensive network of public footpaths including walks beside the river Ouse and in the nearby Hinchingbrooke county park. The two most important areas are Portholme meadow to the east and Brampton Wood to the west. More information on the Wildlife of Brampton can be found here.

The Parish Council has produced a pamphlet ‘Explore Brampton’. It shows the extensive footpath and bridleway network and describes natural features as well as some of the historic buildings.  It is available free from the Memorial and Community Centres as well as in some of the local shops.

Churchyard and Cemetery

St. Mary Magdalene

The churchyard of our parish church is not maintained by the church itself. Responsibility has been handed over to the parish council. Each year money is set aside to look after the paths, trees and grass. We are also responsible for topple testing memorial stones, to avoid danger to members of the public and our workforce.

A few years ago the parish replaced a rose garden with a memorial garden where local families could plant a rose in memory of a family member. It has created a reflective, gentle space.

Our churchyard has a “residents only” rule to avoid overcrowding (the exception being a resident who had to leave home for full-time care outside Brampton).

The Montague plot for the Earls of Sandwich is housed here. They were local landowners for many generations and included the eponymous John Montagu, the 4th earl  who asked for some beef between two slices of bread so that he could stay at the gaming table. Others then asked for ”the same as Sandwich”, and rest, as they say, is history . Earl Montagu also sponsored Captain Cook who thoughtfully named the Sandwich Islands ( now the Hawaiian islands) after his patron.

There is history a-plenty in our churchyard including a grave for a black family slave, who must have been highly thought of indeed to be afforded such an honour.

St Mary Magdalene

St Mary Magdalene Church sits prominently on Church Road.
Parts of the church date from the thirteen hundreds, with the nave added in the fifteenth century and the current tower in 1635.  The stained glass windows include some particularly fine examples of the art by Edwardian glassmakers Kemp and Tower.
Everyone is welcome, and there is parking just a short walk away at the Church Hall.
Click here for information about Sunday services and much more.

Education

Brampton Village Primary School (two form of entry) is beside the village green and caters for the 4+ to 11 year olds. It has a pre-school section, The Brambles, for the 3 – 4s and a “Kids Club” for “before and after” school care.

There are two schools for the 11 – 18 year olds in Huntingdon:

Hinchingbrooke School is the usual catchment area school for Brampton. Being one of the largest schools in the county with a Sixth Form of over 400, it can offer a wide range of course options. It is unusual in being partly located in a former stately home, Hinchingbrooke House, once the home of the Earls of Sandwich. The school is a specialist sports college so offers very good sporting facilities, some of which are open to the public when not in use by the school. It also has a Performing Arts Centre where most of the major concerts and events in Huntingdon are held.
There is a second 11-18 school is Huntingdon called St. Peter's. There is also a College of Further Education in Huntingdon offering post-16 and courses for adults.

 Brampton also caters for the younger children with two nursery schools and a playgroup.

Hinchingbrooke Park

Hinchingbrooke Country Park is within easy walking distance of the centre of the village. Formerly part of the Hinchingbrooke family estate, it is now owned by the County Council and is open to the public, providing open grasslands, meadows, woodlands and lakes covering 170 acres with a wealth of wildlife everywhere. It also has an adventure playground for young people, a visitors’ centre and a refreshment kiosk.

Play Areas

Skate Park