March Mini Guide

#Fenland Council #Fenland Twitter: Cambridgeshire Fens Cambridgeshire

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development of the town centre as we know it today. today. it know we as centre town the of development

Web: Web: www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org

and the subsequent selling of the property which saw the the saw which property the of selling subsequent the and

Tel: 01354 654321 Email: [email protected] Email: 654321 01354 Tel:

brewery business in Broad Street. It was his bankruptcy in 1839 1839 in bankruptcy his was It Street. Broad in business brewery

March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 8NQ PE15 Cambridgeshire, March,

again.

Fenland District Council, Fenland Hall, County Road, County Hall, Fenland Council, District Fenland Gray’s Lane - which was named after Nathan Gray who owned the the owned who Gray Nathan after named was which - Lane Gray’s

gutted it and it was rebuilt rebuilt was it and it gutted

Cambridgeshire Fens Cambridgeshire Turn left into West End. After a few yards you will come to to come will you yards few a After End. West into left Turn one built. In 1959, fire fire 1959, In built. one

rail T wn o T

demolished and a new new a and demolished

Possilpark. & in 1799. In 1870, it was was it 1870, In 1799. in

made by Scottish engineers at at engineers Scottish by made non-conformist church built built church non-conformist

flanked by horse and dog troughs, troughs, dog and horse by flanked

the site of the town’s first first town’s the of site the

uide G ini M

It was originally a drinking fountain, fountain, drinking a originally was It

The Baptist Church was was Church Baptist The sanctuaries to wildlife. wildlife. to sanctuaries

George V and Queen Mary in 1911. 1911. in Mary Queen and V George

where wildlife can thrive, providing great great providing thrive, can wildlife where

commemorates the coronation of King King of coronation the commemorates

Salvation Army in 1871. in Army Salvation many pockets in our countryside and urban areas areas urban and countryside our in pockets many

The Fountain at the far end end far the at Fountain The

Built by the Reform Church in 1868 and then bought by the the by bought then and 1868 in Church Reform the by Built intensive agriculture and drainage, allows for for allows drainage, and agriculture intensive

March

The man-made landscapes of the Fens, formed by by formed Fens, the of landscapes man-made The

single block of Italian Carrara marble. marble. Carrara Italian of block single Nature Reserves Nature town library. library. town

granite. The soldier is carved from a a from carved is soldier The granite. to house the first March National School. It was also used as the the as used also was It School. National March first the house to

18 ft high and cut from Cornish Cornish from cut and high ft 18

site of an earlier Guildhall in 1827. Later two wings were added added were wings two Later 1827. in Guildhall earlier an of site

Tel: 01354 651 944 651 01354 Tel:

those killed in both wars. The obelisk is is obelisk The wars. both in killed those

important history. It was formerly the town’s Guildhall, built on the the on built Guildhall, town’s the formerly was It history. important

the more experienced rider. experienced more the

in 1920 and now commemorates commemorates now and 1920 in

Cassano’s it is difficult to believe that the building has such an an such has building the that believe to difficult is it Cassano’s

western riding lessons for complete beginners to to beginners complete for lessons riding western

The War Memorial was erected erected was Memorial War The

Looking at Nos. 78-82 High Street currently known as as known currently Street High 78-82 Nos. at Looking

is a multi-purpose regional facility, offering offering facility, regional multi-purpose a is

Photograph by Barry Coates Photograph by Barry Horses Quarter Sovereign

the brewery. brewery. the archway). archway).

‘cut’ from the river allowed the movement of goods by barge from from barge by goods of movement the allowed river the from ‘cut’ Isle of Ely (Note the Royal Coat of Arms above the recessed recessed the above Arms of Coat Royal the (Note Ely of Isle

Tel: 01354 741 212 741 01354 Tel: the western side was a brewery, maltings and the Chequers pub. A A pub. Chequers the and maltings brewery, a was side western the was at the rear and also the office of the Chief Constable for the the for Constable Chief the of office the also and rear the at was

many attractions. many overlooked by large houses on the northern and eastern sides. On On sides. eastern and northern the on houses large by overlooked Sessions on the third Tuesday each month. March Police Station Station Police March month. each Tuesday third the on Sessions

well as the maize maze to explore you will find find will you explore to maze maize the as well

