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Hoffer brook, Newton

History of the Hoffer Brook

Following information taken from Newton – The Five Went Ways byJessie Hall, 1987.

The brook is mentioned in Trinity College documents as HOPPEFORTHEBROC (1308) and HOPPEFORDEBROKE (1323). In the 18th century William Cole referred to it as “a little rill of sweet water”. It is a tributary of the Cam or Rhee which it reaches between Foxton and Harston. In 1921 during an August drought it stopped flowing. In 1925 there was concern over pollution from Duxford aerodrome; some families were still taking water straight from the brook. It dried up again in 1974. A newspaper article referred to the stream as once being 10 ft wide with trout, shrimp, sticklebacks, moorhen, watercress, water reeds and water vole.It ceased flowing in 1983 between Whittlesford Road and Newton Hall..

However, in 1837 there were several ponds in the Manor grounds and a sluice to control the flow.

Newton and Hoffer Brook, OS 1885

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