Peterborough Archives Service has recently welcomed a remarkable new addition to its collection of local heritage material. Purchased at auction from Cheffins, the acquisition consists of 28 sketchbook volumes packed with detailed drawings of buildings across Peterborough and the wider region.
Dating from 1884 through to the 1940s, the sketchbooks feature studies of East Anglian churches and historic buildings, with a strong focus on Peterborough, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. Highlights include sketches of Peterborough Cathedral, the Corn Exchange, and historic buildings in Stamford, Peakirk, Market Deeping, Helpston, Northborough, Werrington and Castor. Additionally, research suggests that the collection is from the Peterborough architectural partnership Townsend & Fordham.
This acquisition was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the National Libraries, the UK’s only charity dedicated solely to safeguarding the nation’s written and printed heritage. Following an application by the Archivist, the charity agreed to fund the bid, enabling the sketchbooks to be preserved locally for future generations.
This collection holds great significance for the people of Peterborough. With its strong local focus, it offers a rich historical resource for anyone interested in the city’s past. Researchers, architects, local historians, and those with a passion for churches too.
One example from the collection, featured here, shows a 1912 sketch of the Peterborough Corn Exchange, complete with a floor plan and dimensions recorded in inches. It truly is a wonderful glimpse into the working methods of early 20th century architects. Although the Corn Exchange is no longer standing, we are also able to share an historic photograph of the building as it once appeared. The image below shows the Corn Exchange on the left and comes from the Archives Service’s own local photograph collection, held under the reference 80/12/16.
The sketchbooks are currently held under the reference 2025/32 and are being carefully prepared for cataloguing.