Fen Edge

The Fen Edge lies to the east and north-east of the city, where urban neighbourhoods and industrial zones transition into the vast, flat expanses of the Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire Fens. It is a place shaped by centuries of agricultural innovation, land reclamation, and waterways engineering — from medieval drainage schemes to the great 17th-century works of Cornelius Vermuyden.

Neighbourhoods such as Eastern Industry, Eastern Avenue, and Parnwell reflect the city’s modern economic role as a manufacturing and distribution hub, with major employers and industrial estates positioned close to strategic road and rail links. Beyond these, the historic village of Eye offers a more traditional rural charm, with its parish church, windmill heritage, and connections to fenland farming.

At the heart of the quarter’s visitor appeal is Flag Fen Archaeology Park, one of the UK’s most important Bronze Age sites, where visitors can walk the preserved timber causeway and explore reconstructed roundhouses. The nearby Nene Washes offer a haven for wildlife and birdwatchers, while the straight roads, drainage channels, and open horizons carry the story of fenland resilience and engineering skill.

This quarter also embraces the historic fenland village of Thorney — once a monastic ‘island’ in the marshes, home to the striking Thorney Abbey and a rich tradition of fen drainage heritage. Its heritage museum and grid-pattern streets preserve the story of reclamation, engineering, and rural resilience.

This is a landscape — both natural and industrial — that tells a story of working with the land, shaping it, and building a life on its edge.