March, Cambridgeshire: A Local Area Guide

Nestled in the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens, March offers visitors a delightful glimpse into traditional English market town life. This historic settlement, once literally an island surrounded by marshes, has evolved into a charming base for exploring one of England’s most distinctive landscapes.

Historic March: From Island to Market Town

March’s unique character stems from its extraordinary history as the second-largest “island” in the Great Level of the Fens. Before extensive drainage works transformed the landscape, this was a watery wilderness where communities existed on scattered islands of higher ground. The town’s name, recorded as “Merche” in the Domesday Book of 1086, possibly derives from the Old English “mearc” meaning boundary - a fitting description for a settlement that marked the edges of the habitable world.

The transformation from fenland island to thriving market town is a story of human ingenuity and determination. As Dutch engineers and local workers gradually drained the surrounding marshes, March grew from an isolated community accessible only by ancient causeways into a prosperous trading centre. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century cemented its importance, making it a crucial junction on both the Great Eastern Railway and Great Northern Railway networks.

Today, visitors can appreciate this remarkable heritage whilst enjoying modern amenities in one of England’s most characterful small towns.

Must-See Attractions in March

St Wendreda’s Church: A Medieval Masterpiece

No visit to March is complete without experiencing St Wendreda’s Church, home to one of England’s most spectacular medieval church roofs. This architectural wonder features over 120 carved wooden angels adorning a magnificent double hammer-beam ceiling that spans the entire nave. The late Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman famously declared it “worth cycling 40 miles in a headwind to see.”

The angels, each unique in design and expression, represent centuries of skilled craftsmanship. Some hold musical instruments, others bear shields or scrolls, and their painted details - though faded by time - still hint at the original splendour that would have greeted medieval worshippers. The church itself dates back to the 15th century and stands as a testament to the prosperity that March once enjoyed through its strategic position in the fenland trading network.

Visitors often spend considerable time simply gazing upward, trying to take in the sheer scale and intricacy of this wooden host. Photography is permitted, though the grandeur of the roof is best appreciated in person, where the play of light through the clerestory windows brings the angels to life.

Fossils Galore: Journey Through Deep Time

For families and anyone fascinated by natural history, Fossils Galore offers an exceptional educational experience. This unique museum and activity centre houses an impressive collection of fossils, minerals, and dinosaur remains that tell the story of life on Earth across millions of years.

The hands-on approach sets Fossils Galore apart from traditional museums. Visitors can try their hand at fossil preparation, revealing ancient creatures from blocks of stone using professional tools under expert guidance. The fossil digging area allows children and adults to uncover genuine specimens they can take home, whilst the gemstone polishing activity transforms rough stones into gleaming treasures.

The museum’s collections span geological periods from the Cambrian to the Pleistocene, with particularly strong holdings of local Jurassic fossils. Expert staff provide engaging commentary that brings these ancient worlds to life, explaining how the landscapes of Cambridgeshire looked when dinosaurs roamed or when tropical seas covered the region.

March Museum: Local Heritage Preserved

Housed in a charming Victorian building, March Museum offers intimate insights into fenland life across the centuries. The dedicated volunteers who operate the museum possess encyclopaedic knowledge of local history and are delighted to share stories that bring the exhibits to life.

The railway heritage receives particular attention, reflecting March’s crucial role as a junction town during the golden age of steam. Visitors can examine original station equipment, vintage photographs of trains, and documents that illustrate how the railway transformed this once-isolated community into a vital transport hub.

Agricultural displays showcase traditional fenland farming practices, from the unique challenges of working drained marshland to the specialized crops that thrive in the rich peat soils. The museum also preserves memories of wartime March, when RAF March played an important role in Britain’s air defences.

Stonea Camp: Britain’s Lowest Hill Fort

Just outside March lies one of archaeology’s more unusual sites - Stonea Camp, officially recognised as Britain’s lowest hill fort. This Iron Age fortification, built on what was then the highest point in the immediate area (though still below sea level), represents the ingenious adaptation of ancient peoples to the challenging fenland environment.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that this defensive earthwork was constructed around 2,000 years ago as local tribes prepared to resist Roman invasion. The surviving banks and ditches, carefully restored in 1991, demonstrate sophisticated understanding of defensive engineering adapted to marshy terrain.

The site offers excellent walking opportunities across restored fenland habitat, where visitors can appreciate both the archaeological remains and the unique ecosystem that has developed around them. Interpretation boards explain the site’s significance whilst the flat landscape provides expansive views across the distinctive fenland countryside.

