Commemorative Plaques in the Cam Valley

Across the Cam Valley, commemorative plaques help tell the stories of the people, places and events that have shaped local communities.

Look out of the train window and you might see a village, a church, a pub or an ordinary-looking house. But look a little closer and you may find a blue plaque telling a remarkable story.

Across the Cam Valley, plaques mark the homes, workplaces and places associated with people who have changed the world, from pioneering scientists and doctors to writers, poets and people whose quieter acts of kindness left their own mark on local history.

Several can be found within easy reach of our railway stations, making them a perfect addition to a journey by train.

Next time you arrive at a Cam Valley station, take a few minutes to look around. You never know whose story you might discover.

Cambridge Past, Present & Future Blue Plaques

The Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire Blue Plaque Scheme highlights people, places and moments of historical significance across Cambridge and the surrounding villages. The plaques bring local history to life in the very locations where it happened, helping residents and visitors discover connections between the past and present.

Village Heritage Plaques and Local Schemes

Alongside the Blue Plaque Scheme, several villages in the Cam Valley have developed their own commemorative plaques, interpretation boards and heritage trails. These initiatives celebrate local history, notable residents, historic buildings and community memories, helping to preserve and share the unique character of each village.

The blue plaque at Louis Leakey's House. The inscription reads "Palaeoanthropologist whose study of early hominid fossils established that the origins and evolution of mankind began in Africa"

Louis Leakey - High Street Foxton (Foxton)

Visit the plaque marking the former home of renowned archaeologist and palaeoanthropologist Louis Leakey, whose ground-breaking work in East Africa transformed our understanding of human origins. Discover how this quiet Cam Valley village is connected to one of the most important stories in human history.

Louis Leakey

The blue plaque for Dr Elsie May Widdowson. The inscription reads "Developed and tested wartime rations, with bread made in the bakery formerly on this site."

Dr Elsie Widdowson – High Street, Barrington (Foxton or Shepreth)

This plaque commemorates Dr Elsie Widdowson, one of Britain's most influential nutritionists. Her pioneering research on diet, infant nutrition and wartime food policy helped shape modern public health and improved the wellbeing of generations.

Dr Elsie Widdowson

A photograph of the dark red plaque to Philippa Pearce. The inscription reads "Her father having been the miller, she had grown up in the Mill House down the lane, which became an inspiration for her classic children's book Tom's Midnight Garden."

Philippa Pearce - Kings Mill Lane (Shelford)

Celebrate the life and work of beloved children's author Philippa Pearce, best known for Tom's Midnight Garden. Inspired by the landscapes, waterways and atmosphere of Great Shelford, her stories continue to enchant readers around the world.

Philippa Pearce

Freestones Corner - Corner of Station Road and London Road (Shelford)

This plaque remembers Lily Freestone and her family, whose bakery became a cherished meeting place for servicemen during the Second World War. Offering friendship, refreshments and a warm welcome, Freestone's Bakery provided a valuable "home from home" for those serving far from their own families.

Freestones Corner

Ron Gooch - Shelford Station (Shelford)

Located at Shelford station, this plaque honours Ron Gooch, who dedicated 49 years to the railway as a fireman and driver before becoming the station's first adopter. His enthusiasm and care helped create the welcoming station environment enjoyed by passengers today.

Ron Gooch

Photograph of the blue plaque to Rupert Brooke. The inscription reads "Lived and wrote at The Orchard 1909-1911 and at The Old Vicarage 1911-1912."

Rupert Brooke – Orchard House, Mill Way, Grantchester (Cambridge South)

This plaque celebrates poet Rupert Brooke, whose writings captured the beauty of the English countryside before the First World War. Explore the riverside landscapes around Grantchester that inspired some of his most enduring and best-loved verse.

Rupert Brooke

Photograph of the blue plaque to Dr John Addenbrooke who left money in his will for the establishment of a hospital in Cambridge

Dr John Addenbrooke - Addenbrooke's Hospital (Cambridge South)

A plaque commemorates Dr John Addenbrooke, whose generous bequest led to the foundation of a hospital for the poor in eighteenth-century Cambridge. His legacy lives on through Addenbrooke's Hospital, now a world-renowned centre for healthcare, teaching and medical research.

Dr John Addenbrooke

Photograph of the blue plaque to John Stevens Henslow in the Botanic Garden. The inscription reads "Professor, Churchman, Botanist and Geologist. Innovator in universal education. A guiding light for his student Charles Darwin".

John Stevens Henslow – Cambridge University Botanic Garden (Cambridge)

Discover the plaque dedicated to John Stevens Henslow, botanist, educator and mentor to Charles Darwin. Through his teaching and encouragement, Henslow played a pivotal role in the development of evolutionary science and modern natural history.

John Stevens Henslow

Photograph of the blue plaque to DNA. The inscription reads "Here at the Eagle, near the old Cavendish Laboratory Francis Crick and James Watson first celebrated the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA."

DNA – The Eagle Pub, Bene't Street (Cambridge)

At The Eagle pub, a plaque marks the celebrated moment when Francis Crick announced the discovery of DNA's double-helix structure in 1953. Inside the pub, a second plaque recognises Rosalind Franklin, whose pioneering research was fundamental to unlocking one of science's greatest discoveries.

DNA Structure Discovery

Discover the wider story

The plaque is just one stop on the DNA Discovery Itinerary. Explore the locations, researchers and breakthroughs that shaped our understanding of DNA.

DNA Discovery Day Out (Itinerary)