World’s first prisoner of conflict camp in Cambridgeshire to open to the general public | EUROtoday

The web site of the world’s first purpose-built prisoner of conflict camp, which dates again to the Napoleonic wars, has been saved by Historic England funding.

Assembled in 4 months utilizing 500 carpenters and labourers, the historic web site in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, housed round 7,000 French Prisoners and impressed the creation of the world’s largest assortment of prisoner craftwork.

Now, the Napoleonic Norman Cross jail depot web site, which accommodates the stays of the camp courting again to 1796, has been bought by Nene Park Trust with £200,000 grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Currently there isn’t a public entry to the positioning, however the Nene Park Trust is creating plans to permit guests to discover the realm.

The acquisition of the Norman Cross web site fulfils the ambition of long-term resident and supporter, Derek Lopez, who died earlier than seeing his imaginative and prescient accomplished.

open picture in gallery

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, stated: “The Norman Cross prisoner of war camp represents a pivotal moment in our shared European heritage that deserves to be better known. After years of work to secure this site, we’re delighted that our partnership work with Nene Park Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Lopez family has helped to save this internationally significant monument for the nation.”

Functioning as a self-contained city with barracks, places of work, a hospital, faculty, market and banking system the jail measured about 250m by 270m and was designed round 4 quadrangles.

Each one had picket lodging blocks for prisoners, in addition to an train yard, a retailer home and cooking home.

Prisoners created craftwork – together with artefacts akin to toys, mannequin ships and dominos units carved from wooden or animal bone – and offered them at an everyday market.

Battles have been being fought in Europe, the Caribbean, north Africa and the Indian Ocean with French and Dutch troopers and sailors captured and delivered to the UK.

The final prisoners left the camp in 1814 and it was dismantled two years later.

A memorial to the 1,770 prisoners who died there, many as a result of illnesses akin to Typhus, was erected in 1914.

Paul Chamberlain, writer and historian of the Napoleonic period, stated: “Norman Cross Prison Depot is unique in that it is an historic site that continues to tell its story, involving communities, both local and national.

“This acquisition will enable more of the story to be told for future generations and provide us with a better understanding of a lost town that had a significant impact on the region over two hundred years ago.”