Civic Pride: Where to find 46 Peterborough streets named after plants!
46! Yes, forty-six! Amazing isn’t it – 46!!!! That’s the number of streets in Dogsthorpe that are named after trees, bushes, shrubs and flowers, writes Peterborough Civic Society’s Toby Wood.
Don’t you believe me? Well here goes – deep breath!
Acacia Avenue, Acer Road, Almond Road, Apricot Close, Ash Close, Ash Court, Ash Road, Aspen, Beechwood Close, Birchtree Avenue, Bluebell Avenue, Broom Close, Campion Road, Cherrytree Grove, Chestnut Avenue, Cottonwood Drive, Cypress Road, Damson Drive, Figtree Walk, Furze Ride, Gorse Green, Harebell Close, Hawthorne Road, Heather Avenue, Hemlock Close, Laburnum Grove, Larch Grove, Lavender Crescent, Lawn Avenue, Lilac Road, Lombardy Drive, Maple Grove, Meadow Grove, Myrtle Avenue, Myrtle Court, Myrtle Grove, Oakleaf Road, Olive Road, Palm Court, Pine Tree Close, Poplar Avenue, Primrose Close, Rowan Avenue, Spruce Grove, Sycamore Avenue and Willow Avenue.
So why is it that I’m so keen on Dogsthorpe?
There are three reasons. First, Dogsthorpe is the area that I have lived in all my life (apart from a brief sojourn being born at Thorpe Hall and three years at college in Reading). Secondly, I never cease to be impressed by the Dogsthorpe estate expansive layout. Thirdly, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Dogsthorpe estate being built.
World War Two had caused housing shortages and local authorities all over the country needed ‘homes fit for heroes’. Consequently the Dogsthorpe estate was built. Since land was relatively cheap in those far-off days, the estate had a generous layout with wide grass verges, abundant green spaces, tree-lined streets and plenty of play spaces. I remember the occupants being largely employed by nearby Perkins Engines and, first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon, there was an army of cyclists riding to and from work.
Even at a young age I found it ironic that people making diesel engines had to get to work on man-powered machines.
Of course Dogsthorpe itself existed as a village long begore the Dogsthorpe estate was built, there’s plenty of history online. Perhaps that’s an article for another day.
So, let’s get bang up to date. Along with photographer and artist Sandra Keating, I have been asked to be part of an exploration and celebration of Dogsthorpe’s 80th anniversary. This will also include the adjacent Welland estate, a 1960s addition to ‘greater’ Dogsthorpe. Two walks will take place in March, the month not the place!
The first walk will be a stroll around ‘old’ Dogsthorpe on Saturday 7th March and which will last around an hour, starting at 10.30am, with 30 minutes at the end for refreshments and discussion. I will be leading that walk which will begin and end at Dogsthorpe Library, Central Avenue. Participants will be asked to bring a camera or phone and take snaps with us as they wander round.
Sandra Keating’s walk around Welland on Saturday 21st March will last around an hour with 30 minutes at the end for refreshments and discussion. The walk will begin and end at Woodfield Park Community Centre (The Charteris Centre), Normanton Road, Welland. During this walk, participants will explore, observe and playfully capture the ‘urban green’ spaces of Welland. It will be a walk that is as much about promoting wellbeing and creating moments of pause to notice those pockets of nature and green as it is experimenting with photography and techniques.
Since both walks will ask people to take photographs, the two walks are to be called !!SNAP!! and, once both walks are over a booklet will be produced for distribution to all those involved. Many of the photos will hopefully also feature in an outdoor exhibition, possibly in April this year.
Who knows, once we have celebrate Dogsthorpe we may turn our minds to celebrating other, more established areas of the city – Walton, Paston, Gunthorpe, Eastgate, Millfield, Woodston, Old Fletton,
Werrington or Longthorpe. But let’s do one thing at a time!
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On Monday 9 March at 2.30pm the Civic Society’s monthly talk Triumph and Disaster: archaeological insights into life in the medieval countryside with Professor Carenza Lewis, archaeologist and TV presenter.
Professor Carenza Lewis is a renowned British archaeologist, television presenter, and academic. Best known as an original expert on Channel 4’s Time Team (1993–2004, returning since 2021 on YouTube), she popularised archaeology through engaging fieldwork.
This is our keynote lecture and will be held in the ARU Peterborough Living Lab commencing at 2.30pm. Details for booking and cost are available on our website.
However there are only a few tickets left so hurry!