It is hard to imagine that this was once the ‘village green’ green’ ‘village the once was this that imagine to hard is It Sittings were held twice a month and the Magistrates held Petty Petty held Magistrates the and month a twice held were Sittings

is cut from a large field of living maize plants. As As plants. maize living of field large a from cut is

Cross over the Bridge and look ahead of you into Broad Street. Street. Broad into you of ahead look and Bridge the over Cross

The old Courthouse was built in Italianate style in 1875. 1875. in style Italianate in built was Courthouse old The

A tourist attraction built into a garden centre and and centre garden a into built attraction tourist A

Skylark Maize Maze Maize Skylark

dated to around 1500. around to dated policemen’. The town bandstand is now sited in West End Park. Park. End West in sited now is bandstand town The policemen’.

which were subsequently subsequently were which front of one of the stables stated ‘All welcome except dogs and and dogs except welcome ‘All stated stables the of one of front

exquisitely carved beams beams carved exquisitely Tel: 01354 652 863 652 01354 Tel: public free. A notice on the the on notice A free. public

the 1930’s revealed revealed 1930’s the hammer beam angel roof. angel beam hammer certain days was open to the the to open was days certain

Extensive renovation during during renovation Extensive

breathtakingly beautiful late 15 late beautiful breathtakingly century double – – double century

were regularly held and on on and held regularly were

‘The Railway Man’. Man’. Railway ‘The The church has a a has church The Walk. the of 7 item in Also bandstand where concerts concerts where bandstand

1800’s it was known as as known was it 1800’s St Wendreda’s Church Wendreda’s St garden there was a a was there garden

Inn. During the mid mid the During Inn. walks. At one end of the the of end one At walks.

Nene Parade, is the Ship Ship the is Parade, Nene connecting several attractive attractive several connecting

Tel: 01354 652 770 652 01354 Tel:

To your right at the top of of top the at right your To Chinese style bridge over over bridge style Chinese

waterways.

rectangular lake with a a with lake rectangular

an excellent way to meander along the tranquil tranquil the along meander to way excellent an

in 1850, to replace the former decaying timber bridge. timber decaying former the replace to 1850, in acre site. It had a long long a had It site. acre

a one day experience or a 2 day mini break is is break mini day 2 a or experience day one a

The Riverside Trail begins at the Town Bridge which was built built was which Bridge Town the at begins Trail Riverside The

exotic garden on the 11/2 11/2 the on garden exotic Fox Narrowboats Ltd. Narrowboats Fox

who set about creating an an creating about set who

Firmin Fuller, a local vet, vet, local a Fuller, Firmin

Tel: 01354 655 300 655 01354 Tel: several mills. several In 1836, it was bought by by bought was it 1836, In

of the Fens. the of businesses along its banks including a tannery, lime works and and works lime tannery, a including banks its along businesses was once the curates’ house. house. curates’ the once was

heritage. You can also learn about the drainage drainage the about learn also can You heritage. in and out of the town by barge. There were many pubs and and pubs many were There barge. by town the of out and in Next door the Maze Maze the door Next

is a busy museum reflecting the area’s agricultural agricultural area’s the reflecting museum busy a is minor port with 8 vessels. Until the mid 19th century all goods came came goods all century 19th mid the Until vessels. 8 with port minor

March Museum March reason for the town’s development. In the 16th century March was a a was March century 16th the In development. town’s the for reason

around 1770. 1770. around

The river, the old course of the Nene, is the hub of the town and the the and town the of hub the is Nene, the of course old the river, The

you will see Norland House (No.110) an imposing property, built built property, imposing an (No.110) House Norland see will you

For more information www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org information more For

Places to visit to Places

The Riverside Trail Riverside The Returning along High Street on the opposite side of the road road the of side opposite the on Street High along Returning

a conglomeration of tiny houses; many one up and one down down one and up one many houses; tiny of conglomeration a

London with George Street and City Road encircling it. It contained contained It it. encircling Road City and Street George with London ike many other Fenland towns, The Town trail starts at The Stone Cross was erected on what may have been the site Dyke towards the car park. This area was once known as Little Little as known once was area This park. car the towards Dyke March was once surrounded by March Museum in the high of a Saxon market. In the early 16th century Wayfarers used it as a

