Just west of Huntingdon is a town filled with Tudor houses and grand buildings, perhaps the most important of which is the medieval castle where Catherine of Aragon died. Today, Grade I listed Kimbolton Castle is the main building of Kimbolton School, an independent secondary school for pupils aged 4 to 18.
Kimbolton’s historical significance extends beyond its connection to a divorced and dying queen: just 400 years after the death of Catherine of Aragon, the town made a vital contribution to the Allied effort in World War II.
Kimbolton Airfield opened in 1942 and was allocated to the United States Army Air Corps. The site was used for training by the Royal Air Force after the end of the war until demolition began in the early 1960s.
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The former airfield today has an unlikely role as a go-kart course. Hunts Kart Racing Club was formed in 1959 and, from the site of the former airfield, Kimbolton has grown into the largest karting circuit in East Anglia.
Now Kimbolton hosts a race meeting the second week of every month, moving from go-karts to bumper cars, with the town’s Statue Fair (affectionately known to locals as “Statie Fair”) taking place in September.
Every year hundreds of fair-goers descend on the High Street, where highlights include, as one local historian puts it, “dodgems, darts, cotton candy and cuddly toys”.
This hugely popular event dates back to 1200. To ensure COVID-19 did not disrupt this long-standing tradition, a “teacup” ride was set up at the end of High Street in 2020.
After a day at the fair and cart track, visitors to Kimbolton will need something to eat and drink, and The New Sun Inn, a recently refurbished pub on the High Street, could be just the thing.
The menu includes traditional dishes such as the “pie of the day” and battered haddock fillet. It has a high average Google rating of 4.4/5, with one satisfied customer writing: “We had a group of seven and enjoyed a really lovely Easter meal here.”
“I really liked the pork cheek and the salmon and prawn specials. The pub has some delicious homemade food, there’s something for everyone.”
Kimbolton is a 50 minute drive from Cambridge, a 24 minute drive from Huntingdon and an 18 minute drive from St Neots. Bus 400 takes around 35 minutes from Huntingdon to Kimbolton and bus 150 takes around 24 minutes from St Neots to Kimbolton.