A fascinating new exhibition takes a look at the town of Huntingdon in Oliver Cromwell's time. 

Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon in April 1599. Now, 425 years on from the birth of one of the most significant and controversial figures in British history, the Cromwell Museum, which is based in the old school attended by Cromwell, has opened a new exhibition looking at his early life.

Visitors can discover what the town was like at the time, and find out more about Cromwell’s early life.

Huntingdon in the 1600s was a small market town, although it was significant as it was sited on the Great North Road, which ran along the town’s High Street until the 1970s.

It was therefore a busy place for travellers who often broke their journey and rested in towns along the country’s busiest road.

One of the highlights of the display is an original copy of the earliest map of the town, drawn in 1610 by John Speed.

The Hunts Post: The John Speed map is part of the exhibition.The John Speed map is part of the exhibition. (Image: Cromwell Museum)

This would have been produced while Cromwell was a schoolboy in the building which now houses the museum.

Another highlight of the time which is on display is the spectacular Town Charter for Huntingdon, given to the town by Charles I in 1630.

The charter led to the town’s mayor and aldermen being appointed for life. The dispute over this new system of the government for the town was one of the reasons Cromwell moved from the town a year later, having spent half his life there.

Stuart Orme, curator of the museum said: “It’s appropriate that 425 years on from Oliver Cromwell’s birth here, to look at what the town he lived in was like, and what we know about his early life.

"There are many myths and stories locally about his childhood, including being kidnapped as a baby by a pet monkey, and we also look at some of these."

The Cromwell’s Huntingdon display opened on May 4 and runs September 29. You can visit during normal museum opening hours, from Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, from 11am – 4pm.

Admission is free of charge, although donations are encouraged. For more details on this and the museum’s upcoming programmes visit www.cromwellmuseum.org.