Walk through Acre Road, which was part of the old High High old the of part was which Road, Acre through Walk Marshes. As the land was street, which was built as preaching cross. Wandering Dominican and Austin Friars made

a Girls Grammar School in use of these stepped structures for hot-gospeling to assemblies of

sent all over the country. country. the over all sent drained the town grew and 1851 on the site of traders and purchasers. The Cross is exactly half-way between the

March, he installed the town’s first steam mill enabling flour to be be to flour enabling mill steam first town’s the installed he March, prospered. The town centre ancient almshouses. It has old settlement of Merche and the later Mercheford, the large

erecting new buildings. In 1847, when the railway came to to came railway the when 1847, In buildings. new erecting been the Town’s museum extension adjacent to the river.

purchased the granary for his son Joseph who demolished it before before it demolished who Joseph son his for granary the purchased has an unusual Broad since 1976. The museum

by fleets of barges. In 1840 John Smith from Nottingham Nottingham from Smith John 1840 In barges. of fleets by Street lined with shops holds a wide range of Continue south along the Avenue to the Almshouses, ‘Jenyns

Mill and Wharf. The old granary was regularly supplied with corn corn with supplied regularly was granary old The Wharf. and Mill collections that reflect the former life in the town especially during House’ which was built in 1851 by March Consolidated To your right the new Library has been built on the site of Acre Acre of site the on built been has Library new the right your To and headed by ‘The the last 100 years. A series of room reconstructions depict a turn of Charities. The previous almshouses were built on the Museum site

Fountain’ which was the century kitchen, parlour and nursery. Local craft and agricultural in 1672 with money left for the benefit of the poor of March by

also be seen. seen. be also erected in 1911 to tools are on display along with collections of historic cameras and Roger Jenyns. They were deemed to be uninhabitable in 1836. Riverside Trail. Trail. Riverside moorings. From this point The George Campbell Leisure Centre can can Centre Leisure Campbell George The point this From moorings. early radios and a working blacksmith’s forge has been

may continue to the Town Bridge if you would like to follow the the follow to like would you if Bridge Town the to continue may

river towards the properties along West End and associated associated and End West along properties the towards river commemorate the reconstructed in the courtyard alongside a rebuilt Fenland Cottage, Continue to Church Street (part of the original road) where

first part of the Town Trail ends here on the Market Place, but you you but Place, Market the on here ends Trail Town the of part first

the river path. This gives the opportunity to look back across the the across back look to opportunity the gives This path. river the coronation of King complete with privy. you will see the unique church of St Wendreda. Wendreda, Market Place to mark the Millennium, a plaque marks the spot. The The spot. the marks plaque a Millennium, the mark to Place Market

Cross over the footbridge and stroll back towards the town along along town the towards back stroll and footbridge the over Cross whose relic was once In March 2000 a time capsule was buried in the refurbished refurbished the in buried was capsule time a 2000 March In George V and

Cross into Chapel Street which is part of the original main enshrined in the nationally

Life’, the other grotesque heads and fantastic animals. animals. fantastic and heads grotesque other the Life’, restored in 2002 to street, High Dyke. On your right where the road rejoins High Street famous and uniquely community/arts/venue including cafe. including community/arts/venue

depicting the ‘Tree of of ‘Tree the depicting celebrate the Golden is a beautiful old farmhouse known as ‘Audmoor House’. The dedicated church, which now been gifted back to the people of March to become a a become to March of people the to back gifted been now wooden beams, one one beams, wooden extensive barns and outbuildings of the farm were on the western Poet Laureate Sir John

a cost of £80,000 for use as a Magistrates Court. The building has has building The Court. Magistrates a as use for £80,000 of cost a elaborately carved carved elaborately Jubilee of H M Queen Elizabeth II. side of Chapel Street. The house and gardens faced the old canal Benjamin described as

1912, it became the Town Hall. In the 1970’s it was converted at at converted was it 1970’s the In Hall. Town the became it 1912,

Inside, the house has has house the Inside, (The Hythe). High Dyke gave access at the rear. The main “worth cycling 40 miles

subscription to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. In In Victoria. Queen of jubilee diamond the celebrate to subscription