Town Centre Attractions

March Market: Traditional Commerce Continues

March’s market tradition stretches back centuries, and the weekly markets held every Wednesday and Saturday maintain this vital connection between town and countryside. The bustling Market Place comes alive with stalls offering everything from fresh local produce to artisan crafts and household goods.

Local farmers bring seasonal vegetables grown in the fertile fenland soils, whilst specialist food producers offer regional delicacies that reflect the area’s agricultural heritage. The market atmosphere is particularly welcoming, with stallholders happy to discuss their products and share local knowledge with visitors.

The Market Place itself, surrounded by historic buildings including Ye Olde Griffin Hotel, provides an authentic setting that has changed little in its essential character over many decades. Market days offer perhaps the best opportunity to experience March as a living, working community rather than simply a tourist destination.

West End Park: Green Space and Recreation

For those seeking outdoor recreation, West End Park provides well-maintained facilities in an attractive setting near the town centre. The park combines formal gardens with more naturalistic areas, creating habitats that support local wildlife whilst providing spaces for human recreation.

Children’s play areas cater to different age groups, whilst sports facilities include tennis courts and bowling greens that host regular local competitions. The park’s walking trails offer gentle exercise opportunities with interpretive features that explain local flora and fauna.

Community events throughout the year, from summer fetes to seasonal celebrations, use the park as a venue, making it a genuine focal point for local social life. Visitors staying in March often find the park provides a peaceful retreat after days exploring the wider area.

Beyond March: Day Trip Opportunities

Ely: The Ship of the Fens

Just a short journey from March lies Ely, dominated by one of England’s most magnificent cathedrals. Often called the “Ship of the Fens” because its towers are visible across the flat landscape for miles around, Ely Cathedral represents the pinnacle of medieval architecture and engineering.

The cathedral’s unique octagonal lantern tower, built to replace the original Norman crossing tower that collapsed in 1322, remains one of the most ingenious architectural solutions in English church building. The intricate stone and timber construction creates a soaring space that seems to defy gravity.

Ely’s historic centre, built around the cathedral close, preserves many medieval and Georgian buildings. The city’s shops, restaurants, and museums provide excellent facilities for day visitors, whilst river trips along the Great Ouse offer unique perspectives on the fenland landscape.

The Ouse Washes: Fenland Wildlife Spectacular

One of England’s most important wetland reserves, the Ouse Washes provide crucial habitat for thousands of migrating and resident birds. This area of managed flooding creates conditions that support species rarely seen elsewhere in lowland England.

Winter visits often prove most rewarding, when vast flocks of ducks, geese, and swans arrive from northern Europe. The sight and sound of thousands of birds rising from the wetlands ranks among Britain’s great natural spectacles. Summer brings different pleasures, with breeding waders such as redshanks, lapwings, and snipe nesting in the reserve’s grasslands.

Well-positioned hides and observation points allow close encounters with wildlife without disturbance, whilst knowledgeable RSPB staff provide expert guidance for identifying the diverse species that depend on this unique habitat.

Practical Information for Visitors

Getting Around

March’s compact town centre makes walking the most practical option for local exploration. The railway station provides regular connections to Cambridge, Ely, and London, making car-free visits entirely feasible for those staying at central accommodation such as Ye Olde Griffin Hotel.

For exploring the wider area, local bus services connect March with surrounding villages and attractions, though services can be infrequent. Many visitors find bicycle hire an attractive option for fenland exploration, as the flat terrain and quiet country roads create ideal cycling conditions.

Seasonal Considerations

Each season offers different advantages for March visitors. Spring brings spectacular displays of wild flowers in fenland nature reserves, whilst summer provides the best weather for outdoor activities and market browsing. Autumn can offer exceptional bird-watching opportunities as migrants pass through, and winter provides the dramatic spectacle of large waterfowl concentrations on the Ouse Washes.

The town’s indoor attractions, including Fossils Galore and March Museum, ensure that weather need not curtail exploration plans, whilst the warm hospitality of local pubs and cafes provides welcome refuge during cooler months.

Local Character and Community

Perhaps March’s greatest attraction lies not in any single sight but in its authentic character as a genuine working community. Unlike many tourist destinations, March remains first and foremost a place where people live and work, creating an atmosphere of authentic English market town life that has become increasingly rare.

Visitors often comment on the friendliness of local people, from museum volunteers eager to share their knowledge to shopkeepers happy to discuss local history. This genuine warmth, combined with the town’s fascinating heritage and beautiful surrounding countryside, creates a uniquely satisfying experience that lingers long after departure.

March offers that increasingly rare experience of discovering somewhere that remains true to itself whilst welcoming visitors with genuine enthusiasm. In an age of homogenised tourism, it represents the enduring appeal of authentic English market town life set within one of our most distinctive and beautiful landscapes.