Wisbech Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Cambridgeshire, and around 20 miles east of Peterborough, is the town of Wisbech.

At the time of the Norman Conquest, Wisbech was a coastal settlement. The Normans built a motte and bailey castle here, which was later fortified in stone. The castle was replaced in 1478 by a bishop's palace for John Morton, Bishop of Ely. This was replaced once again in 1656 by Thurloe's Mansion for John Thurloe - Oliver Cromwell's secretary of state. And finally, in 1816, it was replaced by the present Regency era villa, constructed by local builder Joseph Medworth.

At the heart of the town is the Church of St Peter and St Paul. This dates back to the 12th century, with additions up until the 16th century, and some 19th century restoration. The church is Grade I listed.

In the late 12th century a market charter was granted to Wisbech by Richard I. In 1236 the town was devastated by a flood that killed hundreds. This was at a time when the settlement was surrounded by marshy fenlands. It wasn't until the 17th century that the process of draining the fens began. In doing so, an age of prosperity in the town followed.

In 1722 Peckover House was built. Seen shortly after the 32-minute mark, this was originally known as Bank House until the Quaker Peckover family of the banking trade bought it in the late 18th century. This is one of several fine buildings situated along the River Nene which illustrate Wisbech's prosperity as a port town from the Georgian era. Since 1948 Peckover House has been in the possession of the National Trust.

In 1760 Thomas Clarkson was born in Wisbech. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, he published an essay denouncing the slave trade. In 1787 he became one of the founding members of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. He collected evidence in the form of artefacts and sailors' interviews which would later be used as evidence for William Wilberforce's first abolitionist speech in the House of Commons in 1789. The Slave Trade Act passed in 1807. Clarkson would continue to campaign for the abolition of slavery itself, leading to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Clarkson died in 1846. Between 1880 and 1881 the Clarkson Memorial was installed in Wisbech, and is seen at the 17-and-a-half minute mark.

In 1848 the first of three former railway stations opened in Wisbech, followed by a second in 1866 and a third in 1883. The latter was Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, which linked it to the village of Upwell in Norfolk around six miles to the south. This lasted for 44 years until its closure in 1927. The original station became known as Wisbech East in 1948, while the second became Wisbech North. Wisbech East was situated on a line that ran between the village of Watlington in Norfolk to the east, and the town of March to the southwest. Wisbech North was on a line between Peterborough and the village of Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire. Wisbech North closed to passengers in 1959, and Wisbech East closed in 1968. Today, public transport to the town consists of direct buses from Peterborough, King's Lynn and various other nearby settlements.

👇 SUBSCRIBE TO 4K EXPLORER FOR NEW VIDEOS EVERY WEEK 👇
https://www.youtube.com/4KExplorer?su...

Filmed: 6th April 2024

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XJY5n3gAYowWu...

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Norfolk Street
2:14 Church Terrace
6:50 Market Place
9:04 High Street
9:57 York Row
11:14 The Crescent
12:58 Museum Square
13:34 Love Lane
14:22 Museum Square
15:03 Ely Place
15:51 Union Place
16:41 York Row
17:42 Bridge Street
18:20 South Brink
23:27 Town Bridge
25:02 Old Market
29:04 North Brink