Peterborough is a cathedral city and
unitary authority area in the East of England, with a projected
population of 161,800 as of 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the
county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is 75 miles (121 km) north of
London at Charing Cross. The city is situated on the River Nene, which
flows into the North Sea approximately 30 miles (48 km) to the
north-east. The local topography is notoriously flat and low-lying, and
in some places lies below sea level. The area known as the Fens falls to
the east of Peterborough. The City of Peterborough includes the outlying
settlement at RAF Wittering, and as a unitary authority borders
Northamptonshire and Rutland to the west, Lincolnshire to the north, and
Cambridgeshire to the south and east.
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Bronze Age, as can
be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current
city centre. This site also shows evidence of Roman occupation. The
Saxon period saw the establishment of an abbey, which later became
Peterborough Cathedral. The population grew rapidly following the
arrival of the railways in the nineteenth century, and Peterborough
became an industrial centre, particularly noted for its brick
manufacture. Following the Second World War, growth was limited until
designation as a New Town in the 1960s. The population is once again
undergoing rapid expansion and a £1 billion regeneration of the city
centre and immediately surrounding area is underway. In common with much
of the United Kingdom, industrial employment has fallen, with new jobs
tending to be in financial services and distribution.