Wisbech Underground Survey of the Cellars of The Rose and Crown Hotel Wisbech TALEYNA FLETCHER, Townscape Heritage Officer, Fenland District Council As part of the Wisbech High Street Project’s exciting Activity Plan, we promised to explore some of the locations beneath our feet with a project called “Wisbech Underground”. Although we would have liked to have opened up some of the vaults, cellars and tunnels in the town to visitors, unfortunately this wasn’t possible and with the arrival of coronavirus, it would have been even more challenging.
Therefore, we came up with a solution which allows people to visit some of these locations, virtually, by carrying out 3D surveys. Using the latest technology, you will be able to move around and explore these locations from the safety of your own home using a computer or mobile device. We have appointed Lincoln Conservation, part of the University of Lincoln, to carry out the surveys and undertake some interpretation of the locations by analysing the historic fabric. We will also have photos and reports available which will reveal more about these fascinating areas that are an important part of the town’s heritage. Once we can meet up again, when restrictions are eventually eased, we will be able to offer demonstrations of the equipment used and give talks to discuss our findings. These vaults, cellars, cells, drainage culverts and basements are all under private ownership and we have no
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authority to insist on access. Therefore, we are incredibly grateful to the owners and occupiers who have allowed us access so far. We have so far undertaken surveys in three locations and the results will be made available on the project website once we have accessed more places, but in the meantime we can share some of the images from the first survey undertaken in August at The Rose and Crown Hotel on Market Place. Mark Gardiner of the University of Lincoln believes that the earliest phases of some areas of the cellars strongly resemble late medieval undercrofts. The vaulted undercroft is set at right-angles to the street and is entered directly and illuminated at the front with light wells. It is possible that it precedes the rear range of the hotel dated to the beginning of the seventeenth century. The use of early brick suggests a date from the late fifteenth century onwards and, in an area where there was no building stone, brick may have been used earlier than elsewhere. It is also interesting that photographs of ‘the Crypt’, a later medieval rib-vaulted undercroft located closely to the Rose and Crown, also appear to show a use of similar brick. Do you know of any interesting underground locations in or around the High Street/Market Place? We would love to hear from you if you can help us with access. Please contact Taleyna Fletcher (tfletcher@fenland.gov.uk / 01354622210). The cost of the surveys and historical interpretation are all met by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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