Georgian extension. extension. Georgian buildings, of grey gault brick, are late 18th century but parts of the in a head wind to see”.

high and topped by Britannia. The Clock was paid for by public public by for paid was Clock The Britannia. by topped and high

Elizabethan with a a with Elizabethan house may be much older. The church has a

engine house that had been erected in 1839. The tower is 110 feet feet 110 is tower The 1839. in erected been had that house engine

Dated 1626, it is is it 1626, Dated breathtakingly beautiful

the renaissance style, and replaced an earlier public room and fire fire and room public earlier an replaced and style, renaissance the

properties in March. March. in properties The Town Trail Trinity Church was built on part of the garden of Hythe House. late 15th century double –

The Corn Exchange on the Market Place was built in 1900, in in 1900, in built was Place Market the on Exchange Corn The

one of the oldest oldest the of one Perhaps the town’s finest asset, the meandering river nene, part of the In the 1880’s Mr. John Burrows, a Methodist himself, gave the local hammer beam angel roof

No. 38 West End, is is End, West 38 No. 200 mile Fenland waterway system, winds its way through the town congregation the choice of either £100 or a section of his garden said to be the finest of its kind containing approximately 2,700

the Health Centre, Centre, Health the

Samuel Pepys. Pepys. Samuel centre, past the park and attractive riverside gardens. The river is well for a new church (Note the initials and names on the foundation fleur-di-lys carved on the hammer-beams etc, the emblem of the

The house next to to next house The

including Charles Dickens and and Dickens Charles including used by cruisers and narrow boats. Free mooring and facilities for boat stones of the benefactors who sponsored its building).The Garden of ancient French Bourbon family. Mentioned by Dorothy Sayers in people have stayed there, there, stayed have people users are conveniently located in the town centre. A commercial Rest next to Trinity Church was an old Baptist burial ground closed her novel “The Nine Tailors” the roof forms a splendid memorial to

th graced its front. Many famous famous Many front. its graced

Rookswood House. House. Rookswood marina is situated on the outskirts of the town. in 1855. It was made into a garden in the 1960’s. the town’s 7 century saint.

through the archway that once once that archway the through century from local gault brick and was originally known as as known originally was and brick gault local from century

coach would have driven straight straight driven have would coach

the British Legion Club. It was built in the late 18th or early 19th 19th early or 18th late the in built was It Club. Legion British the Church House, built in the 18th century, had no windows on now relax in the waterside park a few steps away. steps few a park waterside the in relax now During its long history stretching back more than 1000 years, March The Hythe turned westwards into Gas Road. The Hall on the

the ‘posting house’ and the mail mail the and house’ ‘posting the

The impressive building at the end of Rookswood Road is now now is Road Rookswood of end the at building impressive The the ground floor and has a steeply pitched roof which was demolished and City Road car park came into being - why not not why - being into came park car Road City and demolished has served many roles; refuge of saints, monastic estate and place of right at the first bend was March’s first Wesleyan Chapel, built in

16th century. In 1686 it became became it 1686 In century. 16th originally thatched. were affected. During the mid 1960’s the remaining houses were were houses remaining the 1960’s mid the During affected. were pilgrimage, stronghold of the Fen Tigers and in more recent years 1829, and used for sixty years. Later it became the drill hall for the

coaching inn and dates from the the from dates and inn coaching

barges) barges)

became very contaminated. Out of 1215 houses in the town 664 664 town the in houses 1215 of Out contaminated. very became thriving market town. 4th Suffolk Regiment (G. Company) of the Cambridgeshire’s. The

The Griffin Hotel was a a was Hotel Griffin The

Barnock Stone in the Foundations - perhaps purloined from passing passing from purloined perhaps - Foundations the in Stone Barnock throw it into the adjacent land - The Hythe. As a result the Hythe Hythe the result a As Hythe. The - land adjacent the into it throw roadway going north behind the warehouse is another section of Return to the main road

time there were also a number of shops along here. (Note the the (Note here. along shops of number a also were there time

the custom to accumulate human excrement in chamber pots and and pots chamber in excrement human accumulate to custom the March originally developed as two places, ‘Merche’ around St the old High Dyke. through the small lane beside

porch added in the early 19th century. century. 19th early the in added porch Continue along West End past several old cottages. At one one At cottages. old several past End West along Continue sanitation or drainage. The alleyways were quagmires and it was was it and quagmires were alleyways The drainage. or sanitation Wendreda’s Church and Mercheford the churchyard and opposite

buildings. No. 36 which was built in 1790 had a fine cast iron iron cast fine a had 1790 in built was which 36 No. buildings.

