Bourne United Charities reveal history of town with new information boards
A glimpse has been given into a town’s steeped history as preparations are made for the future.
Visitors to the Wellhead in Bourne can take a deep delve into the past thanks to new information boards.
Centuries of the town’s history, and in particular the Wellhead’s, are told on the boards starting from the years of early AD.
Susan Bennett, trustee at Bourne United Charities which owns the Wellhead said: “Some people know about the significant history attached to the site but others don’t.
“It’s not just the castle, but other listed buildings in the town which are all taken care of for the benefit of Bourne.”
The Wellhead is believed to have been the site of a Saxon manor in the 900s and later Bourne Castle in the 1100s.
Notable figures such as Anglo-Saxon nobleman and resistance leader Hereward the Wake and mother to Henry VII Margaret Beaufort once lived there, according to historians.
It is thought St Peter’s Pool, believed to be among the most ancient sites of water supply, could be the reason for the settlement and where Bourne gets its name.
Susan said: “We are really privileged to live in such a historic town.
“We hope this encourages people to explore our history further and look at buildings with a different eye.”
Creating the boards was a team effort among many groups including Bourne United Charities, which owns the land, Bourne History Group, Heritage Railway magazine and Sparx Creative.
Help was also given by metal detectorist Chris Godfrey and artist Ann Wakeford.
A time capsule containing artefacts from the present day has been buried near the new signs.
It includes a copy of the Mercury's sister title, the Bourne Local, coronation memorabilia and coins which residents hope will give future generations an insight to life in 2023.
“There is so much history for such a small town,” said Susan.
“It is really heartening how willing everyone has been to contribute and it has been great to see everyone reading the signs.”
