Museums, archives and heritage in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire, inland eastern county of England; bounded N. by Lincolnshire, E. by Norfolk and Suffolk, S. by Essex and Herts, W. by Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Northamptonshire; greatest length, N. and S., 48 miles; greatest breadth, E. and W., 28 miles; average breadth, 16 miles; area, 524,935 acres; population 185,594. The N. section of the county, including the Isle of Ely and part of the Great Bedford Level, is a large flat expanse of country, which, for the most part, formerly consisted of fen and marsh. It is now intersected in all directions by wide trenches or canals. The land, thus drained and reclaimed, is a rich, black soil, and bears excellent crops. From this tract the pleasant vale of the Cam stretches away to the SW., and contains a great number of excellent dairy farms. Cambridgeshire comprises 17 hundreds, 172 parishes with parts of 7 others, the parliamentary and municipal borough of Cambridge (1 member, and Cambridge University 2 members), and the municipal borough of Wisbech. It is almost entirely in the diocese of Ely.

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Note: the former county of Huntingdonshire has been part of Cambridgeshire since 1974:

Huntingdonshire, Huntingdon, or Hunts, inland county, South Midland District, England; is bounded W. and N. by Northamptonshire, E. by Cambridgeshire, and S. by Bedfordshire; greatest length, N. and S., 30 miles; greatest breadth, E. and W., 23 miles; 229,515 acres; population 59,491. About a fourth of the county (in the NE.) forms a portion of the great ‘fen’ district, the remainder consisting of a succession of gentle hills and dales. Huntingdonshire is almost wholly devoid of trees, and may be described as an agricultural and pastoral county… Green crops, also of excellent quality, are obtained, while market gardening and cattle rearing form profitable employments. Willows are the chief product of the fen district. The Nen, in the N. and NW., annd the Ouse, in the interior, are the chief rivers; both are navigable for barges. With the exception of papermaking and the preparation of parchment, there are no manufactures of more than local importance. The county is almost entirely in the diocese of Ely. It contains 4 hundreds; 103 parishes, with parts of 6 others; the munincipal boroughs of Huntingdon, Godmanchester, and St Ives; and a part of the city of Peterborough.

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Anglesey Abbey, Gardens & Lode Mill – National Trust

Lode

Cambridge CB25 9EJ

01223 810080

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/anglesey-abbey

A passion for tradition and impressing guests inspired one man to transform a run-down country house and desolate landscape. At the age of 30, the future Lord Fairhaven began to create his first home. Wanting to inspire and surprise visitors, he created a spectacular garden with planting for all seasons and a cosy house in which to entertain.

Burwell Museum of Fen Edge Village Life

Mill Close

Burwell CB25 0HL

01638 605 544

www.burwellmuseum.org.uk

A museum (reg.charity No.290431), run entirely by volunteers, depicting village life on the edge of the Cambridgeshire Fens from the Saxons to the 60s. The displays are housed in various attractive buildings including an 18th century timber framed barn. Stevens’ Mill, a Grade II* Listed windmill next to the museum site, is part of the museum but is awaiting full restoration.

Cambridge Museum of Technology

The Old Pumping Station, Cheddars Lane

Cambridge CB5 8LD

01223 500 652

www.museumoftechnology.com

Sited on the bank of the River Cam, the museum is housed in the Old Pumping Station which was built to pump Cambridge’s sewage out to the sewage works at nearby Milton. A major feature of the museum is the two Hathorn Davey pumping engines installed in 1894 to pump the sewage from the well beneath the engines. These are the only engines of this type still running in the world. There is also a display of objects produced by local industries including Pye and Cambridge Instrument Company.

Cambridge University Heraldic & Genealogical Society

c/o Crossfield House, Dale Road, Stanton

Bury St Edmunds IP31 2DY

01359 251050

www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuhags

The Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society was formed as the result of the merger in 1957 of a previous society of the same name (founded 1950) with the Cambridge University Society of Genealogists (founded 1954). Four speaker meetings are held in each of the Michaelmas and Lent terms and a ninth at the beginning of the Easter term.