houses contained no no contained houses by the river. The two were linked by a As you continue southwards note the you will see Neale-Wade

Numbers 34-38 High Street are an attractive group of of group attractive an are Street High 34-38 Numbers

March. March. 441 people died. The The died. people 441 canal ‘The Hythe’ which ran into the openings called ‘jetties’ that connect Gas Community College. The Old

pitched thatched roof. It may be one of the oldest buildings in in buildings oldest the of one be may It roof. thatched pitched of cholera in which which in cholera of river. High Dyke, a towpath cum Road with the east front of the buildings ‘Eastwood House’ at the front,

public hall on the market place and was originally bought in 1795. in bought originally was and place market the on hall public

The older building had much smaller windows and a steeply steeply a and windows smaller much had building older The caused the outbreak outbreak the caused roadway ran alongside the Hythe. on your left. Before 1850 these ‘jetties’ has been incorporated into the

Paul in Latin. The clock on the west front was taken from the old old the from taken was front west the on clock The Latin. in Paul deemed to have have to deemed connected two wharves, one on your college. During the war it

and the book in his hand has faint writing - the first verse from St St from verse first the - writing faint has hand his in book the and stone façade and chimney heads had been added. added. been had heads chimney and façade stone much so that it was was it that so much This leaflet show two trails. The Town right and the other on the left of the main housed prisoners and afterwards

churches built at this time. The statue over the west door is of St Peter Peter St of is door west the over statue The time. this at built churches

More recent restoration revealed a much older building to which a a which to building older much a revealed restoration recent More squalor and filth”, so so filth”, and squalor Trail and The Riverside Trail, both of road (The Causeway). These were became a children’s’ home. In

of Phillips Brewery. It was the largest of the three new parish parish new three the of largest the was It Brewery. Phillips of the Jacobean style in the 1840’s for the National Provincial Bank. Bank. Provincial National the for 1840’s the in style Jacobean the described as “full of of “full as described which highlight the older more ‘docks’ for the barges. The one in Gas 2011 it was demolished for the

St Peter’s Church, founded in 1868, and was built on the site site the on built was and 1868, in founded Church, Peter’s St Bank House, on the corner of Gray’s Lane was renovated in in renovated was Lane Gray’s of corner the on House, Bank

In 1850, it was was it 1850, In interesting buildings in March and the Road was filled in after the terrible new building schools for the accessed by a ladder. ladder. a by accessed stories behind them. The two trails can cholera epidemic of 1847 to future programme. be linked to form a single walk. accommodate the town’s new gas works.

development of the town centre as we know it today. today. it know we as centre town the of development

Not to scale to Not

and the subsequent selling of the property which saw the the saw which property the of selling subsequent the and

Skylark

brewery business in Broad Street. It was his bankruptcy in 1839 1839 in bankruptcy his was It Street. Broad in business brewery Chatteris

again.

Wimblington

Gray’s Lane - which was named after Nathan Gray who owned the the owned who Gray Nathan after named was which - Lane Gray’s

gutted it and it was rebuilt rebuilt was it and it gutted

Turn left into West End. After a few yards you will come to to come will you yards few a After End. West into left Turn

one built. In 1959, fire fire 1959, In built. one

demolished and a new new a and demolished

Possilpark. in 1799. In 1870, it was was it 1870, In 1799. in

made by Scottish engineers at at engineers Scottish by made non-conformist church built built church non-conformist

flanked by horse and dog troughs, troughs, dog and horse by flanked the site of the town’s first first town’s the of site the

It was originally a drinking fountain, fountain, drinking a originally was It The Baptist Church was was Church Baptist The

George V and Queen Mary in 1911. 1911. in Mary Queen and V George

commemorates the coronation of King King of coronation the commemorates Salvation Army in 1871. in Army Salvation

