Hatley has a lot of history

Given both Hatley St George and East Hatley were mentioned in the Domesday Book, published in 1086, it’s perhaps surprising we don’t know more about our local past.

But then, lives were tough for our forbears in a way we can’t really imagine: no wellies, no electricity, no running water, no sanitation – ugh! – and it’s only in the last 100 years everyone could read and write.

But thanks to her interest in our local history, we owe a huge debt (and thank you) to the late Ishbel Beatty, who lived in East Hatley, for researching and writing the majority of articles in this section, which first appeared in the Gamlingay Gazette.

There are also contributions from Hatley residents Joyce Denby, the late Tommy Hood, former resident Mervyn Lack, the late John Lanchbery and Bill Richardson as well as ‘outsiders’ Ernst-Wilhelm Peter and S. French, Archivist, Downing College – thank you all.

If you have memories of Hatley you’d like to share (ideally with photographs), please do get in touch with Peter Mann so we can add them to this website for all to enjoy.

_{Page created 22nd December 2018; mini-updates on 12th August 2022, 31st May 2023 and 2nd April 2024.}