Cambridge University Library

Cambridge University Library, West Road

Cambridge CB3 9DR

01223 333000

www.lib.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge University Library is a legal deposit library, meaning that it is entitled to claim a copy of every publication in printed form published in the UK and Ireland. Almost all of this material is claimed and can be consulted in the Library.

Cambridgeshire Archives

Box RES 1009, Shire Hall, Castle Hill

Cambridge CB3 0AP

01223 699399

goo.gl/sZPUHp

Our aim is to identify, collect, preserve and actively promote the use of historical records relating to Cambridgeshire, including the former counties of Huntingdonshire and the Isle of Ely.

Cambridgeshire Association for Local History

PO BOX 1112

Cambridge CB21 4WP

01223 892430

www.calh.org.uk

One of our aims is to provide an umbrella service for all the local, family and social history societies, groups and clubs in Cambridgeshire. We also act as a central information hub taking in all the latest news of events or what is happening or affecting the history community both locally and nationally and disseminating that information out to the many history based societies, groups and clubs via our various networking facilities. we have a thriving individual and family membership.

Cambridgeshire Family History Society

43 Eachard Road

Cambridge CB3 0HZ

01223 853273

www.cfhs.org.uk

Cambridgeshire Family History Society (CFHS) supports family historians researching their ancestry in Cambridgeshire and beyond. Through transcription projects, CFHS helps to preserve original records by making them readily available to everyone.

Centre for Computing History

Rene Court, Coldhams Road

Cambridge CB1 3EW

01223 214446

www.computinghistory.org.uk

Established in 2006, the centre for Computing History is a pioneering educational charity. Its core purpose is to increase understanding of developments in computing over the past 50 years through exploring the social, cultural and historical impact of the Information Age.

Churchill Archives Centre

Churchill College

Cambridge CB3 0DS

01223 336087

www.chu.cam.ac.uk/archives

The Churchill Archives Centre was purpose-built in 1973 to house Sir Winston Churchill’s Papers – some 3000 boxes of letters and documents ranging from his first childhood letters, via his great war-time speeches, to the writings which earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature. They form an incomparable documentary treasure trove. The Churchill Papers served as the inspiration and the starting-point for a larger endeavour – the creation of a wide-ranging archive of the Churchill era and after, covering those fields of public life in which Sir Winston played a personal role or took a personal interest.

Clare Cottage

12 Woodgate, Helpston

Peterborough PE6 7ED

www.clarecottage.org

Tucked away between Stamford and Peterborough lies the village of Helpston, the birthplace and home of John Clare (1793-1864). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest English poets, and lived in the village for his first forty years.

Cromwell Museum

Grammar School Walk, Huntingdon

Huntingdon PE29 3LF

01480 375 830

www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/cromwell

Located in a fragment of a medieval monastic building and the former town Grammar School attended by Oliver Cromwell. The museum marks the life and legacy of Oliver Cromwell 1599-1658, who rose to prominence during the English Civil Wars of the mid 17th century, and became the head of state, the Lord Protector, during England’s only experiment with Republicanism.

Ely Cathedral

The Gallery

Ely CB7 4DL

01353 667735

www.elycathedral.org

Thousands of visitors come to Ely Cathedral each year, from all over the world. Few are ever disappointed, for there is something here for everyone. Lovers of architecture will rejoice in the many different styles, blending to make the whole.

Ely Museum

The Old Gaol

Ely CB7 4LS

01353 666655

www.elymuseum.org.uk

Ely Museum is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Ely, dating from the 13th century, it has been a private house, a Tavern, a Registry Office & the Bishop’s Goal. Sensitively renovated in 1997, much of the buildings history can still be seen, including prisoners’ graffiti, hidden doorways and original planking on the walls.

