Wisbech ( ) is a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...

inland port An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port. Examples The United States Army Corps of Engineers publ ...

and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

in the Fenland district in

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfor ...

, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bordering

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

and only 5 miles (8 km) south of

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

. The tidal

River Nene The River Nene ( or ) flows through the counties of Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk in Eastern England from its sources in Arbury Hill in Northamptonshire. Flowing Northeast through East England to its mouth at Lutt ...

running through the town is spanned by two road bridges. Wisbech is in the

Isle of Ely The Isle of Ely () is a historic region around the city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. Between 1889 and 1965, it formed an Administrative counties of England, administrative county. Etymology Its name has been said to ...

(a former administrative county) and has been described as "the Capital of The Fens". Wisbech is noteworthy for its fine examples of

Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchs of the House of Han ...

, particularly the parade of houses along the North Brink, which includes the

National Trust The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...

property of Peckover House and the Crescent, part of a

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

surrounding

Wisbech Castle The Castle at Wisbech was a stone motte-and-bailey castle built to fortify Wisbech (historically in the Isle of Ely and now also in the Fenland District of Cambridgeshire, England) on the orders of William I in 1072, it probably replaced an e ...

History

Toponymy

The place name "Wisbech" is first attested in the ''

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the ninth century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of ...

'' for the year 656, where it appears as ''Wisbeach''. It is recorded in the 1086

Domesday Book Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...

as ''Wisbeach''. The name Wisbech is popularly believed to mean "on the back of the (River) Ouse", Ouse being a common Celtic word relating to water and the name of a river that once flowed through the town. A more scholarly opinion is that the first element derives from the

River Wissey The River Wissey is a river in Norfolk, eastern England. It rises near Bradenham, and flows for nearly to join the River Great Ouse at Fordham. The lower are navigable. The upper reaches are notable for a number of buildings of historic int ...

, which used to run to Wisbech, and that the name means 'the valley of the river Wissey'. A wide range of spellings is found on trade tokens in the Wisbech & Fenland Museum and in newspapers, books, maps and other documents, e.g. ''Wisbece'', ''Wisebece'', ''Wisbbece'', ''Wysbeche'', ''Wisbeche'', ''Wissebeche'', ''Wysebeche'', ''Wysbech'', ''Wyxbech'', ''Wyssebeche'', ''Wisbidge'', ''Wisbich'' and ''Wisbitch'', until the spelling of the name of the town was fixed by the local council in the 19th century.

Pre-Roman

During the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

, the area where Wisbech would develop lay in the west of the Brythonic

Iceni The Iceni ( , ) or Eceni were an ancient tribe of eastern Britain during the British Iron Age, Iron Age and early Roman Britain, Roman era. Their territory included present-day Norfolk and parts of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and bordered the ar ...

tribe's territory. Icenian coins have been found in both

March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 2 ...

and Wisbech.

Anglo-Saxon

Like the rest of Cambridgeshire, Wisbech was part of the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

Kingdom of

East Anglia East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...

. It served as a port on

The Wash The Wash is a shallow natural rectangular bay and multiple estuary on the east coast of England in the United Kingdom. It is an inlet of the North Sea and is the largest multiple estuary system in the UK, as well as being the largest natural ba ...

. One of the first authentic references to Wisbech occurs in a charter dated 664 granting the Abbey at

Medeshamstede Medeshamstede () was the name of Peterborough in the Anglo-Saxon period. It was the site of a monastery founded around the middle of the 7th century, which was an important feature in the kingdom of Mercia from the outset. Little is known of i ...

(now

Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...

) land in Wisbech and in 1000, when Oswy and Leoflede, on the admission of their son Aelfwin as a monk, gave the

vill Vill is a term used in English, Welsh and Irish history to describe a basic rural land unit, roughly comparable to that of a parish, manor, village or tithing. Medieval developments The vill was the smallest territorial and administrative unit� ...

to the monastery of Ely.

Norman

The folktale of

Tom Hickathrift Tom Hickathrift (or sometimes Jack Hickathrift) is a legendary figure of East Anglian English folklore — a character similar to Jack the Giant Killer. He famously battled a giant, and is sometimes said to be a giant himself, though normally ...

or Wisbech Giant is sometimes set about the time of the Norman Invasion. In 1086, when Wisbech was held by the abbot, there may have been some 65 to 70 families, or about 300 to 350 persons, in Wisbech manor. However, Wisbech (which is the only one of the Marshland vills of the Isle to be mentioned in the

) probably comprised the whole area from Tydd Gote down to the far end of

Upwell __NOTOC__ Upwell is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Upwell village is on the A1101 road, as is Outwell, its conjoined village at the north. The nearest towns are Wisbech to the north-west and Downham Market to the e ...

at Welney. A castle was built by

William I William I may refer to: Kings * William the Conqueror (–1087), also known as William I, King of England * William I of Sicily (died 1166) * William I of Scotland (died 1214), known as William the Lion * William I of the Netherlands and Luxembour ...

to fortify the site. At the time of Domesday (1086) the population was that of a large village. Some were farmers and others were fishermen.

Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion () because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ru ...

gave Wisbech a charter exempting the residents from paying tolls at markets across England. King

John of England John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empi ...

visited the castle on 12 October 1216 as he came from Bishop's Lynn. Tradition has it that his baggage train was lost to the incoming tide of

. Treasure hunters still seek the lost royal treasure. On 12 November 1236 the village of Wisbech was inundated by the sea. Hundreds were drowned, entire flocks of sheep and herds of cattle were destroyed, trees felled and ships lost. The castle was "utterly destroyed" but was rebuilt by 1246 when the constable or keeper was William Justice. King

Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir to the throne follo ...

visited Wisbech in 1292, 1298, 1300 and 1305.

Wisbech Grammar School Wisbech Grammar School is an 11–18 Mixed-sex education, co-educational, Church of England, Private schools in the United Kingdom, private Day school, day and boarding school in Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. Founded by the Gui ...

dates back to 1379 or earlier. The register of Bishop John Fordham of Ely records the appointment of a Master of the Grammar Scholars in 1407.

Early Modern

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

visited Wisbech in 1469. In 1549, Wisbech was incorporated as a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

under a

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...

from

Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...

. In the same year, William Bellman gave a plot of land for the

schoolhouse. In 1333–4 the kiln in the town was producing 120,000 bricks. There were several fisheries belonging to the manor of Wisbech and in the 1350s the reeves of Walton and Leverington each sent a porpoise to Wisbech Castle, and the reeve of Terrington a swordfish. During the reigns of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

, James I, and Charles I, there was a state ecclesiastical prison in Wisbech for Catholics, many of whom died there owing to the insanitary conditions. A dispute arising amongst the Catholic prisoners was widely known as the Wisbech Stirs. In 1588 it is claimed that

Robert Catesby Robert Catesby ( – 8 November 1605) was the leader of a group of English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Born in Warwickshire, Catesby was educated at Oxford University. His family were prominent recusant Catholics, a ...

and Francis Tresham were committed to Wisbeach Castle on the approach of the

Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, ) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by Alonso de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aristocrat without previous naval ...

. Among those held there was John Feckenham, the last

Abbot of Westminster The Abbot of Westminster was the head (abbot) of Westminster Abbey. The position of Abbot of Westminster was a significant role in English history, with the abbots overseeing Westminster Abbey from its early days as a Benedictine monastery throug ...

. The palace was demolished and replaced with

John Thurloe John Thurloe (June 1616 – 21 February 1668) was an English politician who served as secretary to the council of state in The Protectorate, Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell and held the position of Postmaster General betw ...

's mansion in the mid-17th century, and Thurloe's mansion demolished in 1816 by Joseph Medworth, who also developed The Circus comprising The Crescent, Union Place and Ely Place with Museum Square and Castle Square familiar as the settings in numerous costume dramas. In 1620 former Wisbech residents William White and Dorothea Bradford (née May) sailed on the

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, reac ...

to the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

with her husband William Bradford later to be Governor Bradford.

English Civil War and Commonwealth

Across the Eastern Counties,

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

's powerful Eastern Association was eventually dominant. However, to begin with, there had been an element of

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...

sympathy within Wisbech. Bishop

Matthew Wren Matthew Wren (23 December 1585 – 24 April 1667) was an influential English clergyman, bishop and scholar. Life Wren was the eldest son of Francis Wren, citizen and mercer of London. Matthew Wren's mother was Susan, daughter of John Wigg ...

was a staunch supporter of Charles I but even in 1640 was unpopular in Wisbech, after discovering his absence from a ' Commission of Sewers' meeting at the Castle, a crowd of soldiers plundered shops of some of his supporters. The town was near the frontier of the

Parliamentary In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

and Royalist forces in 1643. The Castle and town were put into a state of readiness and reinforced. A troop of horse was raised. Locally based troops took part in the Siege of Crowland in 1642. The town controlled the route from Lincolnshire to Norfolk particularly during the Siege of

King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north-east of Peterborough, north-north-east of Cambridg ...

in 1643 as it prevented reinforcements by land of the Royalists holding the Norfolk port. A town library was founded . In 1656 the bishop's palace was replaced by Thurloe's mansion however after the Restoration the property reverted to the Bishops of Ely.

