Denny Abbey

As Craig’s collection expanded, it became a museum, opening for one Sunday a month and was run solely by volunteers under the curatorship of Mike and Lorna Delanoy (Craig’s parents). They received MBEs for their service to museums and for raising money for good causes. The collection continued to grow, and after being in Mike and Lorna’s garden until the early 1990s (main image), the museum was moved in 1995 to the site where Denny Abbey stands, just off the A10 between Cambridge and Ely. It re-opened in 1997 in renovated farm buildings with a new education block. The museum collection covers village and farming life of rural Cambridgeshire with objects ranging from a large combine harvester in the cart shed, to a packet of tiny buttons in the village shop. Since then, The Farmland Museum team has taken over the day-to-day running of Denny Abbey and buildings, including a 1940s farmworker’s cottage, complete with outdoor privy, re-creating what life was like for a farmworker’s family. Denny Abbey itself was lived in by three different religious orders (and owned by 4!) until Henry VIII closed it and sold off the building and surrounding land. The Abbey as we know it today survived thanks to the Countess of Pembroke’s foresight at converting it into dwellings. Since then, farming families lived in the former medieval church until the early 20th century. Other interesting features of the museum include displays about basket making, a farriers, an early 20th-century typical village shop and a dairy. The museum also has a recreation of a fenman’s hut. At Denny Abbey and The Farmland Museum, our purpose is to care for objects and share the stories of the people who lived and worked here. Through exhibits, objects, and learning programmes, we retell 850 years of farming, community, and life in the Cambridgeshire Fens. The site consists of two main parts: Denny Abbey, a unique Grade 1 listed medieval monastic building owned by English Heritage, and managed by The Farmland Museum, and The Farmland Museum, housed in historic farm buildings with an extensive collection of exhibits and displays. Together, the museum and abbey allow visitors to experience what life was like for Fenland residents before the mechanisation of farming transformed it forever. We offer a family-friendly experience blending history, learning, and creativity. It’s the perfect day out for all ages! The Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey relies on an amazing group of volunteers to deliver our activities and keep us up and running – and we’re always looking for more! Do you have time and skills to share? Whether you want to meet new people, learn something new, or put your expertise to use, we have a role for you. From delivering guided tours, to helping with school visits or serving customers in the cafe – there’s something for everyone. We also welcome enquiries about becoming a trustee to help shape the museum’s future. We have a range of volunteering opportunities available at our museum and some of these are detailed below. Volunteers also govern the museum, as our board of Trustees. Many volunteers hold multiple roles at different times and once working at the museum start to gain confidence in taking on new skills. Café volunteers While the museum employs seasonal staff to run the café, there are times, especially on event days, when we need more people! All cafe volunteers will be trained by the museum to work in a food preparation and serving environment. Collection volunteers Volunteers help to ensure that our collection is correctly stored and maintained and are specially trained by museum staff and other experts in the handling, cleaning, cataloguing and, if appropriate, restoration of the items in our extensive collection. Education volunteers The Museum is supported in the planning and delivery of school sessions, reminiscence sessions and family activities in school holidays and on event days by a team of experienced volunteers. Event day