River Cam

It was very frosty again this morning although the sun has also put in an appearance; however, it is bitterly cold and some of this is because of the wind.

We went for another walk this morning and I took a photograph of a pied wagtail pecking around for food on the pavement; its mate was on the wall. Some 'sticky buds' on the horse chestnut tree also made a nice picture, but in the end I chose this one of a stream running past some old sheds.

This picture shows a tributary of the River Cam and in olden times, I am told, it was much wider and ships came from Cambridge to Newport. However, this is disputed as 'port' often meant new town or market in those days.

The original name of the town was Newport-Pond, because there was a pond at the southern end of the town and was, I believe, where the marsh now joins my garden.

Newport, Essex, is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, the name is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin; there was a successful market around this time. After about 1300 AD the market ceased in Newport-Pond and the town of Saffron Walden, four miles away, famous for its saffron, became the dominant town. Newport was then dependent on agriculture, leather, wool-combing and the maltings for its existence.