Eighteenth century

Soap was taxed and manufacturers such as the Wisbech Soap Company required a licence. Based in an Old Market property facing the river, they were able to receive oil from the blubber yards of King's Lynn as well as coal, wood for casks and olive oil used in making the coarse, sweet and grey (speckled) soaps they produced from 1716 to about 1770. Wisbech's first workhouse was located in Albion Place and opened in 1722. It could accommodate three hundred inmates and cost £2,000. Peckover-house-wisbech

Bank House, with its walled garden, was built in 1722 and purchased by the

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

Peckover banking family in the 1790s. The Peckover Bank later became part of

Barclays Bank Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...

. The house is now owned by the

and known as Peckover House. In the 17th century, the inhabitants of the Fens became known as the "Fen Tigers" for their resistance to the draining of the common marshes. But the farmland created by drainage transformed Wisbech into a wealthy port handling agricultural produce. It was from this period that much of the town's architectural richness originates. Wisbech sat on the estuary of the

River Great Ouse The River Great Ouse ( ) is a river in England, the longest of several British rivers called "Ouse". From Syresham in Northamptonshire, the Great Ouse flows through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to drain into the ...

, but silting caused the coastline to move north, and the

was diverted to serve the town. In 1781 Wisbech Literary Society was formed at the house of Jonathan Peckover. Theatres in both Pickard's Lane (a barn) and North End and a third (temporary structure) in the High Street are referred to. A new theatre (now part of the Angles Theatre had been built in Deadman's Lane (later Great Church Street, now Alexandra Road) now Angles Theatre c. 1790. It was used to hold the auction of the contents of the castle, part of the estate of Edward Southwell on 8 November 1791. One of the earliest Female Friendly Societies was the Wisbech Female Friendly Society instituted on 1 February 1796.

Nineteenth century

Wisbech and Ely shared the Isle of Ely

Assizes The assizes (), or courts of assize, were periodic courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the quarter sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. The assizes ex ...

, as a result the 1819 trial of Israel Garner and James Colbank, two local men, took place in Ely and sentence of hanging took place in Wisbech. Wisbech Regatta was first held in 1850. June 1858 The Russian Gun. —During the past week a brass plate has been added to the Russian Gun, bearing the inscription: — "This trophy of the late Russian War, presented by Queen Victoria to the Burgesses of Wisbech. Thomas Steed Watson, Mayor, 1858. The ''Isle of Ely and Wisbech Advertiser'' was founded in 1845. The Wisbech & Fenland Museum opened in 1847 and continues to collect, care for and interpret the natural and cultural heritage of Wisbech and the surrounding area. On 1 March 1848 Eastern Counties Railway opened Wisbeach (''sic'') station (later renamed Wisbech East railway station). It closed on 9 September 1968. In the 1853–54 cholera epidemic 176 deaths were reported in the town in 1854. The Wisbech death rate (49 per 10,000) was the fourth highest in the country. The following year saw £8,000 expenditure on sewerage works and £13,400 on water supplies. New public buildings such as the Exchange Hall and Public Hall (1851) provided modern larger venues for theatrical and other events.

Fanny Kemble Frances Anne Kemble (later Butler; 27 November 180915 January 1893) was a British actress from a Kemble family, theatre family in the early and mid-nineteenth century. She was a well-known and popular writer and abolitionist whose published wor ...

gave Shakespearean readings in 1855 at the Public Hall. On Sunday 29 June 1857 a mob entered the town and broke the corn exchange's windows and seized corn and demanded money from shopkeepers. On July the gentry and traders recruited about 500 men and went to Upwell, captured 60 people and placed them in irons. On 4 September a report was made to the lords justices of 14 malefactors condemned at Wisbech for a riot; two were sentenced to be executed the following Saturday and twelve for transportation. The Wisbech Working Men's Club and Institute was formed in 1864. It was once considered one of the most financially successful of its type in England. It remains one of the oldest. In 1864 the castle estate was purchased by Alexander Peckover. In 1932 his descendant Alexandrina Peckover gave to the borough council a piece of land to be laid out as an ornamental garden adjoining the War memorial. The town hosted the

British Archaeological Association The British Archaeological Association (BAA) was founded in 1843 and aims to inspire, support and disseminate high quality research in the fields of Western archaeology, art and architecture, primarily of the mediaeval period, through lectures, co ...

's annual Congress in 1878. In August 1883 Wisbech and Upwell Tramway opened. It eventually closed in 1966 (passenger services finished in 1927). The steam trams were replaced by diesels in 1952. The '' Wisbech Standard'' newspaper was founded in 1888 and ceased printing in 2022.

Twentieth century

In April 1904 the borough council contracted with the National Electric Construction Company Ltd for the installation of electric street lighting. On 30 October 1913 the

Riot Act The Riot Act (1 Geo. 1. St. 2. c. 5), sometimes called the Riot Act 1714 or the Riot Act 1715, was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain which authorised local authorities to declare any group of 12 or more people to be unlawfully assembled ...

was read by the mayor in response to civil unrest in response to the death of the popular surgeon Doctor Horace Dimock. He had been arrested on charges of criminal libel on the information of Dr Meacock. On hearing that Dimock had taken his own life a crowd formed and smashed the windows of Meacock's residence on the North Brink. The police charged the crowds and cleared the streets. The Wisbech Canal joining the River Nene at Wisbech was subsequently filled in and became the dual carriageway leading into the town from the east (now crossing the bypass). Wisbech War Memorial was unveiled on 24 July 1921. In 1929 The Wisbech Pageant was held at Sibalds Holme Park on 4–5 September. The Pageant Master was Sir Arthur Bryant who had experience with the Cambridgeshire Pageant 1924, Oxfordshire Pageant 1926 and London Empire Pageants of 1928 and 1929. The Wisbech total attendance was estimated in excess of 25,000 people. In 1939 Wisbech Society and Preservation Trust was founded to safeguard the history and heritage of Wisbech. In In 1949 the borough celebrated the 400th anniversary of receiving its charter. The Pageant in Sibalds Holme Park, Barton Road featured over 600 performers. The first Wisbech Rose Fair was held in 1963 when local rose growers sold rose buds in the parish church in aid of its restoration. The following year the borough twinned with

Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...

and set up a Wisbech-Arles twinning club. The first purpose-built council-run Caravan Site that accommodates travellers in the UK was built in 1975. On 21 September 1979, two

Harrier jump jet The Harrier, informally referred to as the Harrier jump jet, is a family of jet-powered attack aircraft capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing operations (V/STOL). Named after the bird of prey, it was originally developed by British ...

s on a training exercise collided over Wisbech; one landed in a field and the other in a residential area. Two houses and a bungalow were demolished on Ramnoth Road, causing the death of Bob Bowers, his two-year-old son Jonathan Bowers, and former town mayor Bill Trumpess. The 5-mile (8 km), £6 million A47 Wisbech/West Walton bypass opened in spring 1982. The Horsefair shopping centre opened by Noel Edmunds in 1988 is on part of Hill Street and the site of the old Horse Fair.

Contemporary

In 2009 Oxford Archaeology East (OAE) organised a dig at

to search for remains of the Bishop's Palace. Large numbers of local volunteers took part and hundreds of children visited the dig site. Later in the year a group of volunteers formed Fenland Archaeological Society (FenArch)www.fenarch.org.uk. The Society has carried out a number of digs including the Manea Colony dig organised by Cambridge Archaeology Unit (CAU). An initiative to deal with the issues of derelict buildings in the town was initiated in 2013. This led to the £1.9M four-year Wisbech High Street project. , a number of sites in the high street are covered in scaffolding whilst work is in progress. The Wisbech & Fenland Museum currently was closed whilst scaffolding supported the roof replacement, it reopened in February 2022. Following the publication of the Friends of Wisbech & Fenland Museums series of booklets ''Images of Wisbech'' contains images taken by Geoff Hastings, research uncovered an archive of images from the Wisbech Borough council, some of these were incorporated in ''Lost Images of Wisbech'' published in 2020. The town is well known for horticulture, in 2018 the town won the business improvement district (BID) category gold award at the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

's (RHS) annual

Britain in Bloom RHS Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France (now Conseil national de villes et villages ...

awards ceremony. In 2019 the town received Gold Award in the large town category in the RHS Anglia in Bloom completion. Waterlees was 'Best in Group' and Gold Award in Urban category and St Peters Gardens a Gold Award in the Small Parks category. The town mayor for 2020-2021, a licence holder of Elgood's Angel Inn breached Covid19 regulations in December 2020. A meeting of the Fenland District Council licensing committee removed the licence.

