Hi All, I wonder if anybody can tell me anything either about Cowell Chambers (the large house with white wooden shutters on the windows directly opposite the Memorial) or what was on the site before the house was?

As far back in history as I have managed to get, it seems to be present but I would really like to hear from anybody who can give me any information on it please?

Thank you in advance, Michelle.

Hi. Michelle.
I know John Cowell's house used to be known as "The Retreat", dont know when it became known as Cowell Chambers as it is today, although I thought Cowell Chambers was the dry cleaners building that Cowell also owned, perhaps you could put me right with this.
Not sure what was on the site before, I do have a 17th century tithe map showing all the houses in Soham etc, will have a look for you. I know The Retreat is alot older than it looks, would love to have a look around the building some time.

Best Wishes, Tim

Hi Tim

Thanks for you info. I don't know how it could ever be called  a 'Retreat' with the Red Lion's karaoke every Wednesday and desperately loud music every Saturday!! The dry cleaners building is also Cowell Chambers but it is number 9, this house is number 8. Which is very bizarre as you then have number 6 and the Ship is 2-4!!

I live in one of the 1st floor flats so I could grant the wish of having a look round but I obviously couldn't speak for the other residents!

Any more info you could uncover would be absolutely fantastic, thanks again for your help! Do you know whether there were ever monks in the area?? I wouldn't know where to start looking for that one!!

Thanks
Michelle  

Hi Michelle.
Thanks for the offer to look around, me and my wife Julie from Sohamroots, would like to take you up on that, when it is convenient for you, we believe the hall way was all marble it one time and had marble pillars reputed to come from The Place on the recreation ground, which used to be a grand mansion. We had heard the marble had been removed a few years ago, but don't know if this is correct.
Yes there were Monks in Soham, from the Monastry that was here in the 7th century, later destroyed by the Danes, and never rebuilt. There was ruins in the mid 19th century that people used to visit in Soham, but the location is uncertain, but is reputed to be opposite the Church in the area of the bank, church hall & white hart lane areas. Why do you ask ?, have you a ghost. It has been said that a Monk has been seen sitting on a wall at the end of market st, on the junction of paddock st at certain times of the year.

Regards
Tim & Julie

Hi Tim & Julie!

I am not around much this week and am away over the weekend but at the moment I think next week is free if you'd like to pick an evening? Monday would probably be best for me but I can be flexible on that. There is no marble in the hall way but there is big wooden beams across the ceiling etc. There's an awful lot of steps throughout which is a bit odd, a very small one at the bottom of the stairs and you step down into the house from the back door. My flat's front door is very short but you step down into the hall then up into each room at varying heights, the flat next to me is all on one level but the one adjacent has 3 or 4 steps up into the lounge. I have a weird ceiling arrangement too...!!

Well, the monks... I don't know that I would call it a ghost as such but I have some very, very strange goings on here. And not very nice at that. To the point that when my partner is away I go and stay at my Mums, I absolutely will never stay here by myself ever again. I have had 2 Mediums round who said that it was linked with one particular Monk from a local Monastry, they went into a lot more detail than that obviously but I don't want everybody who reads this to think I'm a complete nutter so I will tell you more when you guys come round! I don't suppose you know any more about their goings on do you?

Thanks
Michelle  

Hi Michelle.
Do you mean this Monday ( Bank holiday Monday ) if so that is fine for us.
Sounds very interesting, it is very difficult to get much info on our Monks in Soham, we know they were of the Benedictine order, also we have found some evidence of a Nunnery between Soham & Barway, St Felix founded a monastery here between the years 630 & 636 together with his episcopal palace etc,and was reputed to be a great place of learning, St Felix died in 647, the Cathedral Church in Soham at the time of St Felix, was built by a noble Saxon called Luttlingus, and in the year 870, the Danes under the command of Inguar & Hubba, burnt the Cathedral Church & destroyed the monastery etc here, and it is written that the Danes gathered all the townsfolk and monks and locked them in the Church, burning them alive. This Convent at that time came flourished under Abbot Werefrid.
Hope this helps.
Let us know a time that suits you.
Best Wishes.
Tim & Julie