Parson Drove - The Village

Parson Drove is a small rural community in the north of The Fens in Cambridgeshire. With a parish population of just over 1000, it is a largely agricultural based area, with farming being the predominant employer in the village. It is referred to locally as "The Drove".

Peterborough lies about 19 miles to the west and Wisbech and Kings Lynn, seven and 21 miles to the east respectively. The Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire border is just to the north of the parish; indeed the parish boundary follows the county boundary along its northern edge.

The Cage, Parson Drove

The village and the surrounding area are steeped in history. The last working Woad Mill in Britain was located here, closing down as recently as 1910. It stood opposite St John the Baptist church although Woad Mill Farm is now on the site.

The Cage, a local tourist attraction, was built in 1829 as a village jail. Later, it housed the village fire engine, but nowadays it is a visitor centre and also hosts the parish council meetings.

In the 17th century, The Drove was mentioned in Samuel Pepys’ famous diaries although he described it as “a heathen place” when he stayed at The Swan Inn in 1663. Apparently, having his uncle's horse stolen didn’t endear the village to him.

Going back further still, St. John the Baptist church dates back as far as the 12th century, when much of this area was nothing more than marshland with occasional islands. This church is no longer used and village services now take place in The Emmanuel Church and the adjacent St Mark's Methodist Chapel.

Parson Drove is even mentioned in the Domesday Book and before that, Romans worked the land. Evidence of their occupation has been found at several sites in the parish. The draining of the Fens from the 1600s onwards has led to the land sinking by as much as 22 feet in some places, so back in Roman times, the land was probably much higher and drier than in the Middle Ages.

More recently, Parson Drove has been hosting the World Championship Pillow Fight Tournament. Originally held on a pole across the river that runs through the village, it is now held over a more modern tank as part of the Village Show each summer. The show was traditionally held on the Village Green, that forms the centre of the village. As the show has grown over the last few years, it has now moved to the playing field.

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