93/95 Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge

History of 93-95 Queen Edith's Way

93 Queen Edith’s Way is believed to be the first permanent building in what was originally a country lane. The house is aligned north-south and no. 91 is east-west so the two houses together form a L-shape. The houses were built for two sisters and the patio of no.91 incorporates a well which was their water supply.

No. 95 was the second house built in the road. There was originally a large orchard alongside. In the 1960s the owner of 95 was Cecil Collen, who owned the Healthfood shop which traded in Rose Crescent. He had designed the house himself and  bought a large chunk of the orchard with the plot. He could have bought all the rest of the orchard for £500 but his wife insisted he had too much garden already and vetoes the idea.

Between nos 93 and 95 runs an ancient (probably pre-enclosure) ditch and hedge. Little is left of the ditch now; there are four surviving ash trees, others are just stumps.

(source – private letter)