Soham is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It lies just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket (Suffolk). Its population was 10,860 (2011 census), and it is within the district of East Cambridgeshire.
The region between Devil's Dyke and the line between Littleport and Shippea Hill shows a remarkable amount of archaeological findings of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. A couple of hoards of bronze objects are found in the area of Soham, including one with swords and spearheads of the later Bronze Age as well as a gold torc, retrieved in 1938.
An extensive ditch system, not visible on aerial photographs, has been identified, as well as a wooden track-way 800 metres in length between Fordey Farm (Barway) and Little Thetford, with associated shards of later Bronze Age pottery (1935).
The town narrowly escaped destruction on 2 June 1944, during the Second World War, when a fire developed on the lead wagon of a heavy ammunition train travelling slowly through the town. The town was saved by the bravery of four railway staff, Benjamin Gimbert (Driver), James Nightall (Fireman), Frank Bridges (Signalman) and Herbert Clarke (Guard), who uncoupled the rest of the train and drove the engine and lead wagon clear of the town, where it exploded, killing Jim Nightall and Frank Bridges but causing no further deaths. Ben Gimbert survived and spent seven weeks in hospital. Although small in comparison to what would have happened if the entire train had blown up, the explosion caused substantial property damage. Gimbert and Nightall were both awarded the George Cross (Nightall posthumously). A permanent memorial was unveiled on 2 June 2007 by HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester followed by a service in St. Andrew's Church. The memorial is constructed of Portland Stone with a bronze inlay depicting interpretive artwork of the damaged train and text detailing the incident.
In August 2002, Soham became the focus of national media attention following the disappearance and murder of two 10-year-old girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who both lived in Soham. They disappeared from the home of Holly Wells in Redhouse Gardens on the evening of 4 August and were found dead some 10 miles away, near RAF Lakenheath, on 17 August. In December 2003, Ian Huntley, who had been employed as the caretaker at Soham Village College, was convicted of their murders. The house in College Close where Huntley lived and admitted at his trial the girls died, was demolished during 2004.
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