The church grounds are certainly worth exploring.
Outside the front of the church, you can see the foundations of Chatteris’ original fire engine house that was built in 1798. These survive as bricks in the ground, showing the outline of the rectangular structure. They lie between one of the entrance pillars (opposite the main door of the church) and the churchyard’s boundary wall.
There are a number of interesting gravestones in the churchyard, six of which are Grade II Listed in their own right.
At the edge of the churchyard, near the main road, you’ll see the town’s War Memorial. It contains 158 names for World War I and 38 for World War II.
It was designed by W Samuel Weatherley and sculpted by A Robinson & Son at a cost of £1,700, which was raised by public subscription. The memorial was unveiled on 6th October 1920.
The local Royal British Legion group held a ceremony of remembrance at the War Memorial on the 100th anniversary of the date of each of 158 WWI deaths listed on the memorial as part of the “Every Man Remembered” initiative. The War Memorial was given Grade II Listed protection by Historic England in 2017.
Photographs: now and then
Chatteris War Memorial. Photo: Chatteris Community Archive 
The beacon in the churchyard. Photo: Lawrence Weetman 
The old fire station. Photo: Chatteris Community Archive
Where is it?
Location and directions: Google Maps
Find out more
- Chatteris Parish Church on Google Streetview, which includes the ability to navigate around the paths of the church grounds
- Chatteris War Memorial on the Chatteris Community Archive
- Chatteris War Memorial, and short biography of each person named on it, on the Roll of Honour website
- Chatteris War Memorial, including close-up photographs, on the Imperial War Museum website
- Chatteris War Memorial on the Historic England register of listed buildings
- The six listed headstones on the Historic England register of listed buildings
- Chatteris Fire Brigade, including photographs of the old fire station on the Chatteris Community Archive
Taking a digital tour of Chatteris?
If you’re taking a Digital Tour of Chatteris, the next thing to do is to cross the road from the War Memorial towards the former Palace Ballroom.