The Cambridgeshire museum that was started by a four-year-old

The museum started off as a box of broken pottery

From humble beginnings as a box of broken pottery, a lesser-known museum in Waterbeach now offers a glimpse into life in the fens 850 years ago. Denny Abbey and Farmland Museum first came about thanks to a collection of broken pottery that was kept by four-year-old Craig Delanoy in Haddenham in 1969.

Years later, Craig grew his collection and it eventually became a museum. In the early 1990s, the museum was set in Craig’s parents’ garden. As it grew, it eventually moved to Denny Abbey and remains there today.

Denny Abbey is a Grade I listed building and is the only religious site in England to have been occupied by three different monastic orders. During its 850 years, it has been a Benedictine priory, Templar retirement home, Poor Clare Nunnery, and a working farmhouse. Today, visitors can go inside and explore its “jigsaw of windows”.

You’ll also find the Stone Barn at the museum – a 17th century threshing barn which houses farming equipment that would have been used by fenland farmers. One of the items is a plough which is thought to date back to 1760. It was found at the top of Bassingbourn church tower, as ploughs used to be taken to churches to be blessed. It’s unclear why the plough was taken up the church tower, where it remained for many years.

Also at the museum there is the Village Shop which has a ‘treasure trove’ of 1940s products. In Walnut Tree Cottage you can see what a typical home looked like for someone working the land in the 1940s. Every room in the cottage has been dressed to look exactly as it would have done almost 90 years ago.

Taking a step 600 years back in time, visitors can go to the Refectory, where the Poor Clares nuns used to dine together. They would sit in silence whilst spiritual text were read, and after the dissolution of Denny Abbey in 1530, it was the only building of the Poor Clares to survive. Later on, the building was converted into a barn to house grain and cows. In the 1980s, archaeologists found an almost complete Medieval tiled floor here, which can still be seen today.

Denny Abbey and Farmland Museum can be found on Ely Road in Waterbeach. It’s open from 10am until 4pm Thursday to Sunday. It is closed Monday to Wednesday. However, visitors who go on bank holiday Monday (August 31) will be able to have a look around the makers’ market. Described as a “wonderful day out”, the makers’ market takes place from 10am until 4pm. Local artisans, crafters and makers will have a range of items for sale including bespoke jewellery, homeware and artisan food.

The makers’ market will be open between 10am and 4pm on Bank Holiday Monday.