Croft Lane lost buildings and features: Cottages at junction with Coles Lane
The following is taken from an article written for the August/September 2025 edition of the Oakington & Westwick Journal.
Starting at the corner where Croft Lane meets Longstanton Road are council houses built in pre‑war times. In front of these on the grass, elevated above the road, was one of the village pumps and alongside of this was a ditch for water running off the road.
Next along are two semis and one detached house built in the 60s by Charlie Caulfield, a local builder. At the end is one more recent build by A & J Cook. Between the council houses and the semis, the location of a lane that used to run through to the airfield is still visible.
On the corner of Coles Lane and Croft Lane was at one time a pair of old thatched cottages (knocked down in the 30s). These were replaced with what became the home of Vi and Sydney Brickwood along with the Post Office which Vi ran for many years until her retirement.
Opposite was the bakery on Coles Lane, now East View, which backed onto Croft Lane. It was run by Bert Smith and his son Eric until he retired in the 50s. Last but not least we have the White Horse pub, now the only pub in the village, again side on to Croft Lane.
Richard & Sally Barker, Edgar Stearn
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