23 Mar 2020 Ely
The Hereward Line and the Hereward CRP are named after ‘Hereward the Wake’ who was reputed to be an 11th Century ‘action hero’, who spent the best years of his life fighting ‘William the Conqueror’.
The Hereward Line runs between Peterborough to Ely with connections at either end to other destinations right across the rail network. Hereward CRP is a Community Rail Partnership, consisting of train operators, councils, railway user groups, station adoption groups and the general public.
It was formed to encourage greater use of the railway by local people and to give residents the opportunity to speak with the company representatives who operate the line.
The Hereward Line and the Hereward CRP are named after ‘Hereward the Wake’ who was reputed to be an 11th Century ‘action hero’, who spent the best years of his life fighting ‘William the Conqueror’.
To this day, there is still an historic footpath named Hereward Way marking his route through the Fens, linking Peterborough and Ely as does the Hereward Line.
But who was Hereward The Wake?
Hereward the Wake was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman from Lincolnshire who became part of the resistance to the Norman Conquest in the 11th Century. As a young man he’d already gained a fearsome reputation as a hell-raiser, gang member, and challenger to his father’s authority who generally upset the neighbouring nobility.
During the Norman Conquest on learning of a band of resistance fighters holed up at the Isle of Ely, Hereward swiftly joined their fight, won their respect and became their leader, heading a series of damaging attacks against the William the Conqueror.
As one of the area’s most famous sons, we’ve named our rail line after him to help keep his story, and the area’s history, alive for future generations.
To find out more please download our Hereward the Wake leaflet