Peterborough

Peterborough
City
Skyline of north City Centre from Fletton Quays (2024) Bridge Street Cumbergate The Cathedral The Town Hall Fletton Quays The Guildhall
Peterborough Location within Cambridgeshire
Population	215,673 (2021)[1]
OS grid reference	TL 19204 98638
Unitary authority	City of Peterborough
Shire county	Cambridgeshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PETERBOROUGH
Postcode district	PE1–PE8
Dialling code	01733
Police	Cambridgeshire
Fire	Cambridgeshire
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	Peterborough
Website	peterborough.gov.uk
List of places UK England Cambridgeshire 52°33′58″N 00°14′11″W / 52.56611°N 0.23639°W / 52.56611; -0.23639

Peterborough (/ˈpiːtərbərə, -bʌrə/ ^ⓘ PEE-tər-bər-ə, -⁠burr-ə) is a cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is 74 miles (119 km) north of London, on the River Nene. As of the 2021 census, Peterborough had a population of 192,178,^[2] while the population of the district was 215,673.^[3]

Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the city centre. There is evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral. In the 19th century, the population grew rapidly after the coming of the railway. The area became known for its brickworks and engineering. After the Second World War, industrial employment fell and growth was limited until Peterborough was designated a new town in the 1960s. The main economic sectors now are financial services and distribution.

The city was the administrative centre of the Soke of Peterborough in the historic county of Northamptonshire, until the Soke was abolished in 1965. From 1965 to 1974, it formed part of the short-lived county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and since then has been part of Cambridgeshire.

The cathedral city of Ely is 24 miles (39 km) east-southeast across the Fens and the university city of Cambridge is 30 miles (48 km) to the southeast. The local topography is flat, and in places, the land lies below sea level.