
Poignant site of 'world's first' prisoner of war camp in Cambridgeshire preserved for future
The remains of the Napoleonic camp at Norman Cross lie buried under a field in Cambridgeshire and the site has bought by the Nene Park Trust, which wants to preserve it.
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 open the area to the public as an 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.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Western Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Farm plastics plan by NRW to cut River Cleddau pollution
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has set up drop-off centres within the rivers Cleddau, Teifi, Tywi and Usk catchment areas where farmers can drop off silage bale wrap, clamp cover sheeting, fertiliser and feed bags, and feed buckets. The scheme is supported by Agriculture Plastics Environment, Birch Farm Plastics and Afonydd Cymru, who will provide the service at a reduced rate compared to charges for on-farm collection. NRW wants to recycle an additional 200t of farm plastics through the trial scheme. Chris Thomas, senior land management officer at Four Rivers for Life, says farm plastics have been found in the Cleddau, Teifi and Tywi rivers. 'Rivers can only fully perform this function and support farmers if they are healthy and free from pollution and plastic waste,'' he said. Don't miss our next edition of Pembrokeshire Farmer, available free inside the Western Telegraph on July 30 A report in 2023 by non-governmental organisation Wrap found that the UK has an agri-plastic recycling rate of 20-30%, which is significantly lower than other European countries, including Germany, France and Ireland who have recycling rates of 65%, 80% and 90% respectively. These countries operate drop off centres and these significantly help farmers recycle their used farm plastics. In 2024, West Wales Rivers Trust (WWRT) carried out a survey of 100 farms to review current practices on the disposal of agricultural plastics in Carmarthenshire and across Wales. The results showed that cost was one of the main barriers preventing more farmers recycling their silage plastic waste. Cheryl Birch, director at Birch Farm Plastics, which is partnering NRW in the scheme, said the company's costs can be lower when collecting from drop-off centres and those savings can therefore be passed onto farmers. One of the dedicated drop-off sites is at Crymych. More information can be found at


Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
At least three killed and several injured after train derails & overturns with passengers left trapped in Germany
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THREE people have been killed and several others injured after a train with 100 passengers derailed and overturned in Germany. A huge rescue operation has been launched to free trapped passengers following the crash near the town of Riedlingen. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 A train derailed in south-west Germany on Sunday evening Credit: 4 Three people were killed in the incident Credit: 4 The train derailed in a forested area at around 6.10pm local time on Sunday, German news agency dpa reported. A spokesperson for Stuttgart Police told the newspaper Bild: 'Two carriages of the Deutsche Bahn regional express have derailed.' Three people have been killed and other passengers are seriously injured, Ulm Police said. Police added that the extent of the injuries is not yet clear. The train is said to have been travelling from Sigmaringen to Ulm, two cities about 55 miles apart in south-west Germany. Operator Deutsche Bahn said on X the crash happened 'for reasons still unknown'. It wrote on X: "The exact situation is currently unclear. Our thoughts and sympathy are with the victims and everyone now processing what they've experienced. More information to follow." There had been severe storms in the region before the tragic accident, according to German media, which reported that a landslide might have caused it. Footage from the shocking scene shows firefighters attempting to rescue passengers as loud screams can be heard. Part of the train was seen lying on its side, with the roof of one carriage open. The carriages that came off the tracks lay in a wooded embankment among trees. Firefighters are also seen using saws to free passengers from the overturned train. Helicopters were sent to transport the injured to hospitals and doctors from nearby hospitals were called in, according to local TV station SWR. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X: 'The train accident in the Biberach district shocks me. "I am in close contact with the Interior Minister and the Transport Minister and have asked them to support the rescue forces with all available means. "We mourn the victims. I express my condolences to their relatives.' Germany's transport system is often criticised for its outdated infrastructure. The government has pledged to invest several hundred billion euros over the next few years to modernise infrastructure. It comes as a boy was left fighting for his life last Saturday after a car crashed into a trampoline before hitting a barn. The accident happened in the town of Bohmte in north-west Germany. A Volvo SUV veered off the road, tore through two hedges and struck the child.


Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
Several hurt after passenger trail derails in southern Germany
A regional passenger train has derailed in southern Germany, injuring at least three people, federal police told German news agency dpa. Roughly 100 people were aboard the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 6.10pm local time (5.10pm GMT), dpa reported. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed on top of the carriages. The crash happened near the town of Riedlingen, dpa reported, roughly 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich. Details about what caused the derailment were not immediately available. Federal police, who oversee the railroads, and Deutsche Bahn, Germany's main national railway operator, did not return reporters' requests for comment Sunday evening.