The Fountain at the far end end far the at Fountain The Built by the Reform Church in 1868 and then bought by the the by bought then and 1868 in Church Reform the by Built

single block of Italian Carrara marble. marble. Carrara Italian of block single town library. library. town

18 ft high and cut from Cornish Cornish from cut and high ft 18 site of an earlier Guildhall in 1827. Later two wings were added added were wings two Later 1827. in Guildhall earlier an of site

those killed in both wars. The obelisk is is obelisk The wars. both in killed those important history. It was formerly the town’s Guildhall, built on the the on built Guildhall, town’s the formerly was It history. important

in 1920 and now commemorates commemorates now and 1920 in Cassano’s it is difficult to believe that the building has such an an such has building the that believe to difficult is it Cassano’s

The War Memorial was erected erected was Memorial War The Looking at Nos. 78-82 High Street currently known as as known currently Street High 78-82 Nos. at Looking

the brewery. brewery. the archway). archway).

the western side was a brewery, maltings and the Chequers pub. A A pub. Chequers the and maltings brewery, a was side western the was at the rear and also the office of the Chief Constable for the the for Constable Chief the of office the also and rear the at was

overlooked by large houses on the northern and eastern sides. On On sides. eastern and northern the on houses large by overlooked Sessions on the third Tuesday each month. March Police Station Station Police March month. each Tuesday third the on Sessions

Cross over the Bridge and look ahead of you into Broad Street. Street. Broad into you of ahead look and Bridge the over Cross The old Courthouse was built in Italianate style in 1875. 1875. in style Italianate in built was Courthouse old The

dated to around 1500. around to dated policemen’. The town bandstand is now sited in West End Park. Park. End West in sited now is bandstand town The policemen’.

which were subsequently subsequently were which front of one of the stables stated ‘All welcome except dogs and and dogs except welcome ‘All stated stables the of one of front

exquisitely carved beams beams carved exquisitely public free. A notice on the the on notice A free. public

the 1930’s revealed revealed 1930’s the certain days was open to the the to open was days certain

Extensive renovation during during renovation Extensive were regularly held and on on and held regularly were

‘The Railway Man’. Man’. Railway ‘The bandstand where concerts concerts where bandstand

1800’s it was known as as known was it 1800’s garden there was a a was there garden

Inn. During the mid mid the During Inn. walks. At one end of the the of end one At walks.

Nene Parade, is the Ship Ship the is Parade, Nene connecting several attractive attractive several connecting

To your right at the top of of top the at right your To CAR PARK CAR Chinese style bridge over over bridge style Chinese

rectangular lake with a a with lake rectangular

in 1850, to replace the former decaying timber bridge. timber decaying former the replace to 1850, in acre site. It had a long long a had It site. acre

The Riverside Trail begins at the Town Bridge which was built built was which Bridge Town the at begins Trail Riverside The exotic garden on the 11/2 11/2 the on garden exotic

who set about creating an an creating about set who

Firmin Fuller, a local vet, vet, local a Fuller, Firmin

several mills. several In 1836, it was bought by by bought was it 1836, In

businesses along its banks including a tannery, lime works and and works lime tannery, a including banks its along businesses was once the curates’ house. house. curates’ the once was

in and out of the town by barge. There were many pubs and and pubs many were There barge. by town the of out and in Next door the Maze Maze the door Next

minor port with 8 vessels. Until the mid 19th century all goods came came goods all century 19th mid the Until vessels. 8 with port minor

reason for the town’s development. In the 16th century March was a a was March century 16th the In development. town’s the for reason

around 1770. 1770. around

CREEK ROAD CREEK

The river, the old course of the Nene, is the hub of the town and the the and town the of hub the is Nene, the of course old the river, The

Station

STATION ROAD STATION built property, imposing an (No.110) House Norland see will you

Train Train

The Riverside Trail Riverside The Returning along High Street on the opposite side of the road road the of side opposite the on Street High along Returning

Guyhirn

a conglomeration of tiny houses; many one up and one down down one and up one many houses; tiny of conglomeration a

picture: Barry Coates Barry picture:

London with George Street and City Road encircling it. It contained contained It it. encircling Road City and Street George with London The Town trail starts at The Stone Cross was erected on what may have been the site

