Funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this Nenescape project is focussed on developing heritage trails about the Roman heritage of Nene Park

Background to the project

The Nene Valley has a unique history and Nene Park’s 698 hectare site holds the secret to many untold stories. Through the Walking in Time project we unearthed Nene Park’s rich heritage to allow visitors to discover the nationally significant Roman heritage. The project was developed to help improve access for visitors to the six Scheduled Ancient Monument sites of historical importance within the Park, including Normangate field and the industrial suburbs of the Roman town of Durobrivae.

The project involved the team working with Nene Valley Archaeological Trust to produce a Heritage Audit that reviews all the archaeological digs and surveys that have taken place in Nene Park since the 1970’s.

Why is the project important?

There are a number of significant historical sites within the Park and some areas of the Park are designated Scheduled Ancient Monuments.  Archaeological evidence and artefacts from the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages all indicate the importance of the area to these earlier settlers, however the most extensive archaeological legacy was left during the Roman occupation of the area. By documenting information about the rich archaeology of the area we can develop a fuller understanding of the Park’s heritage, helping to ensure the Park is well managed and the history of the area is communicated to visitors. 

New heritage trails will give visitors more opportunities to explore the countryside in Ferry Meadows and along the Nene Valley to the west and understand Nene Park’s historic and natural heritage.

Project plan

Our dedicated team of staff installed new signage and information boards, created new heritage trail leaflets and a new publication to document the findings of all the archaeological excavations previously undertaken within the Park.

When will the project be finished?

Update: March 2022

The four Walking in Time heritage trails are now published and can be picked up from the Visitor Centre in Ferry Meadows and downloaded as PDFs here: https://www.nenepark.org.uk/walking-in-time-heritage-trails

The publication 'Romans of the Nene Valley' by Steven Upex, documenting the excavations within the Park is now published and available to purchase through the Nene Valley Archaeological Trust website and from the Visitor Centre in Ferry Meadows.