from a legend that says a bull and a
ram fought over the pastureland. The
ram won the battle, hence the name
‘Rams-eye’. However, the more likely
origin of the name is the ‘island (‘eye or
‘ey’) of the rams’: before the fens were
significantly drained in the 17th and
18th centuries, the peninsula* of Ramsey
was cut off by Bury Brook, making it an
island around five metres higher than
the surrounding fen.
Our town centre clock used to be water powered... the water was diverted from the draining of the fens & Bury brook still runs beneath our feet in the high street, when the street partially collapsed late last year it was over one of the culverts (diverted waterways)...
There was so much water around us that the "jolly sailor" pub could be sailed to in an old fashioned boat! ..it was a stopping off point for people taking & delivering goods by river.
*a piece of land nearly surrounded by water or sticking out into the water