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Old Scarlett (1499-1594)
Old Scarlett, whose real name was Robert Scarlett, was born around 1496 and served as sexton and gravedigger at Peterborough Cathedral for decades. Living to the remarkable age of 98, he is said to have buried two queens – Katherine of Aragon in 1536 and Mary,...
John Clare (1793–1864)
John Clare (1793–1864) is celebrated as one of England’s finest rural poets, famed for capturing the beauty of the countryside and the voices of rural life with rare authenticity.
Walter Cornelius (c. 1913–1983)
Walter Cornelius (c. 1913–1983) was one of Peterborough’s most colourful local legends. A Latvian-born strongman and stunt performer, he settled in the city after World War II and became famous for his daring – and often eccentric – public feats. These included...
John Fletcher (1579–1625)
John Fletcher (1579–1625) was one of the most celebrated playwrights of the early 17th century and a key figure in the golden age of English theatre. Born in Rye, Sussex, Fletcher grew up in Peterborough, where his father, Richard Fletcher, served as Dean of...
Dr Thomas James Walker
A pioneering surgeon at Peterborough Infirmary (now the Museum) from 1862 to 1906. A Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, he was the first in Britain to remove a growth from the larynx and a leading advocate for purpose-built operating theatres to reduce...
Louis Smith
Born in Peterborough in 1989, Louis Smith is one of Britain’s most successful male gymnasts. Specialising in the pommel horse, he made history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning bronze – Team GB’s first individual Olympic gymnastics medal in a century. He went...
Jake Humphrey
Born in Peterborough in 1978, Jake Humphrey is a well-known British television presenter, best recognised for his work in sports broadcasting. He began his career in children’s television with CBBC before moving into sports coverage, becoming a familiar face on BBC...
Maxim (Keith Andrew Palmer)
Born Keith Palmer in Peterborough in 1967, Maxim is best known as the charismatic MC of the pioneering electronic music group The Prodigy. Joining the band in 1990, his deep, commanding voice and dynamic stage presence became a key part of their explosive live...
Lagoon by Sir Anthony Caro (1976/7)
Standing just over two metres high on the forecourt of the Key Theatre, Lagoon is an inviting piece of modern British sculpture by Sir Anthony Caro, one of the country’s most influential post-war artists. Made from interlocking sheets of mild steel, bolted and...
St Botolph’s Church, Helpston
St Botolph’s Church, Helpston, is a beautiful medieval parish church entwined with the life and poetry of John Clare. It remains a place of peace, reflection, and literary pilgrimage within Peterborough’s tranquil Clare Country landscape.
Untitled by Miles Davies (1990)
Positioned along the north path, this arrangement of steel frames punctuates the journey between the busy parkway and the peaceful lake. Its weathering surface mirrors the seasonal changes of the surrounding trees and grasses. About the Artist: Miles Davies (b....
Odd Oaks by Nicholas Pope (1982)
Four giant wooden “acorns” lie nestled into the landscape, echoing the trees and natural forms around them. Once sited in Werrington Shopping Centre, Odd Oaks was later moved to Thorpe Meadows, where it has been left to age naturally – slowly returning to the...
Quarry by Simon Perry (1987)
Half-emerging from the stone that contains it, a wolf-like figure recalls a time when wolves roamed Britain. The limestone links to the site’s quarrying history, while the creature now stands guard over the meadows. About the Artist: Simon Perry is a British-born...
Little Prince by Jane Ackroyd (1985)
Drawing on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved tale, Little Prince incorporates symbols from the story – a tree, an asteroid, a pyramid – into an abstract steel composition. The work celebrates curiosity, love, and our connection to nature. About the Artist: Jane...
Helios XVI by Barry Mason (1987)
Marking the summer solstice, Helios XVI aligns with the sun so that its face is fully lit only on the longest day of the year. The carved sphere at its top suggests the Earth, linking cosmic cycles to our daily experience of light and time. About the Artist: Barry...
Untitled by Miles Davies (1990)
A sequence of hinged steel “doorways” stands in the landscape, framing shifting views of the rowing lake and city beyond. The precision-cut steel – shaped using lasers in a water tank – gives the piece a refined, architectural presence. About the Artist: Miles...
Under the Ocean, Under the Sea – Christine Angus (1983)
Three carved limestone forms evoke the remains of a lost civilisation beneath the waves. Their weathered, archaeological feel connects both to Peterborough’s ancient past and to the life-giving River Nene flowing nearby. About the Artist: Christine Angus (b. 1953)...
Festival Boat by Sokari Douglas Camp (1988)
Commissioned for the 1989 Festival of Sculpture, Festival Boat is a celebration of culture and place. Resting on the riverbank, its sweeping form draws on the ceremonial boats of the artist’s native Nigeria, reimagined in a British landscape. It speaks of journeys...
Creature by Anne Nicholson (1978)
Carved from a single block of warm Clipsham stone, Creature is deliberately ambiguous. Seen from different angles, its form shifts – now animal-like, now abstract – encouraging visitors to interpret it in their own way. The mix of hand carving and machine cuts adds...
Larry Taylor (1918–2003)
Character actor Larry Taylor was born in Peterborough and went on to enjoy a long career in British film and television. Often cast in supporting or background roles, he appeared in a wide variety of productions from the 1960s through the 1980s, bringing a...
Katherine of Aragon (1485–1536)
Born in Spain, Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of King Henry VIII and Queen of England from 1509 to 1533. A daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, she was renowned for her education, piety, and political acumen. Her marriage...
Sir Henry Hodge (1944–2009)
Born in Peterborough, Sir Henry Hodge became one of the UK’s most respected and progressive legal minds, dedicating his career to championing the causes of children, immigrants, and disadvantaged communities. Educated at Oxford, he began his career with the Child...