Earith

Earith is situated on the northerly banks of the Great Ouse River, between Bluntisham and Haddenham.  The village lies chiefly along the road coming from Earith Bridge towards Bluntisham.  The civil parish of Earith was created in 1948 when the former parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith was dissolved.

Earith means 'mud' (or more probably gravel) and hithe means a landing place.

The Earith bridge has always been important since ancient times.  By the 14th and 15th centuries, it and the causeway over Haddenham Fen (known as 'Earith Causey') were looked after by Hermits.  Indulgencies were granted around 1400 for the repairs and maintenance.  Not that this was especially successful and in 1346, the local community complained to Parliament that the bridge, was entirely gone because of the lack of repair.  This bridge was still in existence in 1637.

Between 1631 and 1651 Earith became the junction of the old River with the Old and New Bedford Rivers, two of the major drainage channels of the Fens. The latter, often referred to as the 100ft river, was the work of the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden. Between the two rivers lie the washes which are flooded in winter and are home to a variety of water fowl.

Many Quakers had their homes in Earith after 1650, and a Meeting House has existed there since.

A new bridge over the old Bedford River was erected in 1812, and a further cast-iron one was put over the new Bedford River in 1826.

Also in this area are the remains of ancient earthworks known as The Bullwarks which were used in the Civil War. Earith at that time was the 'Gateway' to the Isle of Ely.

Another site of interest on the western approach to Earith is Bury Fen. In 1826 a small bronze statue (8 1/2 inches high) was found which was thought to be of Roman origin and is now in the British Museum. The Fen is a large expanse of meadowland which floods and freezes in winter. If the ice is of good quality the English National Skating Championships are held here.