MORE THAN YOU THINK

There is lots of local history in Milton Keynes! Many people think that there was nothing here before the 1960s but of course the area is just as old as the rest of the country. And it has some fascinating local history to prove it.

In fact, because the area is in the middle of the country it has always been at the centre of things: the Romans built a major road and villas; it was close to the boundary between the Anglo-Saxon and Viking kingdoms: Norman churches can still be seen; Plantagenet and Tudor Kings hunted in the local forests; princes were captured in the area; English Civil War battles were fought here; some of the busiest canals and railways ran by; and the first major motorway passed through.

And many characters from the area have made major contributions in the fields of arts, science and engineering.

HISTORY OF THE FARM

The home of the Museum also has some fascinating history. Built in 1847 on land owned by the Radcliffe Trust, Stacey Hill Farm was on the edge of Wolverton. For many years the open farm land was used for events that were enjoyed by the people of the town.

In the 1920s and 1930s the farm was host to the National Cross Country Championship races for men and women.