Rose and Crown Hotel
Rose and Crown Hotel
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Days Out
Peckover House and Gardens, North Brink - National Trust
A fine example of an early 18th century town house. The outside of the house gives little idea of the elaborate and elegant interior of fine panelled rooms, Georgian fireplaces and ornate plaster decoration, all in the rococo style. Built in 1722 and later bought by the local Quaker Jonathan Peckover it was here that he established his Bank, which later became part of Barclays. The original Banking Hall is to the right. The four acre period garden includes an orangery, croquet lawn, summer houses, and fernery together with specialist rose and herbaceous borders and a reed barn.

What's new:
Restored Victorian library, re-creation of Victorian garden pond, newly decorated staircase and hall, restored 17th century thatched reed barn.

Look for the 18th century Royal Lily pattern Worcester tea service.

Octavia Hill Museum
South Brink - with displays that will take you back to the squalid housing conditions of the 19th century.

Octavia Hill, who is best known as one of the founder members of the National Trust, was born in Wisbech in 1838. Her greatest achievements however were in the field of Housing Reform where she worked tirelessly to improve housing conditions for the poorest sections of society, managing many improvement and rebuilding schemes, particularly in London.

Elgoods Brewery and Gardens - North Brink
This classic Georgian Brewery has stood almost unchanged for more than 200 years, and is still brewing award winning Fine Ales. The Elgood family mashed their first brew here on an autumn morning in 1878, and are still brewing classic beers nearly 130 years later. Visitors can follow the brewing process on a guided tour which ends with the opportunity to sample a variety of real ales.

Outside the 4 acre garden has been restored to blend original features such as rare trees with new flower beds and borders, a rockery and a maze. The massive stone cattle trough and fountain, with biblical tableau, which once stood in the Market Place opposite the Rose and Crown Hotel, Wisbech can be seen in the Elgoods Brewery visitors car park.


Rose and Crown Hotel - an Ancient Hostelry for 600 years
Much of the BBC period drama Martin Chuzzlewit, written by Charles Dickens, was filmed at the Rose and Crown Hotel.

The oldest parts of the Hotel are nearly 600 years old and the buildings themselves mirror the history of the town. The original hostelry, called the Swan in 1461, was built overlooking fields and the huge Norman Castle. By 1601 the fields had become the Market and the Hostelry had been extended towards the river, leaving the Tudor cellars at the front. The 17th and 18th centuries saw much further development with stable blocks and bed chambers being built to accommodate travellers. The 18th century front façade was added in about 1765 when Wisbech was a prosperous Georgian Town.

The Hotel also houses a collection of glass which demonstrates the development of fine glass from Roman times, together with pottery and porcelain from the Song Dynasty to the modernist period.

The Hotel still provides full hotel and hospitality services as it has over the centuries.

Our service and hospitality achieve 3 star standard.

Hotel tours are organised throughout the year. Come and see the Tudor Cellars, the mysterious 15th century tunnel, the collection of Fenland farm implements, the 16th century ships timbers, the lost window, nearly 250 years old, and lots more. Hear the remarkable history of a long forgotten Medieval town, and a Fenland way of life that is long past.

Why not stay in one of our character bedrooms, have tea, a meal or a drink, and linger in history?

Bramley Line, Coldhame
At one time Wisbech had 3 stations and was at the heart of a network of rail services. Today a group of local people are working hard to open the Bramley Line as a Heritage Railway.

Wisbech and Fenland Museum
Visit the Museum and step back in time to the heyday of the Victorian Museum.

Wisbech & Fenland Museum is one of the oldest purpose built museums in the United Kingdom. It is unusual because it is not only a museum, but also home to two historic libraries and a substantial archive, holding diocesan, parish, and borough items.

The collections were initiated by the town's Literary and Museum Societies, which were formed in 1781 and 1835 respectively. Since the Museum opened in 1847, the collections have continued to grow, but the essence of the Museum remains virtually unchanged. So come and discover a treasure house of rare and unusual artefacts, illuminating history, both local and worldwide, recent and ancient.

The Angles Theatre
Built in 1793 the Angles Theatre is one of the oldest surviving Georgian theatres in the country. It specialises in drama, dance, and musical theatre and with 112 seats offers intimacy in performance. It is used by visiting professionals, amateur companies and by 400 children and students each week. Its facilities are used by drama and dance students from the further education College of West Anglia.

The Rose and Crown Hotel is a very short distance from the Theatre. Why not ask about our early evening meal and ticket deals, or our weekend breaks with a show at the Theatre?

The Thomas Clarkson Memorial, Bridge Street, Wisbech
Clarkson was born in Wisbech, son of the headmaster of the Grammar School. He was one of the earliest leaders of the Abolitionist Movement who pressed for the ending of the African Slave Trade. Although it was William Wilberforce MP who pushed the Emancipation Bill through Parliament in 1833 credit must be given to Thomas Clarkson who devoted his life to a tireless campaign against slavery. Nine years ago a plaque was laid in his memory in Westminster Abbey.

The year 2007 is the 150th anniversary of the complete abolition of slavery and Wisbech will be involved in special events, including the visit of a replica slaving ship, being built in the USA.

Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum
Old Lynne Road, Wisbech. Displays of aviation artefacts and memorabilia including engines, uniforms and photographs.

Other places to visit:

The Brinks, Wisbech (see previous photographs) Pevsner described North Brink as '.one of the most perfect Georgian streets of England.'and the South Brink as '.the perfect foil to North Brink .'.

The Houses were built by the wealthy merchants during the Georgian heyday of Wisbech. They are popular film locations and were used for the TV period dramas David Copperfield and Micawber.

The Crescent, Ely Place and the Regency Villa called 'The Castle' (see previous photographs)

The Norman Castle in Wisbech built by William the Conquerer was replaced in 1478 by the Bishop of Ely's Palace, which was itself demolished and replaced by a fine mansion built for John Thurloe who was Secretary of State to Oliver Cromwell. In 1816 Joseph Medworth, a local speculator, demolished Thurloe's mansion and built these fine crescents of late Georgian Houses.

The Norman Castle Dungeons together with numerous passages still exist below this area and are occasionally open to the public.

The Harbour and Marina (see previous photographs)

Leverington Road Cemetry. The non-conformist cemetery for Wisbech, but now a pocket park. Remains of Classical Chapel. The site links to the Nene Way long distance footpath, the National Cycle Route, the local Countryside Access Project route and the grounds of Peckover estate.

Peckover House
Peckover House

Octavia Hill Museum
Octavia Hill Museum

Elgoods Brewery and Gardens
Elgoods Brewery and Gardens

By 1601 the fields had become the Market and the Hostelry had been extended towards the river, leaving the Tudor cellars at the front.

The 1601 Courtyard with the famous 150 year old Wisteria.

The 1601 Courtyard with the famous 150 year old Wisteria.
Rose and Crown Hotel

Bramble Line
Bramley Line

Wisbech and Fenland Museum
Wisbech and Fenland Museum

The Angles Theatre
The Angles Theatre

The Angles Theatre
The Thomas Clarkson Memorial

The North Brink
The North Brink

The Angles Theatre
The Crescent

 
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