Napoleonic prisoner of war camp buried under field bought from farmer
Located near Peterborough, it contains the remains of around 1,770 French, Dutch and German soldiers captured in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars fought between the French and other European nations.
The camp now lies barely visible under a field used for arable crops and grazing (Damian Grady/Historic England Archive{PA)
The trust says it wants to preserve the site and make it available to the public as a historic and green space.
The camp now lies barely visible under a field used for arable crops and grazing.
But it previously held a self-contained town, with barracks, offices, a hospital, school, marketplace and banking system, according to historian Paul Chamberlain.
It operated from 1797 to 1814 and housed around 7,000 French prisoners.
The location was chosen because it was far from the sea, making it difficult for any escapees to return to France.
A watercolour plan of the barracks of Norman Cross, with a list of buildings, made in 1799 (Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery/PA)
Prisoners made intricate models from bone, wood and straw to sell at the camp market and trade for food, tobacco and wine.
Around 800 of these artefacts, which include miniature ships and chateaus, are on display at the nearby Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery.
The trust received £200,000 of grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to buy the camp following years of negotiations.
Its acquisition was fought for by resident Derek Lopez, who owned the Norman Cross Gallery near Yaxley and was an advocate of Peterborough's history.
He died last year before seeing the sale complete.
The location was chosen because it was far from the sea, making it difficult for any escapees to return to France (Damian Grady/Historic England Archive)
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'The Norman Cross prisoner of war camp represents a pivotal moment in our shared European heritage that deserves to be better known.'
Matthew Bradbury, chief executive of Nene Park Trust, said he was 'delighted' to take on the ownership of Norman Cross and wanted 'to share its green space and unique stories for generations to come'.
Heritage minister Baroness Twycross said: 'Norman Cross represents a poignant chapter in our shared European story.
'The remarkable stories of those held in what was the first purpose-built prisoner of war camp should be remembered now and in the future.
'This partnership has secured this valuable heritage site for generations to come.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
Last surviving Second World War Victoria Cross recipient dies aged 105
Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank, from Aberdeen, received the VC for bravery during an attack on an enemy submarine that left him seriously injured. A total of 181 people received Britain's highest military decoration for their actions during the war. The RAF captain's family told the BBC he died last week and that a funeral would be held in private, the news outlet reported on Saturday. Flt Lt Cruickshank was the captain of a Catalina flying boat with 210 Squadron, flying submarine-hunting missions from RAF Sullom Voe, in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. On July 17 1944, aged 24, he was sent on a patrol to protect the British Home Fleet as it returned from an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. A U-boat was spotted on the surface near Norway and the aircraft he was captaining and piloting launched an offensive. The first bombs failed to release but Flt Lt Cruickshank turned the plane to face enemy fire and attack again. He dropped depth charges during the second attempt, sinking the U-boat. Flt Lt Cruickshank sustained 72 injuries including two to his lungs and 10 to his lower limbs during the assault. The navigator was killed, three other crew members were severely injured, and the badly damaged aircraft was filled with fumes from exploding shells. After the victory, Flt Lt Cruickshank left the cockpit but refused painkillers and continued to advise his second pilot who had taken control. The surviving crew members spent five and a half hours flying back to Sullom Voe. Despite losing consciousness multiple times during their return, he assisted the second pilot with the landing which took an hour. In 2013, Flt Lt Cruickshank said: 'It was just normal, we were trained to do the job and that was it. 'I wouldn't like to say I'm the only one that has an amazing story, there are plenty of other stories coming from that time. 'It wasn't that wonderful in those days, I can tell you that. We could only think in those days there were better days to come.' After the war ended Flt Lt Cruickshank returned to his career in banking.
North Wales Chronicle
3 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Last surviving Second World War Victoria Cross recipient dies aged 105
Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank, from Aberdeen, received the VC for bravery during an attack on an enemy submarine that left him seriously injured. A total of 181 people received Britain's highest military decoration for their actions during the war. The RAF captain's family told the BBC he died last week and that a funeral would be held in private, the news outlet reported on Saturday. Flt Lt Cruickshank was the captain of a Catalina flying boat with 210 Squadron, flying submarine-hunting missions from RAF Sullom Voe, in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. On July 17 1944, aged 24, he was sent on a patrol to protect the British Home Fleet as it returned from an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. A U-boat was spotted on the surface near Norway and the aircraft he was captaining and piloting launched an offensive. The first bombs failed to release but Flt Lt Cruickshank turned the plane to face enemy fire and attack again. He dropped depth charges during the second attempt, sinking the U-boat. Flt Lt Cruickshank sustained 72 injuries including two to his lungs and 10 to his lower limbs during the assault. The navigator was killed, three other crew members were severely injured, and the badly damaged aircraft was filled with fumes from exploding shells. After the victory, Flt Lt Cruickshank left the cockpit but refused painkillers and continued to advise his second pilot who had taken control. The surviving crew members spent five and a half hours flying back to Sullom Voe. Despite losing consciousness multiple times during their return, he assisted the second pilot with the landing which took an hour. In 2013, Flt Lt Cruickshank said: 'It was just normal, we were trained to do the job and that was it. 'I wouldn't like to say I'm the only one that has an amazing story, there are plenty of other stories coming from that time. 'It wasn't that wonderful in those days, I can tell you that. We could only think in those days there were better days to come.' After the war ended Flt Lt Cruickshank returned to his career in banking.
Rhyl Journal
4 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Last surviving Second World War Victoria Cross recipient dies aged 105
Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank, from Aberdeen, received the VC for bravery during an attack on an enemy submarine that left him seriously injured. A total of 181 people received Britain's highest military decoration for their actions during the war. The RAF captain's family told the BBC he died last week and that a funeral would be held in private, the news outlet reported on Saturday. Flt Lt Cruickshank was the captain of a Catalina flying boat with 210 Squadron, flying submarine-hunting missions from RAF Sullom Voe, in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. On July 17 1944, aged 24, he was sent on a patrol to protect the British Home Fleet as it returned from an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. A U-boat was spotted on the surface near Norway and the aircraft he was captaining and piloting launched an offensive. The first bombs failed to release but Flt Lt Cruickshank turned the plane to face enemy fire and attack again. He dropped depth charges during the second attempt, sinking the U-boat. Flt Lt Cruickshank sustained 72 injuries including two to his lungs and 10 to his lower limbs during the assault. The navigator was killed, three other crew members were severely injured, and the badly damaged aircraft was filled with fumes from exploding shells. After the victory, Flt Lt Cruickshank left the cockpit but refused painkillers and continued to advise his second pilot who had taken control. The surviving crew members spent five and a half hours flying back to Sullom Voe. Despite losing consciousness multiple times during their return, he assisted the second pilot with the landing which took an hour. In 2013, Flt Lt Cruickshank said: 'It was just normal, we were trained to do the job and that was it. 'I wouldn't like to say I'm the only one that has an amazing story, there are plenty of other stories coming from that time. 'It wasn't that wonderful in those days, I can tell you that. We could only think in those days there were better days to come.' After the war ended Flt Lt Cruickshank returned to his career in banking.
