Project to tell the story of Peterborough's brick building past given nearly £20,000 funding

A new project has been given £20,000 to tell the story of brick making and farming in Eye.

Digging Down, Building Up will explore Eye’s brickmaking and farming heritage, uncovering the stories and voices of people who lived and worked in those industries from the early 1900s.

Eye’s bricks were used in buildings across the country, including Westminster Cathedral, and continued in production until 1990.

To make the project come to life. Peterborough Presents has been given £19,600 from Historic England.

Working with the local community, Peterborough Presents (part of the Nene Park Trust) will discover and share stories through workshops, an interactive heritage trail and a lantern parade, bringing people together to create new traditions in celebration of the historic life of the village.

Historic England received over 380 applications and has chosen to fund 56 community-led projects across England that will explore the diverse stories of people and places at the heart of our history. The total amount of funding awarded by Historic England will be £875,000.

Tony Calladine, East of England Regional Director, Historic England, said: “There are so many hidden histories to uncover here in the East of England. Every community has a story to tell and we want to hear them. This is the strength of our Everyday Heritage grant programme, which funds projects that are community-led and really engage with local people by empowering them to research and tell their own stories. I’m excited to learn more about these fascinating projects as they shine an important light on our working class heritage.”