“Cow Island” might sound like a strange name. But that’s part of the story of Stow-cum-Quy. This village has a history stretching back millennia.
Stow-cum-Quy’s story begins with two distinct settlements. Stow means “high or holy place”. Quy comes from “Cowey” or “Cow Island”. “Cum” is Latin. It simply means “with.” These two settlements were joined by 1066. By the early 13th century they were one ecclesiastical parish.
Let’s talk about the land. Stow-cum-Quy sits on mostly flat land. The northern part was once fenland. It’s below 7.5 meters. A gravel ridge rises over 20 meters in the south. This provided a dry route for the Cambridge-Newmarket road.
A few traces of human occupation remain from the Bronze Age. By 1086, 17 peasant households lived here. In 1279, there were over 60 tenants. The village has seen its population rise and fall over the centuries. From 235 people in 1801 to a peak of around 450 in the 1840s. Today, Stow-cum-Quy maintains a steady population.
Quy village sits just beyond the former open fields. Its older section lies along a road from the Cambridge-Newmarket turnpike. Stow church stands almost isolated. It had ancient closes to its north. Only a couple of farmsteads remained near the church in 1839. In Quy, housing stood among ancient closes. Earthworks from demolished farmsteads are still visible in Quy Hall’s park.
Park Farm is one of the few houses surviving from before 1800. It was built in the mid-17th century. It was later enlarged and brickcased. Most older houses stand near the crossroads. The parish contained 12 houses and 63 cottages in 1839. Many new cottages were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Quy bridge is another notable landmark. It was rebuilt in brick in 1837. The Cambridge-Fordham railway line once crossed the parish. A station opened off Hall Lane. Passenger traffic stopped in 1961. The line closed entirely in 1963.
The village had three or four public houses in the 19th century. The White Swan was open by 1750. The Plough was replaced by the Bush. The Prince Albert opened in the 1840s.
The village feast was a tradition for many years. It was held on two days in Rogation week until the 1950s. A recreation ground was allotted to the parish in 1840. Village clubs played cricket and football there.
After 1840, the remaining intercommonable fen was left in the ownership of three parishes. The poor could cut turf for fuel. In 1959, a scheme vested the fen in trustees. It would be preserved as an open space.
Jeremy Collier was born in Stow-cum-Quy in 1650. He is commemorated in the church. A modern street is also named after him.
Stow-cum-Quy is a village with a rich history. From its Anglo-Saxon roots to its changing landscape and population. It offers a glimpse into England’s past. It is a place where history and nature intertwine.