Collections: The displays include fossils from marine dinosaurs, prehistoric tools and weapons, Roman pottery and Anglo Saxon jewellery. An archive film shows methods of farming in the past, and the Debtors and Condemned Cells show visitors what the Bishops’ Gaol was really like.

Farmland Museum & Denny Abbey

Denny Abbey, Ely Road, Waterbeach

Cambridge CB25 9PQ

01223 860988

www.farmlandmuseum.org.uk

Explore the rural life of Cambridgeshire and discover the fascinating story of the Benedictine monks, Knights Templar and Franciscan nuns who lived in Denny Abbey. Peel away the layers of history in the abbey – from the Victorian farmhouse to the Norman interiors of the 12th century church and the 14th century Franciscan refectory. Find out about farming in the past by visiting the farm buildings including a 17th century thrashing barn, explore the craft workshops, which include a wheelwright and blacksmith.

Collections: Agricultural objects relating to Cambridgeshire, mostly 19th and 20th century which demonstrate the transition from hand tools to the mechanisation of farming. Domestic social history collection related to living in rural Cambridgeshire.

Fenland & West Norfolk Aviation Museum

Fenland & West Norfolk Aircraft Preservation Society, Old Lynn Road

West Walton, nr Wisbech PE14 7DA

goo.gl/KPRDvO

One of the finest and most interesting collections of aviation archaeology in the United Kingdom. All the exhibits (except the aircraft) are housed in purpose built premises comprising of three large themed halls, with interactive displays, well lit cabinets and structured themes.

Collections: A splendid collection of memorabilia, mostly associated with aviation past and present, including the second world war, Falklands conflict and Desert Storm. We have the cockpit from one of the two MiG 29’s which collided at RAF Fairford (both pilots escaped injury) – the only MiG 29 cockpit in the UK.

Fenland Family History Society

Rose Hall, Walpole Bank, Walpole St Andrew

Wisbech PE14 7JD

www.fenlandfhs.org.uk

The Fenland Family History Society was founded in 2001 to promote and encourage the study of family, local and social history with particular reference to persons having lived in, or having been associated with, the historical area now known as Fenland. Fenland comprises the former Isle of Ely, parts of South Lincolnshire and West Norfolk.

Fitzwilliam Museum

Trumpington Street

Cambridge CB2 1RB

01223 332900

www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

From Egyptian coffins to Impressionist masterpieces – the Fitzwilliam Museum’s world-class collections of art and antiquities span centuries and civilizations.

Flag Fen Archaeology Park

The Droveway, Northey Road

Peterborough PE6 7QJ

01733 313414

goo.gl/UdpZaV

Flag Fen is the site of a 3500 year old ritual causeway and ceremonial platform. Made from wood it contains 60,000 upright timbers and has yielded one of the best collections of Bronze Age Celtic swords, jewellery and tools in the country.

Collections: The museum of the Bronze Age at Flag Fen contains artefacts found on site, including the oldest wheel in England on permanent display.

Huntingdonshire Archives & Local Studies

Princes Street

Huntingdon PE29 3PA

01480 372738

goo.gl/EBikSS

Huntingdonshire Archives holds records relating to the former county of Huntingdonshire, which is roughly the area covered by the current Huntingdonshire District Council, as well as including Alwalton, Stanground, the Ortons and Fletton, which today form part of Peterborough City Council.

Huntingdonshire Family History Society

42 Crowhill, Godmanchester

Huntingdon PE29 2NR

01480 390476

www.huntsfhs.org.uk

Huntingdonshire Family History Society (HFHS) was founded in 1985 to help people to find out about their family history. The county reorganisation in 1974 saw Huntingdonshire become part of a greater Cambridgeshire.

IWM Duxford

IWM Duxford

Duxford CB22 4QR

01223 835 000

www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

IWM Duxford tells the story of the impact of aviation on the nature of war and on people’s lives. Set within Britain’s best-preserved Second World War fighter station, seven impressive hangars filled with extraordinary collections and state-of-the-art exhibitions take you on an unforgettable journey through times of war and peace.

