Gordon Boswell Romany Museum

The Gordon Boswell Romany Museum stands beside Clay Lake in Spalding, Lincolnshire. It is a private collection of artefacts and vehicles built by Gordon Boswell over many years. The site includes several restored Gypsy wagons, known as Vardos, alongside horse-drawn hearses and other traditional carts. The museum also displays photographs and objects that tell the story of Romany life. A single Vardo is used for short trips through the nearby Fenland landscape. Gordon Boswell’s family had long shared Romany traditions with outsiders. His great-grandfather supplied information to Victorian scholars including George Borrow. His father Sylvester Boswell published a best-selling autobiography in 1970 that introduced many to Romany culture. Gordon himself gathered wagons, carts and everyday items over decades. The museum opened in 1995 as a permanent record of this heritage. Visitors find the wagons arranged in a single building at Clay Lake. Displays include photographs, tools and personal items used by Romany families. One Vardo is taken out on organised trips along Fenland tracks. The collection recognises the Romany contribution to local history and keeps their traditions visible for new generations.