Combined Authority Market Towns Fund supports expansion of Huntingdon’s Cromwell Museum

The Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, dubbed “a national museum in a matchbox”, is set to expand into a larger home, thanks to support including a £346,000 grant from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. 

The museum, which tells the story of one of Britain’s most complex and internationally significant figures, has outgrown its current home.  

Thanks to the Combined Authority’s Market Towns programme, Huntingdon Town Council has now acquired the listed 7–8 Market Hill on the museum’s behalf. The Grade II listed building, vacant for five years, will be transformed into the museum’s new home with four times the current display space, a café, shop, research and education areas.  

To mark the milestone, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Paul Bristow, Mayor of Huntingdon Cllr Audrey McAdam, Cllr Sam Wakeford (Executive Councillor for Economy, Regeneration and Housing, Huntingdonshire District Council), Charles Nixon, (Chair of Trustees, the Cromwell Museum Trust), and Stuart Orme, Curator-Director, of the Cromwell Museum, were joined by reenactors in Civil War-era clothing at the new building. The project has also been supported by both the town council and Huntingdonshire District Council. 

The expansion follows record-breaking success for the Cromwell Museum. Visitor numbers in 2024/25 exceeded 15,000, the highest in over 30 years, with over 1,000 schoolchildren receiving outreach sessions or visiting in person. The museum states it generated more than £465,000 for the local economy last year, and received national press coverage and TV features. 

The collection has nearly 1,000 items, including portraits, clothing, miniatures, arms and armour and historical documents written by or about Cromwell. The museum is operated by an independent charity, the Cromwell Museum Trust, 

The existing museum building – the town’s oldest – continues to welcome visitors. It will be retained for education sessions, exhibitions, and community use. 

Paul Bristow said: “The Cromwell Museum makes a massive contribution to the heritage, culture and economy of Huntingdon – it’s a real gem of a place. This expansion will both bring the story of Oliver Cromwell, ‘warts and all’, to more people while breathing life back into the historic town centre. It’s exactly the kind of project our Market Towns fund was made for and we’re proud to back it.” 

Stuart Orme, Curator of the Cromwell Museum, said: “Over the last few years the Museum has continued to grow its visitor numbers, to the point where we are outgrowing our existing building. There’s been an increased awareness and interest in this fascinating period of history, which for the first time raised questions about many issues that we are still wrestling with today. We’re immensely grateful for the support we’ve received so far in our plans to expand, and over the next few years are aiming to create a museum which will not only attract more visitors to Huntingdon but act as a hub for our local community to explore their heritage.”

Cllr Audrey McAdam, Mayor of Huntingdon, said: “Huntingdon Town Council is proud to support the expansion of the Cromwell Museum, allowing it to grow and bringing a long-neglected building back into use, enhancing the character of our town centre. This is a fantastic example of how investment in our heritage can deliver real benefits for the whole community.” 

Cllr Sam Wakeford, Executive Councillor for Economy, Regeneration and Housing at Huntingdonshire District Council, said: “We are delighted to support the Cromwell Museum’s expansion through the Market Towns Programme. Preserving and celebrating our heritage is vital to bringing visitors, footfall and business to the town, and this new development will ensure that the museum remains a valuable resource for generations to come.” 

The new museum could double annual visitors as well as boosting the local economy by up to £1 million a year. Work is now underway on building surveys, design planning, and further fundraising, with a target reopening date in 2030. The museum trust is aiming to raise £5.5 million to convert the new building and establish the collection in its new home.  

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