Collections: The Normandy Experience looks at the dramatic invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 1944, and the events that followed in Normandy and NW Europe until the end of the war. ‘Monty’ reveals one of the men behind the events shown in The Normandy Experience – Field Marshal Montgomery. The British Aircraft Collection: A selection of military and civil aircraft for you to browse. The Naval Collection: A fascinating range of exhibits from midget submarines to naval helicopters. The Land Warfare Hall houses Duxford’s collection of tanks, trucks and artillery. The Battle of Britain Exhibition looks at the people and machines involved in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz of 1940-1941. The American Air Museum houses the finest collection of historic American combat aircraft outside the United States. ‘The Forgotten War’ Exhibition highlights the political, military and the personal aspects of the Second World War in the Far East, the Pacific and in particular, Burma between 1941 and 1945. The history of the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum from 1958 – 1960. Includes The Cambridgeshire Regiment Collection. AirSpace houses the finest collection of aircraft including iconic Concorde, the Lancaster and much more.

Kimbolton Castle

Kimbolton

Huntingdon PE28 0EA

01480 860 505

www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk/castle

Kimbolton Castle, Katherine of Aragon’s last residence, was largely rebuilt as the 18th century country house of the Earls and Dukes of Manchester, owners for nearly 350 years. Although the castle is now the home of Kimbolton School, there are outstanding Pellegrini murals and a fine collection of portraits. Architectural features include state rooms and exterior refacing by Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor, an inner courtyard probably by Henry Bell, and an Adam gatehouse.

Longthorpe Tower

Thorpe Road, Longthorpe

Peterborough PE1 1HA

01733 864663

www.vivacity-peterborough.com

Longthorpe Tower was built around AD 1300. It is a very well preserved example of a solar tower, containing the private apartments of the owner of the fortified house.

March & District Museum

High Street

March PE15 9JJ

01354 655300

www.marchmuseum.co.uk

Set up as a local folk museum, there are a number of displays showing the life and times of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries and ongoing to the present day. Room arrangements represent a kitchen, parlour and nursery bedroom while the outside exhibits include a reconstructed working forge, a Fenland cottage and privy.

Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology

Downing Street

Cambridge CB2 3DZ

01223 333 516

maa.cam.ac.uk/maa

Founded in 1884, the museum of Archaeology and Anthropology holds world-class collections of art and artefacts from all over the world, representing cultures and histories over millennia.

Museum of Cambridge – formerly Cambridge & County Folk Museum

2/3 Castle Street

Cambridge CB3 0AQ

01223 355159

www.museumofcambridge.org.uk

Housed in the former White House Inn, this warm-hearted museum was founded in 1936 and has recently been renovated. Fun and interactive, the museum displays the everyday life of Cambridgeshire people.

Collections: Eight rooms to see, including The Inn Bar, The Kitchen, Domestic Crafts, University & City, Childhood and Fens & Folklore.

Museum of Classical Archaeology

Sidgwick Avenue

Cambridge CB3 9DA

01223 335153

www.classics.cam.ac.uk/museum

The museum of Classical Archaeology is one of nine University of Cambridge museums and collections. Why not leave the hustle and bustle of the city centre behind to discover a whole new way of seeing ancient art? Our cast gallery houses over 450 plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture, each of which has its own story to tell.

Nene Valley Railway Museum

Wansford Station, Stibbington

Peterborough PE8 6LR

01780 784444

www.nvr.org.uk

Nene Valley Railway is the UK’s leading international steam attraction, based at Wansford Station, and covering the stations of Ferry Meadows, Orton Mere, Yarwell Junction, and Peterborough. As both a living heritage railway, which is tended to by its loyal band of volunteers, and a thriving attraction for the public to enjoy all year round, Nene Valley Railway offers the chance to experience the thrill of riding a steam engine; learn about the railway’s history; and explore the picturesque surroundings of the Nene Valley area.

