We were lucky enough, due to a private donation, to acquire the house next door. This gave us much needed space to create a gallery and display some of the items from the F R Leach & Sons archive and other objects connected with David Parr that could not be displayed in the house. We worked with Will Shannon, designer and maker, who took the ideas from the David Parr House and interpreted them in a contemporary way creating a space that is interesting in its own right and where the modern sits happily alongside the old.

We also made space for a small activity room where we can begin to hold temporary exhibitions and run workshops. We are just at the beginning of this side to the project so be patient with us and sign up to the newsletter if you would like to see our ideas unfolding over the coming years.

David Parr House is in the thriving Mill Road area of Cambridge, known for its independent cafes, restaurants and shops.

We are located opposite Dale’s Brewery which houses two antique shops –
The Cambridge Antique Centre and The Hive – and Hot Numbers café (named after a much-loved Cambridge record shop) which offers coffee and cakes, all locally made, as well as breakfast and light lunches. There are also some good pubs for both food and drink on Gwydir Street. The Alex, 22 Gwydir Street and The Cambridge Blue, 85 – 87 Gwydir Street. Round the corner, on Mill Road (111-113) is Scott’s All Day, which offers delicious breakfasts, brunches and lunches through to the evening, when it becomes a pizzeria.

Mill Road has many other places to rest and eat or to browse around. Here are our volunteers favourites:

TO LOOK AROUND

Mill Road Cemetery, where David Parr is buried, is a short walk along Mill Road. A Victorian Garden Cemetery it is a beautiful place to stroll through as was the intention of those who designed it all those years ago.
Cambridge Central Mosque, a stunning piece of new architecture in the Romsey Town end of Mill Road (over the bridge). Hour long tours every Saturday 10.00 and 11.30.

TO EAT AT

Tom’s Cakes, lots of delicious cakes but also light lunches and breakfasts. 32 Mill Road, Monday – Saturday 9.00 – 18.00 Sunday 10.00 – 16.00
Noodles Plus+, does what its name suggests plus more. There can be queues at weekends as it is so popular. 24 Mill Road, Monday – Sunday 11.30 – 21.30
Tu Casa Tapas, no website but worth a trip to sit with friends to share delicious dish’s. 8 Mill Road, Monday – Friday 17.00 – 23.00, Saturday 12.00 – 23.00
The Geldart Pub, a short walk away from Mill Road down the terrace lined streets is this pub. 1 Ainsworth Street, closed Monday, Food served Tuesday – Friday 18.00 – 23.00, Saturday & Sunday 12.00 – 14.30 & 18.00 – 21.00

TO BROWSE IN

Amnesty Bookshop, 4 Mill Road, Monday – Saturday 10.00 – 17.30
Sally Ann Charity Shop, (formally of Mill Road and now just around the corner) 5 Tenison Road Monday – Friday 9.30 – 17.00, Saturday 10.00 – 13.00
Al Amin, an ethical and community focused grocery store, 100a Mill Road
Arjuna, a health food shop with heritage whose founder lived next door to the David Parr House in the 1970’s. 12 Mill Road, Monday – Saturday 9.30 – 18.00

The Mill Road area has a rich and fascinating history. Find out more on Capturing Cambridge.

Cambridge City offers wonderful historic buildings, a thriving cultural and artistic scene, exquisite large and small museums, beautiful walks, punting along the river and much more. Below are some of our volunteer’s favourite places to go, see, do or eat at:

TO LOOK AROUND

Museum of Cambridge, ‘a hidden gem – both the building and the collection’.
Scott Polar Museum, ‘small but perfectly formed museum often overlooked & with space for changing exhibitions’.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, ‘you go around the world in one single building’.
Whipple Museum, ‘shows the beauty of scientific instruments and all that they did and do for us’.
Kettles Yard, ‘serene and restful as is St Peter’s church next door’
Museum of Technology, ‘where you can see how the much the Victorians cared for and were proud of their infrastructure through the beauty they lavished on something as humble as a pumping station’.

Emmanuel College Grounds and Chapel, ‘it is amazing what you can find behind the high walls’.
Downing College and the Heong Gallery, ‘a new gallery architecturally beautiful and has a program of temporary exhibitions’

Botanical Gardens, ‘has so much to see at any time of year and if it rains or is cold you can always dry off or warm up in the amazing greenhouses’.

TO EAT AT

Michaelhouse Cafe, Coffee, Tea, cakes and lunch plus ‘you will be sitting under F R Leach & Sons stained glass’
Indigo Cafe, ‘larger than it looks as it has an upstairs and friendly’
The Pint Shop, ‘good food & beer tho’ also wine & non-alcohol’
Jack’s Gelato, ‘ a must (even for non-icecream fans like me)’

TO BROWSE IN

The Haunted Bookshop and David’s, two wonderful seondhand bookshops, ‘more or less opposite each other’, just off the Market Square in St Edwards Passage

SOMETHING FUN

Dinky Doors, something unusual is popping up around Cambridge and you have to look hard to spot them