Governance

There are three tiers of local government covering Wisbech, at

(town),

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

, and county level:

Wisbech Town Council Wisbech Town Council is a Parish councils in England, parish council covering the town of Wisbech in England. It is the successor to the Wisbech Municipal Borough. The Council is based at Wisbech Town Hall, 1 North Brink, Wisbech where its com ...

, Fenland District Council, and

Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire County Council is the county council for non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county, which additionally includes the City o ...

. The district and county councils are also members of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, led by the directly elected

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough The mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a combined authority mayor, first 2017 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election, elected in May 2017. The mayor is leader of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. This o ...

. The town council is based at Wisbech Town Hall on North Brink. Town council responsibilities include allotments and the market place. In 2018 the council took a lease on

Administrative history

Wisbech was anciently a

feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

vill within the Wisbech

hundred 100 or one hundred (Roman numerals, Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 (number), 99 and preceding 101 (number), 101. In mathematics 100 is the square of 10 (number), 10 (in scientific notation it is written as 102). The standar ...

of Cambridgeshire. The Wisbech hundred formed part of the

, which was historically a

liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

under the secular jurisdiction of the

Bishop of Ely The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire (with the exception of the Soke of Peterborough), together with ...

. The bishop's jurisdiction was ended by the Liberty of Ely Act 1837. The vill of Wisbech was divided around 1109 into two

manorial Manorialism, also known as seigneurialism, the manor system or manorial system, was the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of Europe, notably France and later England, during the Middle Ages. Its defining features included a large, ...

properties, which subsequently became the two parishes of Wisbech St Mary and Wisbech St Peter (the latter including the town itself). The two were treated as separate

civil parishes In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishe ...

from an early date, but remained a single

ecclesiastical parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

until 1854. On 1 June 1549,

granted Wisbech a

municipal charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the granting of a charter ...

, incorporating it as a

. The borough covered the same area as the civil parish of Wisbech St Peter and therefore included the town itself plus an extensive rural area stretching some south-west of the town, including the hamlet of Ring's End. Wisbech was reformed to become a

municipal borough A municipal borough was a type of local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of ...

in 1836 under the

Municipal Corporations Act 1835 The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4. c. 76), sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales. The le ...

, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. The borough boundaries were reviewed in 1934. The borough gained part of the parish of

Walsoken Walsoken is a settlement and civil parish in Norfolk, England, which is conjoined as a suburb at the northeast of the town of Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire. The parish of Walsoken in the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 census, had a popu ...

from Norfolk, including the more built-up area that had effectively become an eastern suburb of Wisbech, but leaving the church and the rural parts of Walsoken parish in Norfolk. A boundary marker in Wisbech Park was erected to record the event. At the same time, the more rural part of the old borough, including Ring's End, was transferred from Wisbech to the neighbouring parish of

Elm Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus ''Ulmus'' in the family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical- montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ...

. Between 1889 and 1965, the Isle of Ely was an

administrative county An administrative county was a first-level administrative division in England and Wales from 1888 to 1974, and in Ireland from 1899 until 1973 in Northern Ireland, 2002 in the Republic of Ireland. They are now abolished, although most Northern ...

with its own county council, whilst also forming part of the wider geographical county of Cambridgeshire. Between 1965 and 1974, the administrative county covering Wisbech was called

Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely was, from 1965 to 1974, an administrative county, administrative and Geographical counties of England, geographical county in East Anglia in the United Kingdom. In 1974 it became part of an enlarged Cambridgeshire. ...

. The borough of Wisbech was abolished in 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

. District-level functions passed to the new Fenland District Council. A

successor parish Successor parishes are Civil parishes in England, civil parishes with a parish councils in England, parish council, created in England in 1974. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of Urban district (England and Wales), urban d ...

called Wisbech was created covering the area of the abolished borough, with its parish council taking the name Wisbech Town Council. In 1990 further county boundary changes brought a small area of Walsoken, Norfolk into Wisbech.

Transport

Waterways

Wisbech sits on either side of the

, and its port is Cambridgeshire's only gateway to the sea. Schemes to connect the River Nene and the River Welland are proposed, allowing boats a fresh-water connection. In the past, the Port of Wisbech could accommodate sailing ships of 400 tons, but its prosperity declined after 1852 when extensive river works impeded navigation. In the previous decade it had been described as England's most important port for the export of wheat. It had in its day been referred to as 'the Milch cow of the corporation'. Now, a river-side yacht harbour provides 128 berths for vessels, and Crab Marshboat yard operates a 75-tonne boat lift. Following the 1978 flood, in which one resident drowned, flood walls and flood gates were erected and in later years built higher. In December 2013, the town's river flood defences were tested when an unusually high tide threatened to top the recently improved walls and flood gates.

Roads

In 1831 the construction of a lifting bridge at

Sutton Bridge Sutton Bridge is a town and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the A17 road, north from Wisbech and west from King's Lynn. The village includes a commercial dock on the west bank of the ...

finally provided a means to travel directly between Norfolk and Lincolnshire. The town stood at the crossing of two Class A roads: from Peterborough to King's Lynn ( A47) and from Ely to Long Sutton (A1101). The A1101 now crosses the river at the newer 'Freedom bridge' taking some traffic away from the older 'Town Bridge'. The A47 now bypasses the town. The former part of the A47 inside the town (Lynn Rd and Cromwell Rd) is now the

B198 The Benetton B198 is a Formula One racing car with which the Benetton Formula One team competed in the 1998 Formula One season. It was driven by Giancarlo Fisichella, who had moved from Jordan, and Alexander Wurz, who was in his first full ...

. Current public transport provision to and from Wisbech is provided by several First Eastern Counties bus routes, including their long-distance Excel routes which call at Wisbech between Peterborough and King's Lynn before continuing to Norwich.

Railways

Wisbech once had three passenger railway lines, served by Wisbech East railway station, Wisbech North railway station and Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, but they all closed between 1959 and 1968. There is an active campaign to reopen the March–Wisbech Bramley Line as part of the national rail network, with direct services to Cambridge and possibly Peterborough. It is supported by Wisbech Town Council and subject to reports commissioned by the county council in 2013. The line is currently Wisbech East railway station (2019) at GRIP 3 study stage. A report published in 2009 by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) indicated that this was viable. The line has been identified as a priority for reopening by Campaign for Better Transport.

Demography

Several official places (libraries, surgeries, local council) provide translations into Lithuanian, as well as Polish, Latvian, Russian and Portuguese.

Lithuanian community

The Lithuanian community in Wisbech has grown significantly since Lithuania's accession to the European Union in 2004. Drawn by employment opportunities in agriculture and food processing, many Lithuanians have settled in the area, contributing to the town's cultural diversity. By 2014, estimates suggested that approximately 6,000 Lithuanians resided in Wisbech, comprising a substantial portion of the town's population of around 30,000. This demographic shift has led to the establishment of various cultural and community initiatives. For instance, the Wisbech Lithuanian Community organizes events such as Užgavėnės, the Lithuanian pre-Lenten festival, which has been celebrated in collaboration with local institutions like the Wisbech and Fenland Museum. Lithuanian community has faced challenges, including instances of labor exploitation and substandard housing conditions. Reports have highlighted concerns over illegal gangmasters and overcrowded accommodations affecting Eastern European migrants in the region. In December 2024, members of the Lithuanian community in Wisbech created Baltic-themed Christmas decorations for the town’s market square, using recycled materials to craft items such as gonks, stars, and baubles. In April 2025, the Wisbech Lithuanian Community Acorn (WLCA) group launched a new initiative by introducing a community Easter tree in the market square.

