Gorefield has 2 Churches, one is  Church
of England and the other is a Full Gospel Fellowship
Church, both situated on the High Road. There are 2 schools
sited close together on the High Road, one is a Pre-school
and the other is a Junior School. On the High Road there is  also
a Shop and a Public House and Restaurant and on Wolf
Lane there is the Playing Field with a Children's Play Area
and, adjoining it, the Bowling Green.
Nearby is the historic Georgian Town of Wisbech which was a port in Medieval
times. Since then the River Ouse has been diverted to Kings Lynn and an artificial
river built from Peterborough to the Wash. As a result of the Fens being drained
the land around Wisbech became ideal for agriculture and the area became an important
trading centre. Wisbech contains some notable places of interest.
Peckover House and Gardens
Peckover House, positioned in the centre of North Brink, is the finest property
in Wisbech. Built in 1722, and bought by Jonathan Peckover in the late 18th century,
it was given to the National Trust in 1948. The elegant panelled interior rooms
contain carved over-mantel Georgian fireplaces and ornate plaster decorations.
At the rear is a walled garden with some rare trees, summer houses and a 300
year old orange tree. Tel 01945 583463
The Castle and Crescent
The original Norman Castle was built just after the Norman Conquest to subdue
the wild Fenmen and their leader, Hereward the Wake. This was replaced by a Bishop's
Palace in 1478 and again later by a mansion built for John Thurlow, Oliver Cromwell's
Secretary of State. Joseph Medworth, a local builder, developed the area in
1816 and built the Regency Villa, of which only the gate piers remain. There
are 2 crescents of Georgian houses surrounding the circular castle moat.
The Brinks
It was the increase in wealth of the local landowners and merchants that
led to the building of the 2 rows of Georgian houses, amongst the finest in England,
either side of the River Nene in the 18th century. As they have changed little
over the years they have been used in the production of Television dramas such
as David Copperfield and Micawber.
The Yacht Harbour
Although the Port of Wisbech operates commercially there are facilities for small
craft providing 75 berths. River trips are run by Maritime Leisure Cruises.
Wisbech and Fenland Museum
The museum interior looks like it would have done in Victorian times containing
porcelain, pottery and other historical items. Also held here are the manuscript
of Dickens 'Great Expectations', Napoleon's breakfast service from the battlefields
of Waterloo and Louis XIV's ivory chess set.
The Rose Fair
The Rose Fair is held around the gardens and Church of St Peter and St Paul with
the church displaying the flower arrangements and the garden holding the activities
and crafts. Fresh picked Fenland strawberries are served for tea and, on Rose
Fair Saturday, the procession of floats through the town provides the highlight
of the week.
The Church of St Peter and St Paul
Parts of the church date back to the late 12th century with most architectural
styles being represented. The 16th century tower houses a unique peal of ten
bells. The interior is large and well light by the Victorian stained glass windows.
Open Mon - Fri 9 - 5pm (3.30pm in winter). Access on Saturday is by calling the
vicarage in Love Lane and on Sunday during services.
For further information about any of the above contact the Tourist Information
Centre at 2-3 Bridge Street (01945 583263) |
 |
| Siteseeing
in the UK is a site on which you can search for various
places of interest in a selected area. The link has already
been set up to list all sites of interest centred on Gorefield. |
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| Walking
Routes in the UK is a site which lists known interesting
walks in counties of the United Kingdom and has some entries
for Cambridgeshire - if you know any others they would be
interested to hear from you. |
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| Walking in Cambridgeshire is a site which has more than 50 free Walk descriptions and contact information about walking groups in Cambridgeshire. There are also walking books and maps available to purchase online. |
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please fill out the submission
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phone the webmaster (01945 870322). |