Norris Museum, The

The Broadway

St Ives PE27 5BX

01480 497314

www.norrismuseum.org.uk

The Norris Museum is a gem of a museum, telling the story of Huntingdonshire’s past from the earliest times. We are located just down the road from Market Hill (the main shopping street) and we have an attractive garden which looks out onto the river.

Octavia Hill’s Birthplace House Museum

8 South Brink

Wisbech PE13 1JB

01945 476358

www.octaviahill.org

The Birthplace House was built in about 1740 on Wisbech’s South Brink. As a Grade II* listed building, it is particularly important as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest. The house was home to James and Caroline Hill as they undertook the social reform activities on which their daughter’s life work was based.

Peckover House & Garden – National Trust

North Brink

Wisbech PE13 1JR

01945 583463

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/peckover-house

Georgian merchant’s brick town house with walled garden. Many fine Victorian garden features, an orangery, summerhouses and fernery.

Peterborough & District Family History Society

7 Teasels, Deeping St James

Peterborough PE6 8SJ

01778 341 290

www.peterborofhs.org.uk

We can help with genealogical resources when researching in the Soke of Peterborough and the cathedral areas.

Peterborough Museum

Priestgate

Peterborough PE1 1LF

01733 864663

www.vivacity-peterborough.com

Peterborough Museum is a fascinating and fun place to visit for all the family, right in the heart of the city centre. There are over 212,000 objects, which have been collected over 130 years.

Polar Museum, The

Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Road

Cambridge CB2 1ER

01223 336540

www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum

The Scott Polar Research Institute was established in 1920 by Frank Debenham as a memorial to Scott and his companions. Debenham was a geologist on Captain Scott’s British Antarctic (Terra Nova) Expedition 1910-13.

Collections: The museum holds an unrivalled collection of artefacts, paintings, drawings, photographs (including cinematographic film, lantern slides, and Daguerreotypes), and other material relating to polar exploration, history and science. The museum displays feature items from Scott’s last expedition, including farewell letters to friends and family, diaries, the sleeping bag of Captain Oates, and the black flag left by Amundsen.

Prickwillow Drainage Engine Museum

Main Street, Prickwillow

Ely CB7 4UN

01353 688360

www.prickwillow-engine-museum.co.uk

The museum is housed in the original Prickwillow Engine House in a picturesque setting on the banks of the River Lark just a few miles from Ely, Lakenheath and Mildenhall. The original building has been extended in recent years to provide modern visitor facilities to cater for families and tourists, as well as the enthusiast of Britain’s industrial heritage.

Railworld

Oundle Road

Peterborough PE2 9NR

01733 344240

www.railworld.net

Railworld has a superb ‘OO’ gauge Model Railway layout, with a number of features. We have refurbished the layout over the last 18 months, with new scenery, track layout alterations.

Ramsey Rural Museum

The Woodyard, Ramsey

Huntingdon PE26 2XE

01487 815715

www.ramseyruralmuseum.co.uk

Ramsey Rural Museum is housed in a variety of 18th century farm buildings. The collections include a wide variety of agricultural implements and tools used by local craftsmen.

Royal Anglian Regiment Museum

Imperial War Museum, Duxford

Cambridge CB2 4QR

01223 497298

www.royalanglianmuseum.org.uk

The museum is designed to inform the public about the regiment’s history and accomplishments by collecting, recording and conserving items associated with the regiment in attractive, up-to-date displays. The Royal Anglian Regiment is the regiment of the ten Counties of East Anglia and the East Midlands and was the first Large Regiment of Infantry in the British Army. The museum covers the history of the East and Royal Anglian Regiments since the amalgamations of the former County Regiments from 1958-60.

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences

University of Cambridge, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Street

Cambridge CB2 3EQ

01223 333456

www.sedgwickmuseum.org

The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences is the oldest of the University of Cambridge museums, having been established in 1728 as the Woodwardian Museum. Since then the collection has grown from about 10,000 fossils, minerals and rocks, to at least 2 million.

