Overlooking the river Welland stands the jewel in Spalding’s crown, Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens, which were acquired by the town to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The beautiful late medieval hall once belonged to a wool merchant. It has just been refurbished and opened to the public again. Spalding also boasts a Romany Museum, displaying a collection of Romany caravans, harnesses and photographs dating back 150 years.
The ‘Cultural Quarter’ of Boston can be found just south of the Market Place beside the river Witham. The first building you will see is the spectacular Shodfriars Hall with its half-timbered 15th Century-style overhanging gables. Passing the Old Customs House you will find Spain Lane, which is the home of the excellent Blackfriars Arts Centre. This is a 13th Century building that today presents a wide range of artistic activities including live concerts, theatre, exhibitions, films and workshops for the performing arts.
Dating back to 1390, Boston Guildhall re-opened in March 2008 after 6 years of closure. This historic monument to 600 years of time, includes the story of where the Pilgrim Fathers may have been tried and imprisoned, Boston's early history as the largest medieval port outside London; medieval banquets, the meeting place for the town council plus many other fascinating facts!
Visiting the Wisbech & Fenland Museum is like taking a step back in time to the heyday of the Victorian era. Alongside the displays of porcelain, pottery and bygones are some treasures of national importance including the manuscript of Charles Dickens ‘Great Expectations’.
Octavia Hill’s Birthplace Museum in Wisbech celebrates the life and work of a woman who was a crusader for heritage and housing and a founder of the National Trust.
Whilst you are travelling around the Fens you cannot fail to notice church spires in the distance towering above the flat Fens landscape, this is a rich heritage waiting for you to enjoy.
In Anglo Saxon times, the areas of dry land that rose above the fen attracted the attention of religious communities. This explains why the oldest churches are situated in a ring around the wash.
The ecclesiastical builders of the Fens designed on a grand scale. Crowland Abbey was built on a massive scale. Although now only a fraction of its original size, the remains which still serve as the parish church dominate the Fen skyline for miles around.
You can discover more about the fascinating history of the Fens by visiting one of the churches, many of which now host special interpretative exhibitions telling the story of their construction and role in the local communities of the surrounding Fen.
Church Tourism in the Fens encourages people to visit all of our churches throughout the year during daylight hours, including service times. In cases where a church is normally locked, most churches are happy to provide a key to visitors.
For those with willing legs, a climb to the top of any tower is rewarded with spectacular panoramic views over mile upon mile of countryside which is so typically the Fens. From "Boston Stump" soaring 272 feet above the River Witham, one third of all Lincolnshire stretches out before you.
There are a series of five Church Tourism packs available for the Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Fens. Themes range from Saints & Sinners to Angels & Gargoyles covering a wide variety of buildings from the simple, Guyhirn Chapel of Ease to the magnificent church at Walpole St Peter.
If you would like to purchase any of the church trails booklets they are available the Wisbech tourist information centre at the cost of £2.50. To contact Wisbech tourism information call 01945 583263 or email at tourism@fenland.gov.uk
Parish Church of St. Mary Whaplode
Whaplode St. Marys is a twelfth century Norman Church with has outstanding features including a...
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
