Residents of Histon, the driest village in Britain, are being forced to adapt to a 'Mediterranean lifestyle' as a prolonged drought takes its toll. Located north of Cambridge, Histon has recorded just 196.4mm of rainfall since January 1—less than half of the same period in 2024 and virtually no rain since June 26. A hosepipe ban has been in force across the Cambridge Water region since July 9.
Jo Catterick, 62, said she now lives like a 'middle aged Greek woman,' closing shutters at 11am and doing chores in the early morning to avoid the heat. Julie Dunn, 62, noted the village pond is at its lowest level ever, and she has resorted to using bath water to keep her plants alive. 'We save all our grey water... to try and avoid filling our watering cans from the hose,' she said.
Local pub landlord Steven Snudden, 39, said the sunny weather has kept customers coming, but his garden has suffered. 'It’s brown with patches of mud,' he said. Meanwhile, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, which recorded 209.5mm of rainfall, is focusing on plants suited to a warmer future. Head of horticulture Sally Petitt explained they are expanding collections of Mediterranean plants, treating them as 'the norm rather than the exception.'
The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), based in Histon, said the conditions help researchers study drought tolerance in crops. Spokesperson Ros Lloyd noted that prolonged dry conditions can reduce yields and increase financial uncertainty for farmers.
