Newnham Walls - Church Rate Walk/Newnham Walk/Summerfield, Cambridge
Newnham Walls (Newnham, Cambridge)
Church Rate Walk/Newnham Walk/Summerfield
The Cambridge White, capped, brick walls.
Discovering the Hidden History of Newnham’s Capped Walls
Nestled in the charming streets of Old Newnham, just west of Cambridge city centre, are a series of intriguing capped brick walls. You may have walked past them many times without a second thought—but what stories do they hold? I carried out an investigation into these walls which has uncovered fascinating insights into their history, construction, and purpose.
These walls, built from distinctive Cambridge White bricks, are thought to date back to the late 19th century. They appear in three key locations:
Church Rate Walk – A long stretch of wall featuring an intriguing arched doorway, possibly leading to a private garden or estate access.
Summerfield – A boundary wall for what was once known as Nursery Cottage, built in 1868.
Newnham Walk – Enclosing part of The Pightle, a house constructed in 1864, with a section of curved driveway wall still standing today.
What makes these walls particularly interesting is their uniform design, featuring angled capping bricks to allow rainwater runoff, and in some cases, structural buttresses. This raises questions—were they built as part of a single estate? Did they once extend further? And why do some sections have remnants of old doors and wooden inserts?
Historical research has revealed that these walls did not appear on early 19th-century maps, but by 1886, they were already marking property boundaries. Some sections seem to have been altered over time, particularly with the development of Wordsworth Grove and Newnham Walk Surgery, which may have repurposed or removed parts of the original structures.
Despite these discoveries, there is still much to learn. Were these walls part of a single planned development? Where exactly did the bricks come from? And could similar capped walls be found elsewhere in Newnham? Further research—including brick analysis, archival map studies, and field surveys—could shed more light on their story.
If you’re curious to dive deeper, I’ve compiled my full report, complete with maps, photographs, and detailed observations. You can read the full PDF by clicking on the button below:
Next time you find yourself wandering through Newnham, take a moment to notice these walls - you might just be looking at a piece of history waiting to be uncovered!
