Latest news with #historicalSite
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Napoleonic prisoner of war camp buried under field bought from farmer
A Napoleonic prisoner of war camp buried under a field in Cambridgeshire has been bought by a trust with the intention of preserving it as a historic site. Norman Cross, the world's first purpose-built prisoner of war camp, was privately owned by a farmer, and has been bought by Nene Park Trust. 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 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. 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. 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.'
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Syrian contractor discovers underground Byzantine tomb complex beneath rubble
The remains of an ancient underground Byzantine tomb complex, believed to be more than 1,500 years old, have been unearthed in northern Syria. A contractor was digging beneath the rubble of a destroyed house in the town of Maarat al-Numan in May when he made the startling find. Residents alerted the directorate of antiquities, which dispatched a specialised team to inspect and secure the site. They discovered a pit next to one of the town's cinder-block buildings, leading to the openings of two burial chambers. Each contained six stone tombs, with the sign of the cross etched into the top of one stone column. "Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era," director of antiquities in the town's Idlib province, Hassan al-Ismail, said. He said the discovery adds to an already rich collection of archaeological sites in the area. "[Idlib] has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city," he said. The Byzantine Empire began in the 4th century AD and was a continuation of the Roman Empire, with Christianity as its official religion. Abandoned Byzantine-era settlements — called Dead Cities — stretch across rocky hills and plains in north-west Syria. Their weathered limestone ruins feature remnants of stone houses, basilicas, tombs and colonnaded streets. The town of Maarat al-Numan, where this latest archaeological site was unearthed, lies between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus. The community became a touchpoint in the nearly 14-year Syrian civil war that ended with the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December. Mr Assad's forces seized the area back from opposition control in 2020. Houses were looted and demolished, with aerial images of the area showing many houses are still standing but with roofs torn off. Residents are now beginning to return and rebuild. Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident of Maarat al-Numan, said past owners of sites where archaeological ruins were found sometimes covered them up, fearful their property would be seized to preserve the ruins. He said he hoped the new government would fairly compensate property owners in such cases and provide assistance to the displaced people who have returned to the area to find their homes destroyed. The years of war led to significant damage to Syria's archaeological sites, not only from bombing but from looting and unauthorised digging. Some see in the ruins a sign of hope for economic renewal. Abed Jaafar, another resident, said in the "old days", many foreign tourists travelled to see the ruins. "We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before," he said. "This will help to bring back the tourism and the economy." ABC/AP
