The Norman church of St Peter & St Paul is the main attraction for the annual Wisbech Rose Fair, one of the finest flower festivals in England. The centrepiece of Rose Fair is the breathtaking displays of traditional British flowers brought together with exotic blooms flown in especially for the festival.
The theme for the displays at St Peter & St Paul in 2008 is "The Power of the Pen". Our theme in 2007 was "Heroes of Freedom" as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the signing of the bill that outlawed the transportation of slaves; son of Wisbech Thomas Clarkson was, with William Wilberforce, one of the driving forces behind the anti-slavery campaign. In previous years themes have included diverse subjects such as "Reflections", "A Flight of Fancy", "The Way We Were" and "The Magic of Musicals".
Rose Fair began more than 40 years ago when rose buds picked locally were sold in the church gardens to raise funds for the restoration of the church. There are still roses to be seen growing in the fields around the town.
The church is open until 8.00pm most evenings during the festival. There are also floral displays in all the other town centre churches, each of which has its own character.
St Peter & St Paul's is set in beautiful award-winning gardens and during Rose Fair is also surrounded by a wide variety of stalls from the Wednesday to Saturday of Rose Fair week selling local produce and cakes, plants and flowers, crafts, gifts and bric-a-brac - and lots more! (Please note that no stalls are open on the Sunday of Rose Fair week).
The church is within a few yards of the historic centre of Wisbech with its shops and a bustling market on Thursdays and Saturdays.