Economy

Historical

Before the draining of the Fens was completed, livestock was grazed on the common land and were marked to identify their owners; this was also the case with swans, which were usually marked on their bills. The riverside location and fertile soils surrounding Wisbech allowed the town to flourish. A thriving pipe-making business was being carried out in the town by Amy White in the 1740s. Soap-making was also taking place in the 1740s A number of breweries existed in the town; the last one remaining is Elgood's on the North Brink. Established in 1795 and remaining a family-owned business, the

brewery A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of b ...

and gardens are a popular location for tourists to visit. The first half of the 19th century was a very prosperous time for the town and an annual average of 40,000 tons of goods passed through the port, consisting mainly of coal, corn, timber and wine. The surrounding land produced large quantities of

sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...

and

oxen An ox (: oxen), also known as a bullock (in BrE, British, AusE, Australian, and IndE, Indian English), is a large bovine, trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castration, castrated adult male cattle, because castration i ...

as well as

wool Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...

hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...

and

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...

. Such was the trade with

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

that a consul was based in North Terrace in a Queen Anne house sometimes called the Danish House. In 1851 the population was 9,594. It decreased to 9,276 in 1861 and picked up to 9,395 in 1891. A

National Provincial Bank National Provincial Bank was a retail bank which operated in England and Wales. It was created in 1833 as National Provincial Bank of England, and expanded largely by taking over a number of other banks. Following the transformative acquisitio ...

, on the North Brink and a

Savings Bank A savings bank is a financial institution that is not run on a profit-maximizing basis, and whose original or primary purpose is collecting deposits on savings accounts that are invested on a low-risk basis and receive interest. Savings banks ha ...

was built in Hill street in 1851 (it later became a Liberal Club, it is currently (2023) The Magwitch) In 1853 the Wisbech and Isle of Ely Permanent Building Society was established. Ropemaking took place at the

Ropewalk A ropewalk is a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material are laid before being twisted into rope. Due to the length of some ropewalks, workers may use bicycles to get from one end to the other. Many ropew ...

and tent-making also took place in the town at W. Poppleton's, Nene Parade. Customers included the visiting J.W. Myers circus in 1881. The Wisbech Fruit Preserving Company Ltd was wound up in 1894 and the site put up for sale. In October 1906 the first of the annual

mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, small, round seeds of ...

markets of the year took place where the harvest of 'brown' and 'white' seed took place. Regular annual Buyers included Messrs

Colman's Colman's is an English manufacturer of mustard and other sauces, formerly based and produced for 160 years at Carrow, in Norwich, Norfolk. Owned by Unilever since 1995, Colman's is one of the oldest existing food brands, famous for a limited ra ...

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

. The Wisbech Mustard market held on four Saturdays in October was claimed to be unique, in 1911 it had been running for over forty years. Buyers from the major mills and producers attended and traded in and near the Rose and Crown. Large numbers of workers were needed to pick fruit, in 1913 due to the great influx of pickers, the police had to find accommodation for 500 'homeless' workers each night. Until 1920 the train companies provided special rail fares for fruit pickers coming to the area. Liptons had one of their jam factories in the town in the 1920s. Samuel Wallace Smedley (1877-1958) bought the old Crosse and Blackwell jam making factory. Wisbech Produce Canners (formed in 1925), on Lynn Rd, was the first in England to produce frozen asparagus, peas and strawberries. The Wisbech Producer canners in 1931 became part of the National Canning Company. It was renamed Smedley's Ltd in 1947, later Smedley HP Foods Ltd and later taken over by Hillsdown Foods. It is presently (2021) owned by

Princes Group Princes Group is an international food and drink group involved in the manufacture, import and distribution of branded and customer own-brand products. Founded in 1880 and headquartered in the UK, and recently acquired by Newlat Food S.p.A. Hi ...

Contemporary

The Metal Box company established their largest manufacturing unit at Weasenham Lane in 1953. The site provides processed food cans for fruit, vegetables, soups, milk and pet foods. The workforce grew to over 1,000 before reducing as a result of automation and redundancies. Steel was brought from Welsh steelworks and also from overseas. The site had its own rail yard before the Wisbech to March line closed. The site is now part of Crown Cork. English Brothers Ltd, another long-established company in Wisbech, are importers of timber brought in at Wisbech port. In 1900 they manufactured wooden troop hits for the war in South Africa. During World War II they produced wooden munitions boxes. Shire Garden Building Ltd based in Wisbech and Sutton Bridge have been manufacturing wooden buildings since the 1980s. In 2010 Dutch based Partner Logistics opened a £12m frozen food warehouse on Boleness Road, employing over fifty staff. The 77,000 pallet, fully automated "freezer" centre had contracts with Lamb Weston,

Bird's Eye Birds Eye is an international brand of frozen foods founded in the United States and now owned by Conagra Brands in the United States, by Nomad Foods in Europe, and Simplot in Australia. The former Birds Eye Company Ltd., originally named "Bi ...

and Pinguin Foods. In recent decades the closure of the Clarkson Geriatric hospital (1983), Bowthorpe maternity hospital (c. 1983), Balding & Mansell (printers) (c. 1992), Budgens store (formerly Coop) (2017) and horticultural college (2012), Bridge Street post office (2014), as well as gradual reductions in workforce by CMB, indicate a decline in the economy. Small family businesses such as Bodgers (2013), Franks butchers (2015) and local bakeries have given way to the supermarkets. The larger employers in Wisbech include Nestle Purina PetCare, Cromwell Rd and Princes, Lynn Rd. In April 2018 plans for an £8m redevelopment of the North Cambridgeshire Hospital were announced. Museum Square

Tourism

property Peckover House and Garden attracts tourists and locals. The Wisbech & Fenland Museum draws in visitors to see the

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

manuscript,

Thomas Clarkson Thomas Clarkson (28 March 1760 – 26 September 1846) was an English abolitionist, and a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. He helped found the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade (also known ...

memorabilia and other exhibits. The

Octavia Hill Octavia Hill (3December 183813August 1912) was an English Reform movement, social reformer and founder of the National Trust. Her main concern was the welfare of the inhabitants of cities, especially London, in the second half of the nineteent ...

Birthplace House also attracts those interested in the National Trust, army cadet force or social housing. The Angles Theatre, The Light and The Luxe Cinema also attract audiences from outside the town. The port of Wisbech and marina attract boating enthusiasts. The Castle has a programme of public events and activities.

Religious sites

The Anglican Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul dates back in part to the 12th century. The tower contains the third oldest full peal of 10 bells in the world, cast by William Dobson in 1821; the bells are still in use. St Augustine's church on Lynn Rd was erected in 1868–9 and consecrated on 11 May 1869. An associated school building is now the Robert Hall

scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...

hall. In 1997 a new parish centre was created when the church was linked to its nearby hall. Catholic Our Lady & Saint Charles Borromeo Church has been the site of worship for

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

since 1854.

the site of the Wisbech Stirs has also been a minor site of pilgrimage. Other places of worship are: Baptist, Hill St; King's Church, Queens Rd; Jehovahs Witnesses, Tinkers Drove; Trinity Methodist, Church Terrace; and Spiritualist, Alexandra Rd. The

Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

' meeting-house, North Brink, has a burial ground which contains the remains of Jane Stuart. A Chapel of Ease (Octagon Church) was built in 1827, completed in 1830 and controversially demolished in 1952. The large lantern was based on that of

Ely Cathedral Ely Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely, is an Church of England, Anglican cathedral in the city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. The cathedral can trace its origin to the abbey founded in Ely in 67 ...

. The churchyard remains and has been opened up for public access.

Education

An infant school for two to six-year olds was established in the great hall of the workhouse in 1839. Primary schools in Wisbech include: Clarkson Infant and Nursery School, St Peters Church of England Junior School, Orchards Church of England Academy, Peckover Primary School, The Nene Infant School, Ramnoth Junior School and Elm Road Primary School. There are also specialist schools, Meadowgate Academy, Cambian Wisbech School, The County School & Trinity School. Wisbech has two

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

s: the

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

, which was founded in 1379, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, and the state-funded Thomas Clarkson Academy. There is also a

further education Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is additional education to that received at secondary school that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It ...

centre: the

College of West Anglia The College of West Anglia (often abbreviated to CoWA or CWA) is a four-campus college of further and higher education in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, England. The college has three campuses, located in King's Lynn, Milton and Wisbech, Cambridg ...

, formerly the Isle College.

Sport

As the

and other waterways are located in the area, water sports are popular. The rivers and canal provide opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. As an example of organised water sport, in 1955, the Wisbech Yacht Club opened their new clubhouse at Lattersley Pit, Whittlesey. Football was played in the town even before Wisbech Park was opened in 1869. The nearby St. Augustine's club evolving into Wisbech Town

Culture

Georgian Angles Theatre

The Georgian theatre, Deadman's Lane (now the Angles Theatre on Alexandra Rd) was built c1790 as part of the Lincoln circuit. This is now used by community theatre groups and touring companies. The theatre is run by the Wisbech Angles Theatre Council, a registered charity. The Wisbech Players (now The Wisbech Theatre Players) formed in 1953, are now an integral part of the theatre.

