A range of local history projects were presented with grants by the Huntingdonshire Local History Society.

Philip Saunders, chairman of the society, said he was “pleased” with projects chosen to receive a Goodliff Award this year, including ideas ranging from a St Ives project enabling children to study the impact of Oliver Cromwell through film making, to the magnetometer survey of the walled area of the Roman town of Durobrivae located at Water Newton.

The awards were handed out at Huntingdon Town Hall last month.

The organiser of the latter project, Professor Stephen Upex, has reported that, in its early stages, the Durobrivae survey shows a pattern of roads, homes, shops and major buildings largely untouched since Roman times, which could become a discovery and discussion point of international importance.

The society was also able to help fund the launch of the innovative Huntingdonshire History Festival chaired by retired Hinchingbrooke teacher Mike Addis, which will return to the town in July 2019.

Other winning projects include Jane Adams’ information booklet and children’s guide to St Peter and St Paul’s Parish Church, Alconbury; Jane Watson’s book about the history of Barham Village; help with external signage and display boards for Stuart Orme, curator at the Cromwell Museum; and also with the publication of the late local historian Bert Goodwin’s Second World War memoirs, which is being put together by architectural historian Beth Davis. Joanne Borrett’s information and story boards about the stained glass windows and Saxon crosses at All Saints Church, Elton, were also supported by Goodliff as was Roger Reynolds book Ramsey At War covering 1939-1946 and, from Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Peter Cooper’s thoughtful plan to develop and publish online interactive maps of Huntingdon.

The ceremony on November 17 was part of a special evening where the society’s president, Dr Simon Thurley, not only presented the various cheques but also gave an talk entitled The King, The Actress and the Cardinal, the birth of London’s West End.

The society is now looking for projects which might win a Goodliff Award for 2019. Information about this is available on the Huntingdonshire Local History Society website and the closing date for applications is March 31.