The Depot for Prisoners of War at Norman Cross, Huntingdonshire. 1796 to 1816

Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, this study explores the depot at Norman Cross, the first purpose‑built prison for French prisoners of war in England. Drawing on newspaper reports, local memories and official records, the author reconstructs the layout of the barracks, the block house, and the surrounding walls with vivid architectural plans and contemporary sketches. The volume is enriched by dozens of illustrations, from detailed elevations to photographs of surviving artifacts such as bone‑carved models, straw marquetry, and the decorative tea‑caddies the inmates fashioned in their spare time.

Originally delivered as a lecture after a 1894 exhibition of prisoner‑made objects, the work was expanded through exhaustive research in the British Museum Library and the Public Record Office. Listeners will hear a carefully sourced narrative that brings the daily rhythms, trades, and artistic ingenuity of the Norman Cross inmates to life, while preserving the broader military and social context of the early nineteenth century.