Wisbech: What happened “one of the most perfect streets of England”?

 

North Brink, Wisbech, with its pedestrian-friendly pavement

Wisbech was run down, certainly. In the main (Market) square there wasn’t much sign of any big-name shops, although Costa Coffee was busy. There were a few drunks around, and groups in the public spaces. The Wisbech Museum was surrounded by scaffolding, with a couple of drinkers admiring it from across the beautiful Georgian place in front of it.  A wine bar in a side street looked like the busiest site in the centre (at 4pm). 

But none of that explains why what Pevsner described as “one of the most perfect Georgian streets of England” was so run down – and needlessly so. North Brink and South Brink are streets facing each other across the River Nene. North Brink is the finer, including Peckover House, but it is interesting all the way down. Unfortunately it has been turned into a one-way street, which means that traffic moves down it fast. Worse, it is impossible to stand on the river-side of the street, which you need to do to get a good look at the buildings. Instead of a pavement, the surface is very large pebbles that are impossible to walk on. There are double yellow lines on both sides (although the idea of anyone trying to stop on the river side is a joke). One of the greatest streets in England cannot, in other words, be experienced properly. 

South Brink is no better. It is one of the main streets out of the centre, with a lot of traffic in both directions – which is curious, since a few hundred metres away is a dual carriageway (Churchill Street) running through the centre of Wisbech. I don’t see the need for two main arteries in the same direction out of the centre. 

I’m not expecting all the inhabitants of Wisbech to be desperate for an aesthetic experience. But all the towns I have seen in France with a historic centre, sensitively pedestrianised and made attractive, seem to have had an effect on the inhabitants. To put it bluntly, beauty rubs off on you, without you noticing. 

We tried (as many people do) to walk down North Brink and then back up South Brink. Sadly, there was no footbridge to enable you to cross from one side to the other of the river. All in all, the town planning of this wonderful street ensures that any visit will be short and not very pleasant. Few towns in the UK have managed to mangle their heritage in such a comprehensive way. The good news, I suppose, is that it could be fixed. Heritage Lottery funding, perhaps? With a bit of love and attention, Peckover House could be seen in all its glory.