Dyke towards the car park. This area was once known as Little Little as known once was area This park. car the towards Dyke March Museum in the high of a Saxon market. In the early 16th century Wayfarers used it as a Walk through Acre Road, which was part of the old High High old the of part was which Road, Acre through Walk street, which was built as preaching cross. Wandering Dominican and Austin Friars made

a Girls Grammar School in use of these stepped structures for hot-gospeling to assemblies of

sent all over the country. country. the over all sent 1851 on the site of traders and purchasers. The Cross is exactly half-way between the

March, he installed the town’s first steam mill enabling flour to be be to flour enabling mill steam first town’s the installed he March, ancient almshouses. It has old settlement of Merche and the later Mercheford, the large

erecting new buildings. In 1847, when the railway came to to came railway the when 1847, In buildings. new erecting been the Town’s museum extension adjacent to the river.

purchased the granary for his son Joseph who demolished it before before it demolished who Joseph son his for granary the purchased since 1976. The museum

by fleets of barges. In 1840 John Smith from Nottingham Nottingham from Smith John 1840 In barges. of fleets by holds a wide range of Continue south along the Avenue to the Almshouses, ‘Jenyns

Mill and Wharf. The old granary was regularly supplied with corn corn with supplied regularly was granary old The Wharf. and Mill collections that reflect the former life in the town especially during House’ which was built in 1851 by March Consolidated To your right the new Library has been built on the site of Acre Acre of site the on built been has Library new the right your To the last 100 years. A series of room reconstructions depict a turn of Charities. The previous almshouses were built on the Museum site

the century kitchen, parlour and nursery. Local craft and agricultural in 1672 with money left for the benefit of the poor of March by

also be seen. seen. be also tools are on display along with collections of historic cameras and Roger Jenyns. They were deemed to be uninhabitable in 1836.

Riverside Trail. Trail. Riverside

moorings. From this point The George Campbell Leisure Centre can can Centre Leisure Campbell George The point this From moorings. early radios and a working blacksmith’s forge has been

may continue to the Town Bridge if you would like to follow the the follow to like would you if Bridge Town the to continue may

river towards the properties along West End and associated associated and End West along properties the towards river reconstructed in the courtyard alongside a rebuilt Fenland Cottage, Continue to Church Street (part of the original road) where

first part of the Town Trail ends here on the Market Place, but you you but Place, Market the on here ends Trail Town the of part first

the river path. This gives the opportunity to look back across the the across back look to opportunity the gives This path. river the complete with privy. you will see the unique church of St Wendreda. Wendreda,

Market Place to mark the Millennium, a plaque marks the spot. The The spot. the marks plaque a Millennium, the mark to Place Market

Cross over the footbridge and stroll back towards the town along along town the towards back stroll and footbridge the over Cross whose relic was once

In March 2000 a time capsule was buried in the refurbished refurbished the in buried was capsule time a 2000 March In Cross into Chapel Street which is part of the original main enshrined in the nationally

Life’, the other grotesque heads and fantastic animals. animals. fantastic and heads grotesque other the Life’,

appeal to all ages and music interest. music and ages all to appeal street, High Dyke. On your right where the road rejoins High Street famous and uniquely

community/arts/venue including cafe. including community/arts/venue

depicting the ‘Tree of of ‘Tree the depicting is a beautiful old farmhouse known as ‘Audmoor House’. The Open air music event and activities to to activities and event music air Open dedicated church, which

now been gifted back to the people of March to become a a become to March of people the to back gifted been now

wooden beams, one one beams, wooden extensive barns and outbuildings of the farm were on the western Poet Laureate Sir John Summer festival Summer

a cost of £80,000 for use as a Magistrates Court. The building has has building The Court. Magistrates a as use for £80,000 of cost a

elaborately carved carved elaborately side of Chapel Street. The house and gardens faced the old canal Benjamin described as

1912, it became the Town Hall. In the 1970’s it was converted at at converted was it 1970’s the In Hall. Town the became it 1912,

Inside, the house has has house the Inside, (The Hythe). High Dyke gave access at the rear. The main “worth cycling 40 miles

subscription to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. In In Victoria. Queen of jubilee diamond the celebrate to subscription

Georgian extension. extension. Georgian buildings, of grey gault brick, are late 18th century but parts of the in a head wind to see”.

