Downham Market and District Heritage Society
Downham Market & District
Heritage Centre
The Downham Market & District Heritage Centre is run by the Downham Market & District Heritage Society.
The Society is operating as a ‘social enterprise’, in that it raises funds through donations, membership fees, admission fees to its talks and visits and through the sale of postcards and notelets depicting local scenes painted by one of its members.
The primary aims and objects are:
In addition we will carry out research in answer to requests from home and abroad.
Family History research is not carried out by us as there is a thriving Family History Research group already operating in the town. (Contact Downham Market Library for details: 01366 383073.)
Up until now most of our work has been concentrated on Downham itself but work is progressing on the villages. We are always looking for historical information about our area and welcome any input from other historical groups as well as individuals. If there is anything at all that you feel you would like to pass on to us please contact us.
Our displays in the Heritage Centre are changed from time to time in order to maintain interest. We also have a large display case available to other groups and organisations in which they can show the historical items relating to them.
The Society was originally formed in September 1995 with the express aim of trying to acquire the Old Court House and develop it into a museum for the area.
The Court House building had become vacant and was put up for sale because the business of the Magistrate’s Court at Downham Market was being transferred to King’s Lynn. It was considered to be ideally suited to provide a centre for the history of the town to be recorded, displayed and researched. Alas! A private buyer had already started negotiations to buy the building to create a home for themselves and we were unable to raise sufficient funding to even think of offering to buy. In hindsight it is probably just as well that we were unable to proceed, as considerable work to repair deterioration and damage caused mainly by vandalism had to be carried out by the new owners. However, the society had been born.
Other possible sites were investigated but it was always the problem of finding sufficient funding (or any at all!) that thwarted our every move. After 7 years of constant unsuccessful attempts to find a home it was decided that the society should be mothballed for a while to give us time for reflection before renewing our efforts.
By September 2002, and although we had been raising money for our dream, it was decided we should abandon the project and think carefully where we should be heading and what we should be doing with the money we had banked. Out of the blue the Borough Council, having received money for the Regeneration Scheme, wanted to improve and expand the use of Downham’s Town Hall – notably the internal balcony which was dead space - and this was offered to us as a home.
Rapid developments took place in obtaining grants for the twelve glass display cases we currently use and for the twelve display/story boards that tell the story of the town. By midsummer 2003, after some initial problems, everything was set up and all we needed were items to display. A slow trickle of items on loan from the townspeople, society members, the Town and Borough Councils and various other sources increased to a steady flow and we were able to set up our first displays and open to the public.
Our collection of items has continued to grow and we now have over two thousand items fully catalogued and stored or displayed in the Heritage Centre which is open three days a week.(mornings only.)
Membership currently stands at just under one hundred people and is growing fast. We hold monthly talks given by local speakers or arrange outside visits to places of interest; not all of these are depicting local history but they are always well attended.
In 2007 the Town Council reclaimed ownership of the Town Hall, with the intention of refurbishment and regeneration. This would mean the closure of the present Heritage Centre which, in any case, is very short of display space and storage. The Town Council were already owners of the disused fire station in Priory Road. Planning permission for change of use has been obtained and the refurbished building has been offered to the society, who are pleased to accept it. We Hope to move to a permenant home in the Old Fire Station towards the end of 2008.
We would love to hear from you, please contact us with any information.