Museums

Wisbech & Fenland Museum, Museum Square opened on its current site in 1847. The Friends of Wisbech and Fenland Museum supports the museum with Grants for acquisitions, and assists with research programmes, conservation, publishing and new technologies throughout the Museum. The Castle was donated to the

Isle of Ely County Council Isle of Ely County Council was the county council of the Isle of Ely in the east of England. It came into its powers on 1 April 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 1965. The county council was based at County Hall, March. It was amalgamated with C ...

by the family of the former education director and is now run by the town council. It is used as a community asset and hosts educational and other activities. The contents include furnishings, books and other items of interest. Octavia Hill Birthplace House opened with the purpose of housing items linked to the various philanthropic activities of

and her family. The Wisbech Working Men's Institute and Social club's origins date to 1864.

Inns, taverns, beerhouses, breweries and beer festivals

The town's licensed premises have a long history of providing leisure facilities from bowling greens, cock-fighting pits and skittle alleys to darts, cards, chess and other board games as well as social events. In 1853 the 'Wisbech Brewery' (Phillips, Tidbits and Phillips) on the riverside owned 20 pubs and hotels in the town and about 30 outside. Elgood's brewery located on the North Brink supplies its tied-houses the Angel Hotel, King's Head, Hare and Hounds hotel, Red Lion and Three Tuns Inn in the town and others in the surrounding area. Others include the Black Bear, Globe, Locomotive, Rose Tavern and White Lion. In 1950 Arthur Artis Oldham researched and produced in very limited numbers ''Pubs and Taverns of Wisbech''. Last reprinted in 1979 by Cambridgeshire Libraries as ''Inns and Taverns of Wisbech'' and now (2021) superseded by the series ''Wisbech Inns, Taverns and Beer-houses: Past and Present'' by ABN Ketley. The Rose and Crown hotel on the marketplace is one of the oldest buildings in the town and featured in The Hotel Inspector TV series in 2009. Underneath there are brick-barrel vaults dating from Tudor times.

Annual festivals and events

March. The annual Showmen's Guild fair known as the Wisbech Mart is held in the town. June. On

Armed Forces Day An Armed Forces Day, alongside its Military branch, branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the Military, armed forces, o ...

the marketplace is taken over by military vehicles and units and veterans associations. In 2023 the event moved to Wisbech Park. A Sunday service is held with a parade and march past. *Wisbech Rose Fair is held. It originated in 1963 as a flower festival when local rose growers sold rose buds in the Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul in aid of its restoration fund. The church used this annual occasion to raise funds for the upkeep of the ancient building, and over the years, the Rose Fair grew into a Town Festival. It developed into an event that encompassed many of the charities and other organisations in the town and district running stalls and events including two parades of floats starting from Queens Road. The event's flower festival and float parades ceased in 2019. * The Annual Concerts run by The Friends of Wisbech & Fenland Museum, in 2021 and 2022 at

then moving to The Old Chapel, North End from 2023. It raises funds for the museum. August. Wisbech Rock Festival is a

Free Festival Free festivals are a combination of music, arts and cultural activities, for which often no admission is charged, but involvement is preferred. They are identifiable by being multi-day events connected by a camping community without centralised ...

held in Wisbech Park and is managed by the town council. Wis-Beach day was originally held on the marketplace. The seaside comes to the town for the Sunday and donkey rides,

Punch and Judy Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Mr Punch and one other ...

shows, sand, beach chairs and amusement rides filled the centre of the town. Recently it merged with the festival in the park. Friends of Wisbech Park Bandstand host a series of musical events at the

bandstand A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an ornamen ...

on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer and winter. Many local gardens are open to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme Open Days. September. The town participates in Heritage Weekend when many buildings are open to the public for tours. The Showmen's Guild Wisbech Statute Fair is held in the town. The Elgoods Beer Festival takes place when musical events accompany the wide range of drinks on offer. October. Wisbech Museum and the Horse Fair stage

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

events. November. Christmas Lights Switch On takes place on the Market Place. December. Wisbech Christmas Fayre takes place.

Literature

Local nonfiction authors include

William Godwin William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous fo ...

, William Ellis, William Watson, FJ Gardiner, N Walker and Prof. T Craddock, Arthur Artis Oldham, Andrew C Ingram, Robert Bell, George Anniss, Roger Powell, Bridgett Holmes, Kevin Rodgers, Andrew Ketley, Peter Clayton and William P Smith, and fiction writers John Muriel, John Gordon, Rev.

Wilbert Awdry Wilbert Vere Awdry (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997), often credited as Rev. W. Awdry, was an English Anglican minister, railway enthusiast, and children's author. He is best remembered as the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine and several other ...

, Diane Calton Smith and Marie Tierney.

Poetry

The town nearly added the poet

John Clare John Clare (13 July 1793 – 20 May 1864) was an English poet. The son of a farm labourer, he became known for his celebrations of the English countryside and his sorrows at its disruption. His work underwent major re-evaluation in the late 20t ...

to its residents when he visited for a job interview. Fen speak ran a series of events funded by the

Arts Council An arts council is a government or private non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts; mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing arts events. They often operate at arms-length from the government to prevent pol ...

, Metal Culture and John Clare Cottage. The town hosted Fenland Poet Laureate awards (2012 – Elaine Ewerton; 2013 – Leanne Moden; 2014 – Poppy Kleiser; 2015 – Jonathan Totman; 2016 – Mary Livingstone; 2017 – Kate Caoimhe). The Fenland Poet Laureate Awards were relaunched with funding from the Arts Council in 2019. Charlotte Beck, 13 and CJ Atkinson were announced as the 2019–2020 Young Fenland Poet Laureate and Fenland Poet Laureate. 'Stanza' poetry group holds regular events at The Castle.

Art

Wisbech Art Club was formed in 1933 and holds exhibitions at venues in the town including Wisbech & Fenland Museum. Regular meetings are now (2024) held at the Walsoken Village Hall.

Photography

Wisbech & District Camera Club was formed in 1950 and closed in 2024. Early and well known photographers in the town included William Ellis, Samuel Smith, Lilian Ream, Valentine Blanchard and Geoff Hastings.

Music

The Corn Exchange (long since closed) provided a venue for musical events. Big names that appeared included the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...

Adam Faith Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. As a British rock and roll teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK singles chart with " What ...

and

Gene Vincent Vincent Eugene Craddock (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971), known as Gene Vincent, was an American rock and roll musician who pioneered the style of rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his backing band the Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-a-Lula", is ...

. Contemporary local rock bands include The Brink. The Bandstand in the park is a venue for summer concerts and the park also stages the annual Wisbech Rock Festival.

Embroidery

Mia Hansson, from Skanör, Sweden, now living in the town, started a

Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidery, embroidered cloth nearly long and tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest, Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William the Conqueror, William, Duke of Normandy challenging H ...

reproduction on 13 July 2016. she had completed 37 metres, saying that she expected to finish in some five years. Hansson takes part of her replica out for talk and display events. In September 2020 she published ''Mia's Bayeux Tapestry Colouring Book'', with hand-drawn images from the tapestry.

Architecture

Notable buildings and monuments

Wisbech is particularly noted for its fine examples of Georgian architecture. It has over 250 listed buildings and monuments, concentrated mainly along the river and known as The Brinks (North and South Brinks), and around the Old Market, Market Place and the circus around The Castle known as The Crescent. These include:

Georgian

* Peckover House (1722), North Brink, owned by the

; in its grounds are the remains of the White Cross of The Low. *

Birthplace House (formerly Bank House), South Brink. * The Castle - a Regency Period villa (1816) built on the site of a Norman castle. *Former New Inn, Union St dating to about 1500. *Rose and Crown hotel, located on the market place, is an early 17th century coaching inn. A date of 1601 and trumpet and pheasant are visible on the exterior of the building. It is listed grade II* by

Historic England Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked with prot ...

