The Clarkson Memorial

A prominent Gothic memorial to Wisbech-born abolitionist Thomas Clarkson, standing beside the River Nene in the town centre.

Thomas Clarkson was born in Wisbech and became one of the leading campaigners against the transatlantic slave trade. The memorial’s prominent position beside the River Nene shows how the town chose to remember him. Its Gothic design is also part of Wisbech’s distinctive riverside townscape. A stop here can begin a wider exploration of the people, commerce and global connections that shaped the town, while offering a moment to consider the long struggle for abolition and its continuing legacy.