On 20 July the St Ives Mayor, Councillors, and Civic Society marked the unveiling of a new black plaque honouring a medieval carved beam and its remarkable link to the Ramsey Abbey Coat of Arms.
A much‑loved piece of St Ives architecture, the beam was moved to No. 7 The Pavement from the Old Salutation in Crown Street when the original building was demolished in 1887. Now home to Mountain Warehouse, No. 7 was once the Bell Inn, and a carved bell can still be seen in the brickwork. Residents frequently highlighted the beam during town planning consultations, inspiring the Civic Society to commission Cambridge specialists Mark and Andrew Hoskins to assess and restore it. Their careful cleaning and light conservation were generously sponsored by Mountain Warehouse, with Huntingdon District Council funding the plaque and launch.
Thanks to our committee members’ excellent TV connections, Matthew Hudson of Anglia News covered the event — you can watch the report below: