Church Street

This street was described as the Third Private Carriage Road and Driftway in the 1826 enrolled Enclosure Award. The Award describes it as thirty foot wide and this can be seen today by the width between the hedgerows on either side. The road starts off Main Road by The Rectory and after approximately 0.25 Km becomes Bridleway 6. An Ordnance Survey map dated 2004 shows the metalled road ending, and bridleway beginning, approximately at the point where Nos. 35 and 37 join yet in reality the bridleway starts at the access drive for No.37 where there is a misplaced sign. The street is a narrow lane with wide grass verges, enclosed by hedges and a number of mature trees. It is situated in the Little Gransden conservation area.

It is understood that the houses were not originally numbered but known by the names of the occupants. When numbered, the numbering was intended to allow for infill which never came, ie in general there are no 'missing' houses.

Street names and numbers were discussed at Parish Council meetings in 1969. It seems that it would be about this time that formal references to "Church Lane" changed to "Church Street" although inter-changing use of the two names appears to have occurred before.

The 1841 census documents clearly refer to Church Street and Church Lane, the latter appearing to be for Church Walk as was the case in the 1826 Enclosure Award.

However, in the 1910 Duties on Land Values rating valuation there are references to Church Lane for Church Street, cross-referenced to designated plots on the 1902 map. School Lane (again see the 1910 Duties on Land Values schedule and 1902 map) has also been applied to what is now Church Walk and Church Street may have previously been called Church Road. The Parish Council Minutes of 29 March, 1956 refer to, what is now Church Street, as Church Lane but a planning application in 1955-56 refers to Church Walk as Church Lane. All very confusing.

The cast road sign, at the junction with Main Road, was replaced by a modern sign in 2010 by the Highways Agency, despite being located in a Conservation Area, and against published guidance. This occurred without any consultation with the Parish Council and to the detriment of the conservation area.

It is understood that the street width in the 1950s extended nearly to the water hydrant positioned outside No. 30 on the verge.