Mill Road History takes part in Open Cambridge Weekend at Ditchburn Place on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 September 2015
Mill Road History will stage a two-day event at Ditchburn Place, Mill Road, the former Cambridge maternity hospital and Union Workhouse. It is the oldest surviving building on Mill Road, originally built in 1838, and we hope to find evidence of life in the workhouse. We will be sharing our research about the development of the building, and memories of the maternity hospital.
Experienced local archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology East (OAE) will use volunteers to dig the test pits for evidence of this important part of Mill Road History. Using old plans and maps of the site, we are particularly keen to find evidence of the 'tramps cells' near to the main frontage.
Activities throughout Friday 11 Saturday 12 September:
- View Oxford Archaeology East digging test pits and washing finds
- Ask the team a question about Mill Road in the past
- Pick up a free history trail leaflet and take your own history tour of the Mill Road Mile
- Discover Mill Road History research: Photographs, building reports, memories and more!
- Gates open at 10am until 5pm
Additional activities available on Saturday 12 September, 2pm to 5pm ONLY:
- Access to the foyer of Ditchburn Place, the former Union Workhouse building
- Bring your old photographs and documents to our Memory Shop
- Refreshments served all afternoon
- PLUS Mill Road Monologues at 3pm in the gardens, written by local writer Kay Blayney
Becky Proctor, Mill Road History Project Manager, said, “This is a rare opportunity to see local archaeology in action on Mill Road and find out about the history beneath our feet. You can pick up a new history trail leaflet and see a range of displays on other Mill Road buildings. On Saturday afternoon, we will be running one of our popular Memory Shops and would encourage anyone with photographs or documents to come along to have them copied and share your memories over a cup of tea.”
Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, East of England, said, “Thanks to National Lottery players people will have the opportunity to discover more about this remarkable building. We look forward to hearing the fascinating stories linked to its history.”
About Mill Road History
Mill Road History is a two-year initiative to capture the history of Mill Road in Cambridge using local volunteers. The project is generously supported by Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will explore 10 of the street’s most important buildings, such as the former workhouse, now Ditchburn Place, the Kinema (now demolished) and the Romsey Labour Club, opened by the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsey McDonald in 1928. Mill Road History has offered training to volunteers in local history and archive research techniques plus oral history; and staged learning events in primary and secondary schools in Romsey and Petersfield, creating a new generation of local historians to explore Cambridge’s past in the future.
For more information about the project, please email Becky Proctor on millroadhistory@gmail.com
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife.
www.hlf.org.uk @heritagelottery.
HLF is supporting the Mill Road History project with a grant of £99,200.