. * Elgood's Brewery, The brewery was founded in 1795 and bought soon afterwards by the Elgood family. Elgoods-brewery-wisbech

*Ely House, an early 18th century farmhouse. A grade II listed building. *The Angles Theatre, a typical Georgian playhouse built c1790 owned by Thomas Shaftoe Robinson. Grade II listed. Acknowledged as the eighth oldest working theatre in England. *Mill Tower formerly known as Leach's Mill, located on Lynn Road, is remarkable on account of its height and age. Built on a mound and eight storeys in height, it had eight sails. It dates to at least 1778, although the initials SH and 1643 are reputed to have been on a beam inside the mill. The last miller used it in the 1930s. The adjoining flour and provender roller mill suffered a fire in the 1970s. The mill minus the sails is now used as a residence. None of the other dozen or so mills survive. Wisbech-clarkson-memorial--

Victorian

* Wisbech & Fenland Museum (1847); extensive collections of local records and other items. Notable artefacts include:

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a French Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of the Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a populatio ...

breakfast service, said to have been captured at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

;

's chest, containing examples of 18th century African textiles, seeds and leatherwork which he used to illustrate his case for direct trade with Africa; and the original manuscript of

' ''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by English author Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. The novel is a bildungsroman and depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip. It is Dickens' second novel, after ''Dav ...

'' *Thomas Clarkson Memorial, Bridge St (1881) * Richard Young MP Memorial (1871) sited in Wisbech Park (1870). *Drinking fountain erected to the memory of Mr & Mrs G. D. Collins in the Old Market in 1897. Relocated to Lynn Road. *former Grammar School for boys, South Brink opened in January 1898 to replace the old Grammar School for boys in the ancient town hall in Hill Street. * Our Lady & Saint Charles Borromeo Church (1854)

Church architecture

Wisbech and its surrounding villages also boast some interesting church architecture. * Parish Church of St Peter and Paul (restored in 1858 and a clock added in 1866) * Guyhirn Chapel of Ease *Wisbech St Mary's Parish church

Notable residents

Deceased

Royalty, nobility and public office

, MP (1616–1668), Solicitor-general, Lord Chief Justice, Secretary of State and lawyer. Cromwell' spymaster. He replaced the bishop's palace at Wisbech with a mansion (later demolished by Joseph Medworth). * Jane Stuart (c1654-1742), a daughter of James II joined the Society of Friends on the North Brink and lived on the Old Market, she died aged 88 in Wisbech and is buried in the Friends' graveyard. *Sir Charles Wale (1765–1845), General and Governor of Martinique, attended

. * James Crowden (1927–2016). Chartered surveyor, Olympian, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely. Wisbech J.P. Born in Tilney All Saints.

Church and religion

* John Alcock (c1430-1500), bishop appointed to the see of Ely in 1486 he died in the bishops palace in Wisbech and is buried in

* John Feckenham (c1515-1584), Abbott of Westminster, imprisoned in The Bishop's palace from 1580 until his death in 1584. At his own cost he arranged the repairs of the road and erected a market cross in the town. * Theophilus Buckworth, Bishop of Dromore, born and died in Wisbech a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, was an Irish

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

priest: * Thomas Herring (1693–1757),

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

(from 1747), was educated at

. *Rev.

William Hazlitt William Hazlitt (10 April 177818 September 1830) was an English essayist, drama and literary criticism, literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history ...

(1737–1820), minister at the Presbyterian meeting house here in 1764–66, became an influential Unitarian minister. He was father of the essayist

and the portrait painter John Hazlitt. While resident at Wisbech he married Grace Loftus.

Writers

* Richard Huloet, lexicographer and author *

the elder (born in Wisbech, 1756–1836), father of

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

; English political writer and novelist * Arthur Artis Oldham (1886–1980), historian and writer, born in Wisbech. Titles included ''A History of Wisbech River'' (1933), ''Wisbech Bridges, Inns and Taverns of Wisbech'' (1950), ''Wisbech Windmills'', ''Windmills around Wisbech'', ''The Inns & Taverns of Wisbech'' (1979) and ''Windmills in and around Wisbech'' (1994). He married Ellen (Nellie) Fewster and had two children. He retired to Norwich where he died in 1980. * John Muriel (1909–1975), born in Hadleigh, Suffolk, aka as John St Clair Muriel, John Lindsey or Simon Dewes, was an author who taught at

. His father was John Muriel (1859–1946) a Novels, autobiographies and short stories include: ''Molten Ember'' (1930), ''Voice of One'', ''Still Eastward Bound'' (1940), ''Suffolk Childhood'' (1959), ''Essex Days'' (1960) and ''When All the World was Young'' (1961). One of his pupils was John Gordon. * Rev. W. Awdry (1911–1997), creator of ''

Thomas the Tank Engine Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional, anthropomorphised tank locomotive who originated from the British children's books ''The Railway Series'', created and written by Wilbert Awdry with his son Christopher Awdry, Christopher, first publish ...

'', was Vicar of Emneth in 1953–65.

Toby the Tram Engine Started in 1945 and concluded in 2011, ''The Railway Series'' is a series of 42 British books written by Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. This is a list of all characters who appeared in the book series. Unless otherwise said on ...

, one of Awdry's characters, was similar to the small steam trams that ran farm produce on the Strawberry Line between

and Wisbech. * John Gordon (1925–2017), attended

. The town and the surrounding fens inspired many of his novels, including ''The House on the Brink'' ( Peckover House) and ''Fen Runners''. * Mick Walker (1942–2012), born in Wretton, Norfolk. Following ten years in the RAF he became a dealer, importer and race sponsor. After running his motorcycle business he became assistant editor of ''Motorcycle Enthusiast'' magazine and author of over 100 books. He died in 2012, and was survived by his wife Susan and son Steven.

Music

* W. H. Jude (1851–1922), composer and organist, attended

. * Russell Arthur Missin (1922–2002), born at Gorefield, near Wisbech; organist and master of choristers at

Newcastle Cathedral Newcastle Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas, is a Church of England cathedral in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Newcastle (England), Bishop of Newcastle and is the mother church ...

Performing arts

* Fanny Robertson aka Frances Mary Robertson (1768–1855), actor and theatre manager and lessee of Wisbech theatre (now the Angles Theatre). Born Frances Mary Ross. Married Thomas Shaftoe Robertson (1765–1831). Retired to live in Norfolk street and died in 1855. *Henry Herbert aka Master Herbert (born in Wisbech in 1829), child actor known as 'The Infant Roscius'. Son of John Herbert. * Anton Rodgers (1933–2007), actor, born in London in 1933 and moved to Wisbech during the war. He was president of the Georgian Angles Theatre

Social reform and campaign

, anti-slavery campaigner, was born in Wisbech in 1760 and educated at

. The Clarkson Memorial was built in 1833 to commemorate his life's efforts to end slavery in the British Empire. Two local schools and a road are named after him. *Lieutenant

John Clarkson John Gibson Clarkson (July 1, 1861 – February 4, 1909) was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played from 1882 to 1894. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Clarkson played for the Worcester Ruby Legs (1882), Chicago Whi ...

RN (1764–1828), younger brother of Thomas, was another key figure in the British

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

movement. As governor of

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

he organised voluntary migration of former slaves freed by the British under a deal to reward their loyalty during the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. * Elizabeth Dawbarn (died 1839), religious pamphleteer who addressed children and adults * Caroline Southwood Hill (née Smith; 1809–1902), writer and educationalist. Eldest daughter of Dr Thomas Southwood Smith. Became third wife of James Hill in 1835. Mother of

. * Priscilla Hannah Peckover (1833–1931), Quaker, pacifist and linguist; founded the Wisbech Local Peace Association, which grew to have 6,000 members *

Miranda Hill Miranda Hill (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 1836–1910) was an English social reformer. Biography Hill was a daughter of James Hill (died 1872), a corn merchant, banker and follower of Robert Owen, and his third wife, Caroline Southwood Smith ...

(1836–1910), born in Wisbech, founded the

Kyrle Society Miranda Hill (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 1836–1910) was an English social reformer. Biography Hill was a daughter of James Hill (died 1872), a corn merchant, banker and follower of Robert Owen, and his third wife, Caroline Southwood Smith ...

, a progenitor of the

(1838–1912), born at Wisbech, treasurer of the

, a progenitor of the

, of which Octavia became co-founder

Politics and government

* Richard Young (1809–1871), MP for Cambridgeshire, a ship owner, five times mayor of Wisbech (1858–1862), JP for the Isle of Ely and Norfolk and a

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

of the

city of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

& Middlesex in 1871 He was bornin Scarning, Norfolk, the son of John and Mary Younge. He owned more than 40 ships at different times. He died two days after being made Sheriff. *Sir Thomas George Fardell MP (1833–1917), English politician and lawyer, youngest son of Rev Henry Fardell, vicar of Wisbech * William Digby (born in Wisbech, 1849-1904), English writer, journalist and liberal politician, and first secretary of the National Liberal Club * John Humphrey (1838-1914), American politician born in Wisbech

Medicine and the sciences

* William Skrimshire (born in Wisbech, 1766–1829), surgeon and botanist. A walkway, 'Skrimshires Passage' off Hill Street, is named after him. * Fenwick Skrimshire (born in Wisbech, 1774-1855), English naturalist and physician to

*Professor Sir Harry Kroto (1939–2016), born in Wisbech, son of Heinz Fritz Kroton and Edith Kathe Dora Kroto; the 1996

Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...

in chemistry, for the discovery of

fullerenes A fullerene is an allotrope of carbon whose molecules consist of carbon atoms connected by single and double bonds so as to form a closed or partially closed mesh, with fused rings of five to six atoms. The molecules may have hollow sphere- ...

