For thousands of years, people have settled along the River Nene and across the fens, making homes, forging communities, and building the foundations of what would become Peterborough. The city’s first formal mention, dates to the seventh century, but our heritage runs far deeper, through the Romans, the Bronze Age, and beyond.
This isn’t just ancient history to admire from a distance, it’s part of who we are here in Peterborough and across Britain. Cambridgeshire sits atop some of the richest prehistoric landscapes in the country, with 79 recognised Bronze Age archaeological sites.
And two, above all, that put our region on the map: Flag Fen and Must Farm.
Flag Fen is unique in Britain and Europe: a prehistoric timber causeway, built over 3,500 years ago from more than 60,000 posts and planks, stretching across what was once wet fenland. These real timbers, still visible today, show how our ancestors navigated water, worshipped, and connected communities. Here, visitors stand face-to-face with a causeway that was both practical and ceremonial, a window into the beliefs and ambitions of those who walked the Fens long ago.
Nearby, Must Farm, often called the “Pompeii of the Fens”, goes further. Discovered in the early 2000s, the site holds a preserved Bronze Age household, frozen by fire and flood. Here, archaeologists uncovered complete pots with meals inside, delicately spun textiles, and more. It is Britain’s best-preserved prehistoric settlement and is enabling researchers to reconstruct day-to-day life like nowhere else in Europe.
These wonders invite us to rethink who we are, and they draw thousands of visitors to Peterborough Museum, where the Flag Fen log boats and finds from Must Farm are now on display. The city takes pride in having these treasures held locally, a model that brings civic pride and a sense of ownership for future generations.
Still, that pride is hard-won. Barriers remain for too many families and schoolchildren: rural sites like Flag Fen are hard to reach without a car, and the cost of coach trips and tight school budgets put these experiences out of reach for many. Projects like the recent £250,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the “My Must Farm” initiative are invaluable, supporting new displays, digital access, and community learning, but more is needed. Government investment in public transport and support for school visits is vital to open our heritage.
Worryingly, our stewardship is threatened not just by issues with funding and access but also by environmental and human factors. The past five years have seen two arson attacks at Flag Fen, destroying educational spaces and threatening these unique remains. As well as this, rising groundwater, changes to soil chemistry, and increased flooding, driven by climate change, threaten the delicate preservation of ancient timbers and artefacts. These factors remind us that unless heritage protection is taken seriously by law enforcement and policymakers, irreplaceable history can be lost forever.
Behind the headlines, skilled specialists keep this past alive, yet their numbers are dwindling. Wetland archaeology, the expert discipline underpinning Flag Fen and Must Farm, demands not only years of expertise, but also long-term financial security. Low pay, precarious contracts, and minimal government backing risk draining away young talent just when the threats to our historic environment are greatest.
Yet, places like Flag Fen show real opportunity to attract new generations. The site relies on local volunteers to help with archaeological surveys and other work. Every time I’ve visited, I’ve been struck by the dedication of both staff and volunteers, who give their time to help preserve our history. The stories I’ve heard about how much this work means, especially for volunteers facing isolation or personal difficulties, are deeply moving and reveal how local heritage can enrich lives.
Because heritage in Peterborough is not merely about brass plaques and static displays. It is about identity, across generations. In an era where immigration and identity dominate our politics, Flag Fen and Must Farm quietly but powerfully remind us that the story of Peterborough is the story of us all, coming and going across the landscape, as traders, neighbours, and, above all, fellow citizens.
Our challenge is to ensure these stories remain accessible. With renewed government commitment to infrastructure and education, and by giving real value to the expertise of archaeologists and museum professionals, Peterborough’s Bronze Age marvels can continue to inspire not just wonder, but action.
This is our inheritance, precious, fragile, and it will last, but only if we choose to make sure it does.
