Its first settlers were Canadian soldiers who were discharged at the time of the American Revolution in the late 18th century. The geographic township of Godmanchester was first surveyed in 1811, and named by Surveyor William Chewett after the English town Godmanchester. In 1845, the Township Municipality of Godmanchester was established, but abolished in 1847. It was reestablished in 1855.[1]
Trout River – runs along the municipality's southeastern border.
Several other smaller streams and waterways also exist throughout the municipality.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Godmanchester had a population of 1,403 living in 582 of its 621 total private dwellings, a change of 0.6% from its 2016 population of 1,394. With a land area of 138.66 km2 (53.54 sq mi), it had a population density of 10.1/km2 (26.2/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Godmanchester, Quebec[8]
Census
Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year
Responses
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
Count
Trend
Pop %
2021
1,405
760
3.2%
54.1%
540
0.0%
38.4%
50
66.6%
3.6%
50
42.9%
3.6%
2016
1,390
785
1.3%
56.5%
540
0.9%
38.8%
30
20.0%
2.2%
35
30.0%
2.5%
2011
1,415
795
15.4%
56.2%
545
13.5%
38.5%
25
150.0%
1.8%
50
42.9%
3.5%
2006
1,465
940
34.3%
64.2%
480
49.0%
32.8%
10
80.0%
0.7%
35
46.2%
2.4%
2001
1,570
700
10.0%
44.6%
715
0.7%
45.5%
90
157.1%
5.7%
65
116.7%
4.1%
1996
1,545
770
n/a
49.8%
710
n/a
46.0%
35
n/a
2.3%
30
n/a
1.9%
Economy
Godmanchester is a rural municipality primarily characterized by its agricultural economy. The local economy relies heavily on farming, with a focus on dairy, cattle, and crop production, such as grains and corn. Given its proximity to the United States, agriculture and trade benefit from access to both domestic and cross-border markets. Although small in size, the region supports local businesses connected to the agricultural sector, including machinery and equipment services. The quiet, rural nature of Godmanchester shapes its economy, which remains largely based on traditional farming activities.
