Willingham History & Iducation Group

12/10/2026

This is an AI concept of what my book will look like.

Some of you will know I’ve been writing The Black Shuck of Belsars Hill, a novel rooted in the history and folklore of the countryside just outside Willingham.

The manuscript is now finished, and I’m approaching literary agents.

Across ten linked parts, from Roman Britain to the Cold War, the novel follows ordinary people living, working and fighting around Belsars Hill and the Aldreth Causeway. Running through their stories is Black Shuck, the spectral hound of East Anglian folklore. It brings together recorded history, local stories and fiction.

Thank you to everyone who’s shared memories, helped with research or encouraged me along the way.

With around 600 followers here, I thought it was worth asking: does anyone know a literary agent who might be interested in historical fiction with a supernatural thread? A recommendation or an introduction would be very welcome.

Sweyn Richardson

This is an AI concept of what my book will look like.

Some of you will know I’ve been writing The Black Shuck of Belsars Hill, a novel rooted in the history and folklore of the countryside just outside Willingham.

The manuscript is now finished, and I’m approaching literary agents.

Across ten linked parts, from Roman Britain to the Cold War, the novel follows ordinary people living, working and fighting around Belsars Hill and the Aldreth Causeway. Running through their stories is Black Shuck, the spectral hound of East Anglian folklore. It brings together recorded history, local stories and fiction.

Thank you to everyone who’s shared memories, helped with research or encouraged me along the way.

With around 600 followers here, I thought it was worth asking: does anyone know a literary agent who might be interested in historical fiction with a supernatural thread? A recommendation or an introduction would be very welcome.

22/09/2026

Next Monday

Longstanton Station and the station master's house, now the Busway P&R.

Longstanton, Oakington & Northstowe Willingham Action Group Willingham Village Willingham Social Club

Monday 28 September 2026 at 7.30pm
Willingham Social Club, Fen End
£5 on the door — cash or card
From a Victorian blizzard to Britain’s abandoned Hovertrain, the railways of Cambridgeshire have witnessed catastrophe, courage and one particularly spectacular technological dead end.
Join Old Willingham as we uncover seven remarkable railway stories from right on our doorstep:
The Abbots Ripton Blizzard, 1876 — how signals frozen in a snowstorm contributed to a catastrophic double collision and helped transform railway safety.
The March Station Crash, 1896 — the day a Cambridge excursion train collided with carriages detached from a Harwich boat train during shunting.
The Soham Explosion, 1944 — the extraordinary bravery of railwaymen who moved a burning am******on waggon away from the town before it exploded.
The Conington North Tragedies, 1948 — two fatal accidents at the same level crossing, including one that claimed the life of former Peterborough mayor Arthur Mellows.
The Conington South Derailment, 1967 — the disturbing story of a signalman whose deliberate actions derailed an express travelling at 75 mph.
The Earith Hovertrain, 1973 — Britain’s futuristic attempt to make trains float above their tracks, which reached 104 mph before the money and political support disappeared. Pieces of its concrete test track can still be found in the Fens.
Chivers Crossing, 1976 — a passenger train, a lorry carrying carrots and almost impenetrable Fenland fog: a collision near Shippea Hill that led to important changes in level-crossing protection.
These are not merely stories of things going terribly wrong. They reveal the changing relationship between machinery, signalling, human judgement and remarkable personal courage — and show how yesterday’s disasters helped to create the safer railway we know today.
Monday 28 September 2026 at 7.30 pm
Willingham Social Club
£5 on the door, payable by cash or card, to help cover the cost of the room.
Please click “Going” to help us plan the seating.
We look forward to seeing you there!

30/08/2026

A quick reminder for Monday night.
Old Willingham’s next history evening is Cambridgeshire’s Historic Pubs: Sin, Students and Smugglers.
Expect old photographs, maps, local stories, famous pubs, forgotten pubs, a few scandals, and possibly the odd ghost.
Monday 31 August at 7.30 pm
Willingham Social Club
£5 on the door
Please click Going if you are coming, as it helps us with seating.

27/07/2026

The new page, Old Willingham is well over 500 followers now, and so this page will be closing soon.


Old Willingham

13/06/2026

A new compilation from our new page

Old Willingham

Rockmill End, Willingham.
Willingham Action Group Willingham Photo Club

04/06/2026

Reminder.

This page is no longer active.

The group's new name and page is Old Willingham

Fen End before Wilford Furlong was built

27/05/2026

The Black Horse Pub for £10 per year.

Does anyone know where it was?

26/04/2026