Stretham
A village on the edge of the Isle, four miles south of Ely, home to the last complete steam engine that drained the Fens.
Fen-edge village
About Stretham
Stretham grew up around St James’s Church and the Village Cross, on the southern edge of the old Isle of Ely. Just outside the village, beside the Great Ouse, the Stretham Old Engine is a steam pumping engine of 1831, the last complete survivor of the engines that once kept the surrounding fen drained.
Every May since 1877 the village has held the Stretham Feast, a weekend of markets, music, a parade and a fair that began as a way to raise money for Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Stretham at a glance
- Stretham Old Engine, open to visitors on regular open days in spring and summer
- Stretham Feast, with Feast Day on the third Sunday in May
- Stay beside the engine at the Landmark Trust’s Stoker’s Cottage
- Riverside walks along the Great Ouse, with day boats nearby at Fish & Duck Marina
What’s on in Stretham
Stretham Feast
May: Third Sunday in May
Things to do in Stretham
-
Stretham Old Engine
The last complete survivor of the steam engines that drained the Fens, with limited open days in spring and summer.
Stretham, near Ely
-
Stretham Feast
A village festival held every May since 1877, with a market around the Village Cross, an outdoor service, a pipe band parade and a fair on the recreation ground. Feast Day is the third Sunday in May.
Stretham
Clubs and societies in Stretham
-
St James’s Church, Stretham
Stretham’s parish church, parts of which date from the 14th century, open daily.
Community in Stretham
-
Stretham Parish Council
Parish council for Stretham, which also organises the annual Stretham Feast.
Local businesses in Stretham
-
Stoker’s Cottage (Landmark Trust)
A holiday cottage beside the Stretham Old Engine, cared for by the Landmark Trust.
Stretham