Historic struggle camp used over 200 years in the past and buried beneath farmer’s subject is purchased | EUROtoday

A prisoner of struggle camp from the Napoleonic period situated in Cambridgeshire has been acquired by a belief to protect it as a web site of historic significance.

Nene Park Trust has bought Norman Cross, recognised because the world’s first purpose-built prisoner of struggle camp, from a non-public farmer.

The web site, close to Peterborough, holds the stays of roughly 1,770 French, Dutch, and German troopers who had been captured through the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

The belief goals to preserve the realm and open it to the general public, providing each a historic and inexperienced house for guests.

Today, the camp is barely seen beneath a subject used for crops and grazing. However, historian Paul Chamberlain notes that it as soon as functioned as a self-contained city, full with barracks, workplaces, a hospital, faculty, market, and banking system.

It operated from 1797 to 1814 and housed round 7,000 French prisoners. The location was chosen as a result of it was removed from the ocean, making it tough for any escapees to return to France.

open picture in gallery

Prisoners made intricate fashions from bone, wooden and straw to promote on the camp market and commerce for meals, tobacco and wine.

Around 800 of those artefacts, which embody miniature ships and chateaus, are on show on the close by Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery.

The belief obtained £200,000 of grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to purchase the camp following years of negotiations.

Its acquisition was fought for by resident Derek Lopez, who owned the Norman Cross Gallery close to Yaxley and was an advocate of Peterborough’s historical past.

He died final yr earlier than seeing the sale.

Duncan Wilson, chief govt of Historic England, mentioned: “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 govt of Nene Park Trust, mentioned he was “delighted” to tackle the possession of Norman Cross and needed “to share its green space and unique stories for generations to come”.

Heritage minister Baroness Twycross mentioned: “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.”