Unitary authority in England
| Coordinates: | 52.59, -0.26 |
|---|---|
| OS grid ref: | TF 18 00 |
The unitary authority of Peterborough sits in eastern England, in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, straddling gravel terraces and the flat marshes of the Fens along the River Nene. Its skyline is dominated by the Norman Peterborough Cathedral, famed for its dramatic west front and the tomb of Catherine of Aragon; the area also includes the Bronze Age site at Flag Fen and Longthorpe Tower with its medieval wall paintings.
Once a market town and later a 19th-century brickmaking and railway hub, Peterborough has grown into a diverse, roughly 200,000-strong authority with a mixed economy of manufacturing, logistics and retail, helped by strong road and rail links to London and beyond. The city has a lively cultural scene, a passionate local football club and a range of festivals and community groups that reflect a multicultural population and recent waves of inward migration.