Vintage cycling enthusiasts from March will be among people taking visitors back in time for an event to help families soak up the atmosphere of Britain in the last days before World War I broke out.

Take yourself back to the music hall days or help out in a great war hospital at the Last Day of Peace event.

The free family event commemorates the centenary of the start of the Great War.

Taking place on August 3 from 1–5pm, at Hinchingbrooke House, Huntingdon, the former stately home is being used to create the spirit of 1914.

Sally Ann Greensmith, Great War Project Assistant at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Wisbech and the surrounding area has a clear connection with the Great War. Local men were enlisted and their names, as well as places and events are well documented in the WW1 articles in the Wisbech Standard.

“The indexing of the Great War stories in the paper is part of Cambridgeshire’s Great War project, which aims to bring alive the county’s involvement in the conflict.

“We want to capture this contribution at the Last Day of Peace event. We have a wonderful venue at Hinchingbrooke House, that can help create an atmosphere and spirit of 1914.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Mac McGuire, Chairman of the Community (Military) Covenant for the County, said: “The Last Day of Peace event is a wonderful way to commemorate the centenary of the start of the Great War. There will be activities for all ages and people will be able to see the massive contribution that local people in the Armed Forces made during this war. We do hope that people come along and take part in marking what is a momentous time in our history.”

People will be able to explore the house and grounds and take part in different activities, bringing alive Cambridgeshire’s contribution to the conflict.

As part of the Great War project, there will be activities and performances for all ages, including the Music Hall Society providing music from the Great War, Classworks Theatre recreating a Great War convalescent hospital and re-enactors from the Shornecliffe Trust showing artillery with a crew of gunners in period uniform.

Visitors can take part in The Combat Veteran Players’ 20 minute music workshops, which transform people into music hall stars, or enjoy a game of croquet,

March Veteran and Vintage Cycles will be there with a display of cycles from 1900-1918.

There will also be war horses drawing a four wheel carriage to give rides during the afternoon.

There will be Wisbech Standard newspaper reports from during the Great War period with an index enabling people to quickly find articles relating to local soldiers and refugees.

There will also be a set of exhibitions currently touring local libraries, featuring photographs, letters and documents from the period.