Peterborough

Peterborough (/ˈpiːtərbərə, -bʌrə/ ⓘ PEE-tər-bər-ə, -⁠burr-ə) is a cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. For many centuries, the city and its surroundings, as the Soke of Peterborough, were part of the historic county of Northamptonshire, but had an independent county council between 1889 and 1965. The city formed part of the short-lived Huntingdon and Peterborough between 1965 and 1974. Though historically part of Northamptonshire, the city has been part of Cambridgeshire since 1974, and is the largest settlement in that county. The city is 74 miles (119 km) north of London, on the River Nene which flows into The Wash 27 miles (43 km) to the north-east; the cathedral city of Ely is 24 miles (39 km) east-southeast across the Fens and the university city of Cambridge is 30 miles (48 km) to the southeast. The local topography is flat, and in some places, the land lies below sea level, for example in parts of the Fens to the east and to the south of Peterborough. Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current city centre, also with evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral.