The Leper Chapel is opening with the help of volunteers and support from Historyworks on several occasions this spring and summer 2019, so that more members of the public can view this unique building, and get involved with our artworks and heritage activities which Historyworks is hosting for the nearby Chisholm Trail..  

More about the history of the Leper Chapel here.

More information of the Chisholm Trail here.

There are open days coming up when you can come along and meet up with Helen to learn more about the project & the history. The next date when the Leper Chapel will open is Saturday 10th August from noon to 3pm, and to find out about future opening dates, theate pefromances and festivals, go to:

https://www.cambridgeppf.org/Pages/Events/Category/leper-chapel-events

Historyworks have attended several of the opening Saturdays, to share the history of the Leper Chapel and information about the forthcoming Chisholm Trail which will transform the surrounding area with a pathway for cycles and pedestrians making access for disabled and wheeled visitors much easier, and will offer a mainly green route through wildlife meadows from Cambridge North Station all the way to Cambridge Station. To find out more come along to an open Saturday, and find Helen to learn about the project and about the history:

To stay in touch with events and to add your own local memories and stories to the Chisholm Tales, please 'like' our Chisholm Trail facebook page

On the first day of opening this Spring 2019, when HistoryWorks helped open the site, it was heaving on Saturday 6th April, as visitors flocked to see this unique and magical place and find out more about the Chisholm Trail.  Also, we've taken school students there during July, and encouraged children to take their families there for the open days, the most recent been on 20th July, where many families visited following on from our school trips.

Cambridge Past, Present and Future volunteer, Courtney, swung open the heavy door and welcomed in visitors with a tour of this ancient building; whilst Helen talked to visitors about the history, and Hilary engaged people in story telling and sharing their memories about the area.

Prof Helen Weinstein shared the stories of coprolite mining on Coldhams Common, almost 900 years of the Leper Chapel and the Brick Works. Hilary Cox Condron heard tales of childhood adventures at Dead Man's Lake, Bronco Nightingale's fleet of lorries and tending war graves at the cemetery.

Mario Satchwell introduced families to the Historyworks geocaches trail and residents took maps to head out and explore the area and find our other geocache locations.

We are collecting your local stories as part of the new Chisholm Tales project. Historian Helen and artists Hilary and Jill Fordham will be working with local residents and schools to illustrate the local history and create artwork for the Chisholm Trail hoardings in Abbey.

More about the history of the Leper Chapel here.

More information of the Chisholm Trail here.

To stay in touch with events and to add your own local memories and stories to the Chisholm Tales, please 'like' our Chisholm Trail facebook page