high and topped by Britannia. The Clock was paid for by public public by for paid was Clock The Britannia. by topped and high Elizabethan with a a with Elizabethan

packed day. Well worth a visit. a worth Well day. packed house may be much older. The church has a

engine house that had been erected in 1839. The tower is 110 feet feet 110 is tower The 1839. in erected been had that house engine

Dated 1626, it is is it 1626, Dated breathtakingly beautiful day by holding an annual family fun fun family annual an holding by day

the renaissance style, and replaced an earlier public room and fire fire and room public earlier an replaced and style, renaissance the

properties in March. March. in properties The Town Trail Trinity Church was built on part of the garden of Hythe House. late 15th century double – England. March celebrates St George’s George’s St celebrates March England.

The Corn Exchange on the Market Place was built in 1900, in in 1900, in built was Place Market the on Exchange Corn The

St George is the Patron Saint of of Saint Patron the is George St

the Health Centre, Centre, Health the Samuel Pepys. Pepys. Samuel

St. George’s Fayre George’s St. centre, past the park and attractive riverside gardens. The river is well for a new church (Note the initials and names on the foundation fleur-di-lys carved on the hammer-beams etc, the emblem of the

The house next to to next house The

For more information www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org information more For people have stayed there, there, stayed have people

Entertainment users are conveniently located in the town centre. A commercial Rest next to Trinity Church was an old Baptist burial ground closed her novel “The Nine Tailors” the roof forms a splendid memorial to

th graced its front. Many famous famous Many front. its graced

Rookswood House. House. Rookswood marina is situated on the outskirts of the town. in 1855. It was made into a garden in the 1960’s. the town’s 7 century saint.

through the archway that once once that archway the through century from local gault brick and was originally known as as known originally was and brick gault local from century

coach would have driven straight straight driven have would coach

the ‘posting house’ and the mail mail the and house’ ‘posting the

coaching inn and dates from the the from dates and inn coaching

barges) barges)

The Griffin Hotel was a a was Hotel Griffin The

Barnock Stone in the Foundations - perhaps purloined from passing passing from purloined perhaps - Foundations the in Stone Barnock

throw it into the adjacent land - The Hythe. As a result the Hythe Hythe the result a As Hythe. The - land adjacent the into it throw roadway going north behind the warehouse is another section of Return to the main road

time there were also a number of shops along here. (Note the the (Note here. along shops of number a also were there time

porch added in the early 19th century. century. 19th early the in added porch Continue along West End past several old cottages. At one one At cottages. old several past End West along Continue

sanitation or drainage. The alleyways were quagmires and it was was it and quagmires were alleyways The drainage. or sanitation Wendreda’s Church and Mercheford the churchyard and opposite

buildings. No. 36 which was built in 1790 had a fine cast iron iron cast fine a had 1790 in built was which 36 No. buildings.

houses contained no no contained houses by the river. The two were linked by a As you continue southwards note the you will see Neale-Wade

Numbers 34-38 High Street are an attractive group of of group attractive an are Street High 34-38 Numbers

March. March. 441 people died. The The died. people 441 canal ‘The Hythe’ which ran into the openings called ‘jetties’ that connect Gas Community College. The Old

public hall on the market place and was originally bought in 1795. in bought originally was and place market the on hall public

Paul in Latin. The clock on the west front was taken from the old old the from taken was front west the on clock The Latin. in Paul

deemed to have have to deemed connected two wharves, one on your college. During the war it

and the book in his hand has faint writing - the first verse from St St from verse first the - writing faint has hand his in book the and

stone façade and chimney heads had been added. added. been had heads chimney and façade stone much so that it was was it that so much This leaflet show two trails. The Town right and the other on the left of the main housed prisoners and afterwards

churches built at this time. The statue over the west door is of St Peter Peter St of is door west the over statue The time. this at built churches

of Phillips Brewery. It was the largest of the three new parish parish new three the of largest the was It Brewery. Phillips of

the Jacobean style in the 1840’s for the National Provincial Bank. Bank. Provincial National the for 1840’s the in style Jacobean the described as “full of of “full as described which highlight the older more ‘docks’ for the barges. The one in Gas 2011 it was demolished for the