New era for Norman Cross Prisoner of Camp near Peterborough
A new era has begun at a historic prisoner of war camp near Peterborough, thanks to funding from Historic England and the National Lottery.
Nene Park Trust has officially launched Norman Cross to the public with an event, new information panels, a video and a digital tool, all bringing to life the fascinating story of this historic site of the pioneering prisoner of war camp near Yaxley.
To tie in with Heritage Open Days, the national week of free heritage events for the public, Nene Park Trust held a launch event on Wednesday 17 September at the Norman Cross Gallery and led two guided talks of the site.
The launch event was an opportunity to thank Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, whose funding made Nene Park Trust’s purchase of the scheduled monument possible; gather local history enthusiasts together, honour Derek Lopez, long term local resident and supporter of the site and to unveil the new viewing area of the site, complete with new information panels installed.
The new viewing area of the site can be accessed at all times by visitors through a pedestrian gate on London Road. There they can see the new information panels, which have been installed giving an overview of what the camp looked like in the late 1790s, what life was like for the prisoners and about the artwork created there, which is part of the Norman Cross collection at Peterborough Museum.
The panels also display QR codes for visitors to scan with their smartphones to watch a video and explore a digital tool showing a 3D model of the camp, bringing the site to life.
The developments to the site and the new interpretation have been made possible as part of the purchase of the land by Nene Park Trust, thanks to funding from Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Over the coming weeks and months, Nene Park Trust will be continuing to look at how they can develop online and on-site information, and open Norman Cross further to the public with regular volunteer-led guided walks, whilst ensuring the site is protected and the former prisoners and soldiers who are buried there remain at peace.
Matthew Bradbury, Chief Executive of Nene Park Trust, said “The purchase of Norman Cross brings an exciting opportunity for the Trust to expand our work to conserve and interpret some of the most significant historic sites across Peterborough. We look forward to welcoming visitors and telling them the story of this fascinating site”
Tony Calladine, East of England Regional Director, Historic England, said: “It’s wonderful to see this internationally significant site open for visitors to explore and enjoy. Norman Cross is an important part of Peterborough’s story and this is a great opportunity for people to visit the site and to learn more about this remarkable historic location.”
Sarah Wilson, Heritage Manager at Peterborough Museum said, “The development and new interpretation of the Norman Cross site is a fantastic opportunity to use the ground breaking research into the Napoleonic prison of war work at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. We are excited to work with Nene Park Trust and partners to explore opportunities to bring to life the story of the camp for residents, visitors, and generations to come.”