Photography

*Rev. William Ellis (1794-1872), pioneer photographer, was brought up and went to elementary school in Wisbech. He later went to Homerton college (then in London) and became a missionary, this coupled with his writing and photographic skills led him to become the author of ''History of Madagascar'' (1838), ''Polynesian Researches'' and ''History of the

London Missionary Society The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed tradition, Reformed in outlook, with ...

'' and other publications. * Samuel Smith aka 'Philosopher Smith' (1802–1892), merchant and pioneer photographer. A director of Wisbech Gas Light and Coke company and a member of the Palaeontographical Society of London. His photos taken in the 1850s and 1860s record the development of the town. Collections can be seen in the

Science Museum, London The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually in 2019. Like other publicly funded ...

and Wisbech & Fenland Museum. * Lilian Ream (1877–1961), photographer, born in West Walton, Norfolk. Aged 17 she became photographic assistant to William Drysdale and went on to dominate the local photographic business. After her retirement her son Roland took the studio and it continued until it eventually closed in 1971. Over 10,000 negatives have survived to form the 'Lilian Ream collection'. This may be the most comprehensive record of its kind in England. In April 2013, the Wisbech Society erected a blue plaque at 4 The Crescent in her honour. * Geoff Hastings (1926-2005), photographer and artist. He used a camera to record the changes in the town during the 1950s and 1960s. Also a journalistic photographer and artist. Many of his large collection of images are held at the Wisbech & Fenland Museum and reproduced in the Images of Wisbech booklets and other publications.

Sport

* Jesse Pye (1919–1984), professional footballer, scored two goals in the 1949 FA Cup Final, and played for England, before becoming a player-manager for Wisbech Town between 1960 and 1966 * John Barrie (1924–1996), snooker and champion billiards player; born William Barrie Smith in Wisbech

Diplomacy

* Brian Hitch (1932–2004), born in Wisbech, Ambassador to Malta and academic

Peckover family

Over many generations the Peckover family rose from humble Quaker origins to become bankers and peers, and the first family of Wisbech. They were notable for their philanthropic works. * Alexander Peckover 1st Baron Peckover (1830–1919), British

banker and philanthropist, born in Wisbech * J. Doyle Penrose (1862–1932), Irish painter known for his religious and mythological paintings. He married Elizabeth Josephine Peckover, daughter of Baron Peckover. Penrose was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Cambridgeshire in 1903.

Other

* Joseph Medworth (born in Wisbech, 1752–1827), builder who developed the castle estate into a circus including "The Crescent" in Wisbech and redeveloped "Thurloe's Mansion" into the current Regency villa on the castle site * Richard Kelham Whitelamb, baptised 1765 in Wisbech was 2' 10" tall. His portrait by Samuel Ireland (1744–1800) is in the

Royal Collection The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic List of British royal residences, royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King ...

. He was an exhibit at fairs and a handbill dated 23 August 1787 states "he is now in the 22nd year, 34 inches high and weighs 42lbs." *Charles Boucher (died 1866), brewer, lived at ' The Castle' and owned the Union Brewery and 44 public houses *Rev. Chauncy Hare Townshend (1798–1868), philanthropist and owner of property in Wisbech. He was a friend of

and the author's manuscript of ''Great Expectations'' given him by Dickens was left to Wisbech & Fenland Museum. *Lieutenant Robert Pate, Jr (1819–1895), son of corn merchant Robert Francis Pate, was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

, remembered for his assault on

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

in 1850. He was transported to Australia for seven years, where he married and later returned to England. * Philip Vassar Hunter (1883–1956), engineer, born in Wisbech *Sir Frank Arthur Stockdale (1883–1949), pupil at

, became an agriculturist and colonial agricultural administrator * Tony Martin (1944–2025), farmer who shot a burglar dead in 1999, born in Wisbech

Living

Names in birth order: * Malcolm Douglas Moss (born 1943, Lancashire), politician, a Wisbech Town councillor and later conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire from 1987 until retirement at the 2010 general election. Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office) 1994–1997. Made an Honorary Freeman of Wisbech. *

Victoria Gillick Victoria D. M. Gillick (''née'' Gudgeon; born 1946, in Hendon) is a British activist and campaigner best known for the eponymous 1985 UK House of Lords ruling that considered whether contraception could be prescribed to under-16s without paren ...

(born 1946 Hendon), activist and campaigner * Mike Stevens (born 1957), musical director, session musician and record producer * Joe Perry (born 1974 in Wisbech), professional snooker player * Jody Cundy (born 1978 in Wisbech), Paralympian * Ellen Falkner (née Alexander; born 1979 in Wisbech), English international lawn and indoor bowler * George Russell (born 1998), current Mercedes

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

driver, grew up in Wisbech and attended

Radio, film and television

A 1924 film recorded a day at the North Cambridgeshire Hospital in the East Anglian Film Archive (EAFA). 1926 street scenes filmed to be shown at the local Electric Theatre. EAFA. North Cambridgeshire Hospital in the 1930s. EAFA. ''Approaching Wisbech'' an amateur film of a simulated road traffic accident made in the late 1930s. EAFA. 1932 The 'Capital of the Fens' is brought to a standstill as crowds fill the streets to catch a glimpse of Prince George as he receives the Loyal Address from the Mayor. In 1957, the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

Radio show Have A Go was recorded in the town by

Wilfred Pickles Wilfred Pickles, Order of the British Empire, OBE (13 October 1904 – 27 March 1978) was an English actor and radio presenter. Early life and personal life Pickles was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire. ...

with guest Sheila Chesters, founder of the Little Theatre group. The same year the BBC filmed Mrs Chester's Little Theatre Group performing in the grounds of Grammar school house, South Brink. It was broadcast as part of ‘'Maypole and Melody'’ on 26 April 1958. 1961 ''The Wisbech to Upwell Tramway''. EAFA. In 1963 Anglia TV recorded a film report on Wisbech Castle. This is also available to download on the East Anglian Film Archive. ''The Flood'' a 1963 drama filmed using boats from Wisbech. 1975 Anglia TV report about the first purpose-built traveller site in GB. EAFA. ''A Passage to Wisbech'' (1986) a

documentary on the coaster ships which work around the shores of Britain, followed the voyages of the Carrick, a 30-year-old ship owned and skippered by Rick Waters. A 'Wisbech Rock Festival' appears in the 1998 British comedy film '' Still Crazy'' starring

Stephen Rea Stephen Rea ( ; born October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a member of Dublin's Focus Theatre, and played many roles on the stage and on Irish television. He came to the attention of inte ...

Jimmy Nail James Michael Aloysius Bradford (born 16 March 1954), known as Jimmy Nail, is an English singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the television show ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' ( ...

Billy Connolly Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, musician, television presenter, artist and retired stand-up comedian. He is sometimes known by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his idiosyncratic and of ...

and

Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall ( ; born 27 February 1957) is an English actor. He gained recognition for his character actor roles on stage and screen. In 2000, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. S ...

Bill Nighy William Francis Nighy (; born 12 December 1949) is an English actor. Known for his work in numerous stage, television and film productions, he has received several awards including a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award, and ...

Juliet Aubrey Juliet Emma Aubrey (born 17 December 1966) is a British actress; She won the 1995 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for playing Dorothea in the BBC serial '' Middlemarch'' (1994). She is also known for her role as Helen Cutter in the ITV series ...

, Helena Bergstrom and Bruce Robinson. Wisbech is noted for its unspoilt

, particularly along North Brink and The Crescent. It has been used in

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...

's 1999 adaptation of

' ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield''Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work; see is a novel by English author Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to matur ...

'' and

ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...

's 2001 adaptation of '' Micawber'', starring

David Jason Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally as David Jason, is an English actor. He has played Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector Jack Frost in the drama series '' A Touch ...

. In 2000, BBC One's ''

Antiques Roadshow ''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...