St Neots Museum

The Old Court, 8 New Street

St Neots PE19 1AE

01480 388921

www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk

A lively local museum tells the story of this busy market town on the River Ouse, from prehistoric times to the present day.

Stained Glass Museum, Ely Cathedral

The South Triforium, Ely Cathedral

Ely CB7 4DL

01353 660347

www.stainedglassmuseum.com

The Stained Glass Museum’s main aim is to help people understand and enjoy stained glass. Our Gallery exhibition illustrates over eight hundred years of the history and beauty of this ancient craft. Founded in the early 1970s the museum is located inside Ely Cathedral and is the only museum in the United Kingdom completely dedicated to stained glass.

Thorney Heritage Museum

The Tankyard, Station Road

Thorney, Peterborough PE6 0QE

01733 270908

www.thorney-museum.org.uk

The Thorney Heritage Museum is an independent museum operated by The Thorney Society. Our main aim is the preservation of the heritage of Thorney and to be a point of contact for education, research and general interest.

University Museum of Zoology

Downing Street

Cambridge CB2 3EJ

01223 336650

www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk

The museum of Zoology, part of Cambridge University’s Department of Zoology, is home to a huge variety of recent and fossil animals. Displays trace the evolution of animal life, with intricately beautiful shells, a comprehensive collection of British birds, and many large skeletons of mammals. Our collections rival those of the major university museums world-wide, and are used for academic study by researchers within and beyond the University.

Collections: The museum’s collections date back to 1814, and draw many of the earlier specimens from the great collecting expeditions of the 19th century, including Charles Darwin’s ‘Beagle’ voyage.

University of Cambridge Museums

Cambridge

01223 761067

www.cam.ac.uk/museums

University of Cambridge Museums is a consortium of the eight University Museums, which works in partnership with Cambridge University Botanic Garden. The University’s collections are a world-class resource for researchers, students and members of the public representing the country’s highest concentration of internationally important collections, all within walking distance of the City Centre.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science

Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Free School Lane

Cambridge CB2 3RH

01223 330906

www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple

The Whipple Museum holds a pre-eminent collection of scientific instruments and models, dating from the Middle Ages to the present. The Main Gallery of the museum is housed in a large hall with Jacobean hammer-beam roof-trusses, built in 1618 as the first Cambridge Free School.

Whittlesey Museum

Town Hall, Market Street, Whittlesey

Peterborough PE7 1BD

07706 132437

goo.gl/UNHAA

Whittlesey Museum, housed on the ground floor of the 19th century Town Hall in Market Street, was opened in 1976. The Costumes Room was once used to house the town’s horse drawn fire engine.

Wimpole Estate – National Trust

Old Wimpole Road, Arrington

Royston SG8 0BW

01223 206000

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole-estate

Mrs Elsie Bambridge, daughter of Rudyard Kipling, bequeathed Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire, including the Grade I listed landscaped parkland, to the National Trust in 1976. Wimpole had a succession of owners from Lord Harley (1711-1740) to the Earls of Hardwicke (1740-1894) and Viscount’s Clifden, before being bought by Elsie Bambridge in 1930s and has a roll-call of celebrated architects and landscape designers who have worked on it, each contributing their own layer to its varied history. Wimpole Home Farm set amidst 18th century thatched farm buildings is the largest rare breeds centre in East Anglia.

Wisbech & Fenland Museum

Museum Square

Wisbech PE13 1ES

01945 583817

www.wisbechmuseum.org.uk

Wisbech & Fenland Museum is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the country. The original Museum Society was formed in 1835, and the present building dates from 1847.

Collections: Thomas Clarkson and the Transatlantic Slave Trade: Wisbech is the home town of slavery abolitionist Thomas Clarkson and the museum holds documents, letters, books and artefacts relating to his work.