Local Area Information
The Grove
Wisbech
The Fens stretch from Cambridge to Lincoln and King’s Lynn to Peterborough – nearly a million acres of beautiful black soil and wildlife rich water, perfect for bird watching, boating and fishing.
Wisbech, the capital of Fens, is the perfect place for a day out or a break. The town is renowned for its elegant Georgian architecture. A legacy from an era when the town was a booming trading centre.
There is so much to see and do, Peckover House and garden, Elgood’s Brewery, a town museum, the castle, a yacht harbour, live theatre at the Angles, an annual rose fair and busy auction markets.
The Brinks
In the 18th century, Wisbech landowners, merchants and warehouse owners grew wealthy and built their rows of elegant houses along the banks of tile River Nene.
Facing each other across the water North Brink and South Brink are amongst the finest Georgian Streets in England. They have changed little over the years and have been used as a location for the BBC TV period drama David Copperfield and other period productions for both TV and films.
Described by Pevsner as ‘one of the most perfect Georgian Streets of England’, the North Brink is complemented by the more subdued style of the South Brink and together with the River Nene, which runs between them, they present a scene of great beauty.
Crescent and Castle
This delightful area, brimming with Georgian architecture, was developed by a local builder and speculator, Joseph Medworth in 1816. The original castle on the site was built shortly after the Norman Conquest to subdue the wild Fenmen led by Hereward the Wake. The circular shape of the castle moat determined the later development of the crescent.
The Norman castle was replaced by a Bishop’s Palace in 1478 and in the 17th century by a fine mansion built for John Thuloe, who was Oliver Cromwell’s Secretary of state. Medworth built the present Regency Villa in 1816. Only the gate piers of the original mansion now remain. The two crescents of fine Georgian houses which run to the north and south of the castle grounds reflect the Georgian prosperity of the town.
In its present form it is styled as a Victorian middle class home and is used in conjunction with the museum, both for tours and lectures. It is also used as a setting for films, notably the BBC’s David Copperfield.
The Market
The market place has been used as a centre piece for several other activities, such as motor shows, Statute Fairs and more recently, a farmers Market fortnightly on Fridays, where fresh produce, grown locally and much of it, organic, is sold to the public. This has been organised through Fenland district council, Fenland market traders and a range of other organisations concerned with the welfare of our environment and our community, have teamed up to show that buying local produce is better for everyone!
Must see and do
- Address:
- The Grove
- Magazine Lane
- Wisbech
- Cambridgeshire
- East England
- PE13 1LF