'' was hosted and recorded at the Hudson Leisure centre. The 2008 feature film Dean Spanley starring

Peter O'Toole Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was an English actor known for his leading roles on stage and screen. His numerous accolades include the Academy Honorary Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Golde ...

was largely filmed in Wisbech. 2009 Channel 5's reality TV series '' The Hotel Inspector'' starring Alex Polizzi featured The Rose and Crown hotel. In February 2010, the effect of immigration on the town was featured in the

documentary ''The Day the Immigrants Left'', presented by Evan Davis. The programme looked at jobs in the town reported to have been "taken over by migrants". In the programme, several local unemployed persons were given the chance to try such jobs. 2018 'Celebrating Nestle Communities – Wisbech' was released in September 2018. This is one of a series of films showcasing communities around the UK and Ireland where Nestle operate. In December 2018 the American TV program '' The Late Late Show'' with British star James Cordon featured a giant inflatable Santa blocking Cromwell Road. This Father Christmas had broken free from its fixings in a garden and it took several hours to catch. Wisbech ''2019 Made in Minecraft: A different point of view'' was released. It shows parts of the town in a Minecraft format.

Other media

In ''More English Fairy Tales'' collected and edited by

Joseph Jacobs Joseph Jacobs (29 August 1854 – 30 January 1916) was an Australian-born folklorist, literary critic and historian who became a notable collector and publisher of English folklore. Born in Sydney to a Jewish family, his work went on to popula ...

the tale of

and his battle with the Wisbeach (Wisbech) Giant is retold. In other versions the protagonist is described as The Wisbech/Wisbeach Ogre.

Isaac Casaubon Isaac Casaubon (; ; 18 February 1559 – 1 July 1614) was a classical scholar and philologist, first in France and then later in England. His son Méric Casaubon was also a classical scholar. Life Early life He was born in Geneva to two F ...

recorded in his diary his visit to Wisbech on 17 August 1611. He accompanied Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Ely, from the episcopal palace at Downham.

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...

recorded in his diary his trip to Parson Drove on 17 September 1663 to accompany his uncle and cousin to Wisbech in connection with another uncle Day's estate. He visited the church and library at Wisbech on 18 September.

Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; 1660 – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, merchant and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its number of translati ...

() toured the eastern counties of England in 1723 and commented about Wisbech as a seaport. He had visited the Isle of Ely in 1722 and observed: "That there are some wonderful engines for throwing up water, and such as are not to be seen any where else, whereof one in particular threw up, (as they assur'd us) twelve hundred ton of water in half an hour, and goes by wind-sails, 12 wings or sails to a mill". "Here are the greatest improvements by planting of hemp, that, I think, is to be seen in England; particularly on the Norfolk and Cambridge side of the Fens, as about Wisbech, Well, and several other places, where we saw many hundred acres of ground bearing great crops of hemp ". William Cole (1714–1782), the Cambridge antiquary, who passed through in 1772, mentions that "the buildings were in general handsome, the inn we stopped at he Rose and Crownuncommonly so...". "But the Bridge," he added "stretching Rialto-like over this straight and considerable stream, with a good row of houses extending from it, and fronting the water, to a considerable distance, beats all, and exhibits something of a Venetian appearance."

John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. His eleven-year tenure as prime min ...

, prison reformer, came to Wisbech to visit the 'Wisbeach Bridewell' on 3 February 1776 and found two prisoners locked up in it. He described it as having two or three rooms. No courtyard. No water. Allowance a penny a day; and straw twenty shillings a year. Keeper's salary £16: no Fees – This prison might be improved on the Keeper's Garden. In 1778/1779 Italian author and poet

Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti (24 April 1719, Turin, Piedmont – 5 May 1789, London) was an Italian literary critic, poet, writer, translator, linguist and author of two influential language-translation dictionaries. During his years in England ...

(also known as Joseph Baretti; 1718–1789) took up residence with a family living at the castle for about a fortnight. Afterwards he published a series of letters ''Lettere Familiari de Giuseppe Baretti'' including a description of his Wisbech visit. He attended horse races, the theatre, public balls, public suppers and assemblies.

William Cobbett William Cobbett (9 March 1763 – 18 June 1835) was an English pamphleteer, journalist, politician, and farmer born in Farnham, Surrey. He was one of an Agrarianism, agrarian faction seeking to reform Parliament, abolish "rotten boroughs", restr ...

(1763–1835), who 'speechified' to about 220 people in the Playhouse Angles Theatre in April 1830, called it "a good solid town, though not handsome" and re marked the export of corn. William Macready arrived in Wisbech on 13 June 1836 and performed in ''Hamlet' and ''Macbeth'' in what is now the Angles Theatre. He recorded his visit which was later published in 1875 in ''Diaries and Letters''.

Charles Kingsley Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 – 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the workin ...

's 1850 novel ''Alton Locke'' has a character Bob Porter referring to the gibbeting of two Irish reapers at Wisbech River after trial for murder. Wisbech and Fenland Museum has a headpiece that was used with the gibbet in a similar case in the 18th century. Wisbeach and its river Nene (or Nen), wooden piling and riverport, two stations are mentioned by

Hilaire Belloc Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc ( ; ; 27 July 187016 July 1953) was a French-English writer, politician, and historian. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. His Catholic fait ...

(1870–1953) who dined at the Whyte Harte hotel, North Brink. Wisbech was one of eight towns featured in ''Old Towns Revisited'' published by Country Life Ltd in 1952. Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald describes his experience of visiting Wisbech in May 1964. Travel writer Nicholas Wollaston's (1927–2007) visit to the town produced a chapter in his 1965 book. Wisbech features in John Gordon's 1992 autobiography. Local newspaper, the ''Wisbech Standard'' (owned by

Archant Archant Limited is a newspaper and magazine publishing company with headquarters in Norwich, England. The group publishes four daily newspapers, around 50 weekly newspapers, and 80 consumer and contract magazines. The company is a subsidiary of ...

), is now online only. The ''Fenland Citizen'' (owned by Iliffe Media). is sold in shops and available online. Several free local magazines are published online and/or distributed: ''The fens'' (monthly), ''Discovering Wisbech'' (monthly), ''The Wisbech Post'' (quarterly), and the ''Fenland Resident'' (quarterly). According to a study looking into

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...

patterns, Wisbech was once identified as the seventh "most English" town in Britain b
Sky News
However, on 16 February 2008 a report in the ''

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

'' titled "Death of a Country Idyll" wrote about how the influx of

Eastern European Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountains, and ...

immigrants may have caused an increase in crime. Then on 20 February 2008 ''The Fenland Citizen'' contained an article opposing the ''Daily Express'' article. On 14 May 2011 Wisbech featured in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' "Let's Move to..." column: Tom Dyckhoff highlighted the Georgian streets, cinemas, local community groups and poor rail links. In June 2018 '' Country Life'' magazine ran a feature on Wisbech. In November 2018 Wisbech featured in an article in the ''

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

'' by Jack Rear entitled "The spirited English town with some of Britain's best forgotten history". ''Wisbech Merchants' Trail'' was updated and released as a map and booklet and as a free mobile app in August 2019. There are 17 brass plaques at historical sites around the town. The town council produces an annual ''Official Town Guide and Map'' published by Local Authority Publishing Co Ltd. There is also an online version.

Climate

Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Wisbech experiences an oceanic climate, but Cambridgeshire is one of the driest counties in the British Isles along with Essex. February is the driest month, whilst October is the wettest. In temperature terms, both January and December are the coldest months, whilst August is the warmest.

Twin town

Wisbech has been twinned with

in France since 1964.

References

External links

Wisbech Town Council
{{Authority control Market towns in Cambridgeshire Civil parishes in Cambridgeshire Fenland District Port cities and towns in the East of England Aviation accidents and incidents locations in England

History

Toponymy

Pre-Roman

Anglo-Saxon

Norman

Early Modern

English Civil War and Commonwealth

Eighteenth century

Nineteenth century

Twentieth century

Contemporary

Governance

Administrative history

Transport

Waterways

Roads

Railways

Demography

Lithuanian community

Economy

Historical

Contemporary

Tourism

Religious sites

Education

Sport

Culture

Georgian Angles Theatre

Museums

Inns, taverns, beerhouses, breweries and beer festivals

Annual festivals and events

Literature

Poetry

Art

Photography

Music

Embroidery

Architecture

Notable buildings and monuments

Georgian

Victorian

Church architecture

Notable residents

Deceased

Royalty, nobility and public office

Church and religion

Writers

Music

Performing arts

Social reform and campaign

Politics and government

Medicine and the sciences

Photography

Sport

Diplomacy

Peckover family

Other

Living

Radio, film and television

Other media

Climate

Twin town

See also

References

Further reading

External links