Frozen in time. That’s how it feels standing before the Elizabeth Woodcock memorial. This unassuming stone pillar marks a remarkable story of survival against the odds. It tells the tale of Elizabeth Woodcock a woman whose name became etched in local folklore.
Elizabeth Woodcock lived in Impington a village near Cambridge. In February 1799 she journeyed to Cambridge market. She sold her eggs and butter. Her return journey was fraught with peril. A blizzard descended. The year was exceptionally cold with weeks of severe frost and heavy snow.
Elizabeth stopped at the Three Tuns pub on Castle Hill. She fortified herself with brandy anticipating a difficult journey home. But just half a mile from her home disaster struck. Her horse Tinker bolted. Elizabeth lost a shoe in the struggle. She carried a heavy basket filled with market purchases. Exhausted and cold she sought refuge under a bush. Before she knew it a six-foot snowdrift had buried her alive.
Alone and in darkness Elizabeth endured. She heard church bells ring. She heard people pass nearby but she couldn’t call for help. She survived by sucking on snow. Her ordeal lasted eight days. Finally a young farmer Joseph Muncey spotted her handkerchief poking from the snow. He heard her labored breathing and raised the alarm.
Elizabeth’s rescue was dramatic. Her husband and neighbours rushed to the scene. Wrapped in blankets she was taken home. But her ordeal was far from over. Cambridge surgeon Mr Okes treated her severe frostbite. He even amputated her toes. Though she recovered she was left crippled confined to crutches for the rest of her life.
Tragically Elizabeth died just five months later. A note added to her church register suggests alcohol played a part in her death. It was allegedly accelerated by the numerous gifts of spirits she received from visitors. This remains a point of contention. Mr Okes’ detailed report never mentions alcohol.
The Elizabeth Woodcock memorial stands as a testament to human resilience. It is a reminder of a remarkable woman’s courage and a harrowing tale of survival. Yet it also hints at the complexities and uncertainties of history. And the lingering question of how much alcohol really contributed to Elizabeth’s tragic end.