Old photos & postcards of Newton Road, Little Shelford

Photos include;

The obelisk
The Red House.

This is a drawing of what is believed to be Little Shelford mill, possibly drawn by Fanny Wale.

However, mill expert Elwyn Davies said there hasn't been a windmill in Little Shelford. There was a mediaeval post mill in Great Shelford somewhere around grid reference TL460530.

He thinks this picture is actually the other side of Newton and is catalogued as Harston Tower Mill. The large finial knob on the top is highly distinctive.

red house

The Red House in Newton Road was the home of George Bagnall for over 20 years and was well known for its mushrooms and asparagus.

Obelisk

The Wale obelisk was erected in 1739 on Maggot’s Mount on Newton Road on the outskirts of Little Shelford.

Gregory Wale and James Church used to meet regularly at this place, and they agreed that when one of them died, the survivor should put up a monument to his friend's memory on the very spot where they so often met.

The monument is inscribed as follows:

"To the Memory of Gregory Wale Esq, Justice of the Peace for this County. Deputy Lieutenant. County Treasurer. Conservator of the River Cam. He lived an advocate for liberty. A good subject. An agreeable companion, a faithful friend, an hospitable neighbour, and in all parts of life a useful member of society. He died June 5th 1739 in the 71st year of his age: universally lamented, and was buried in the parish church of Little Shelford. This obelisk was erected by his surviving friend James Church Esq as a public testimony of his regard to the memory of so worthy a gentleman."

After the death of Gregory Wale, his granddaughter Margot Wale often used to walk up the mount and was very fond of it. At the latter end of her life she would lie at her window and watch her little hill and her friends and the country people got into the habit of calling it "Margot's Mount" and in later years this was corrupted to "Maggot's Mount."

Gregory Wale is buried at All Saints’ Church. He was Lord of the Manor of Tiptofts in Harston, Cambridgeshire from 1731–1735

memorial