Longstanton, United Kingdom

The Hatton family dominated Longstanton as largest landowner and resident squires until the early 19th century. Sir Christopher and his mother Alice in 1633 sold their manors, named as Long Stanton, Cheyneys, Walwyns, and Colvilles, to his uncle Thomas Hatton, 1st baronet. The estate descended with the Hatton baronetcy. Title and estates were inherited by Thomas Dingley Hatton, who succeeded to the baronetcy in 1811 and died in 1812, when the title became extinct. At inclosure in 1816 the Long Stanton estate was owned jointly by his six sisters, being divided shortly afterwards among three who were unmarried, Frances, Elizabeth Ann, and Anne, who received 888 a., 550 a., and 318 a. respectively. By will proved 1838 Frances left most of her share to Anne for life, with remainder to their distant relative Rev. Daniel Heneage Finch-Hatton, chaplain to Queen Victoria. Under Anne's will, proved 1842, her enlarged estate was settled on Elizabeth Ann for life, and it was only under Elizabeth Ann's will, proved 1845, that Daniel Finch-Hatton obtained possession. He was succeeded after his death in 1866 by his son Edward Hatton Finch-Hatton, who dispersed the land by sale in 1874 but appears to have retained the manorial rights until he died in 1887. His brother and heir William Robert Finch-Hatton (d. 1909) was followed by his eldest son George Daniel, after whose death in 1921.

The three open fields of Longstanton All Saints and of Longstanton St Michael's were inclosed in 1816.

The village sign of Longstanton erected in 1981 to mark the marriage of the Prince of Wales, features a golden hind, from the crest of the Hatton's, on top was the coat of arms of the Hatton.

The name of Sir Francis Drake's ship, in which he sailed around the world, was changed from 'Pelican' to the 'Golden Hind' in recognition of the patronage of Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I, who was first cousin to John Hatton of Longstanton, Lord of the Manor of All Saints. John eldest son's Sir Thomas Hatton had a 22 acre park in the parish of All Saints surrounding his manor house, Hatton Park.

The village was transformed by the opening of RAF Oakington in 1940, resulting in the building of three new housing estates in the village and a trebling of the population. Although the airfield was in Oakington, all of the hangars, housing and other buildings were in Longstanton. Two bomber squadrons operated from RAF Oakington for the rest of the Second World War. There was also a photographic reconnaissance unit and a meteorological unit for a time during the war. Following the end of the war, the airfield was used by transport squadrons until 1950 and then by air training schools. The cemetery at the church of Longstanton All Saints contains a number of graves of servicemen who died either during or after the war. The graves are tended by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

After 1946 the older pupils went to schools elsewhere but the growth of the village soon outpaced the accommodation available. New buildings, called Hatton Park School, were opened in 1954 on the site of the Hattons' manor house.

The site became an army barracks in 1975 and on its closure in 1999 most of the housing was sold to private owners. The barracks buildings were used from 2000 to 2010 as an Immigration Reception Centre by the Home Office.