 |
March Museum is located in the middle of the market town and is housed
in a former school built in 1851 from West Norfolk Carstone by March
Consolidated Charities.
The Museum has a variety of collections reflecting former life in
the area. Three room
settings, a
kitchen, a parlour and a nursery, depict life at the turn of the 20th century, Local craft and agricultural tools are
displayed together with an interesting display of early cameras and
radios.
Outside is a working forge, a rebuilt Fenland cottage,
complete with outside loo!
|
March is situated on the second highest
island in the Fens and grew from two small hamlets – Merche and
Mercheford. Merche nestled around the church of St. Wendredas and Mercheford
near the
river.
Mercheford developed around the river Nene as a commercial centre. Goods
and people were transported to and from March to neighbouring towns
until the river trade diminished when the railway arrived in 1847.
Mercheford was linked to Merche by a canal called the ‘Hythe’. In
West End and Nene Parade many
of the old riverside cottages can still be seen; some dating from the 15th
century.
March is rich in history and both prehistoric and Neolithic remains have
been found on the island. The
Romans built a causeway to the north of March and villas and settlements
have been found in both the Grandford and Flaggrass areas.
To the east of March, at Stonea, as well as an Iceni settlement,
a grand Roman Villa was discovered.
Archaeology suggested that this was the site of a great battle
and it is now thought to have been where Boudicca made her last stand
for her tribe against the Roman invaders. The largest ever hoard of
Iceni silver coins was found at Field Baulk, March which, is not far
from Stonea.
March was part of the Manor of Doddington, which belonged to the
Bishop of Ely. Queen
Elizabeth I ordered the Bishop to surrender the Manor on pain of being
‘defrocked’. One can understand his reluctance as the Manor had an
income of £15,000 per annum. The estate
was then handed to the Peyton’s of Glemsford, Suffolk,
who remained Lords of the Manor until the estates were sold in 1912.
|
St. Wendreda, after whom the church is
named, is the Town’s own saint and her name is unique to March.
The saint’s relics were once enshrined in gold, in Ely
Cathedral, until in 1016 they were carried off to battle hoping
she would still be able to perform miracles and bring victory to
Edmund Ironside the son of King Ethelred. In 1343 the relics were
returned to March but her final resting place is unknown. The
church is world famous for its magnificent double-hammer beam roof
and together with 120 carved angels it is regarded as one of the
best of its kind.
|
 |
|
The latest addition to the
Museum is the collection in the West Room of church silver, which
was dedicated by the Bishop of Ely on the 26th
September 2001. There
are several pieces on display some dating from the 17th
century. An inventory
taken in 1682 lists amongst other things:
Item. – One flaggon and one silver Communion Cup, with a cover
to it.
|
|
|
|
This flaggon was of pewter and
is thought to have either disappeared or been ‘sequestered’
during the civil war as it was later replaced with a handsome
massive silver vessel bearing the inscription ‘The gift of James
Collier to the people of March’.
Another piece appears to be a ‘Marriage Plate’ from the
Walsham family. Also
included are two chalices, a baptism bowl and a patten.
|
|
The Doddington & Hamlets
Cavalry Guidon.
The latest Museum display is
that of the Doddington & Hamlets Guidon.
The Guidon was found in a remote part of St Wendreda’s
Church in 1996 and brought to the Museum in a sorry state.
The silken emblem of this Yeoman troop was literally
falling apart and great effort was needed to save it.
Firstly, it was placed in a picture frame and secondly,
wrapped and placed in a dark cupboard.
After much discussion it was taken to the Textile
Conservation Centre at Winchester where it was assessed and the
work needed to save it was costed.
After one year it was returned to March, stabilised and
ready to be displayed, at a cost of just under £2,000.
This computer enhanced
photograph by Joan Munns is an impression of what the Guidon
looked like when it was new.
|
Museum News
| The Museum Society meet
monthly on the second Friday each month in St. Peter’s Church
Hall at 7.30pm.
Admission £2.50 for non-members.
Members £1.50. To
join the Society it is £3.00 per person per year. |
 |
Programme of Meetings 2002
|
| April 12th. |
Wendy
Jilly - Herbal remedies and not a broomstick in sight.
|
| April 26th |
Annual Railway Lecture
Brian White - The 1906 Grantham Rail Disaster.
|
| May10th. |
Norman Hall - An organ builder and his
camera.
|
| Sept. 13th. |
17th.C. riots against Fen Drainage.
|
| Oct. 11th. |
Rebecca Hatton - Roman burials in
Cambridgeshire.
|
| Nov. 8th. |
A.G.M. followed by a talk by Rushden Historical
Soc.
All welcome.
|
| Dec. 13th. |
Punch and Pies evening, in the museum,
for members only |
|
|
