Rutland Pride September 2023

Once again this month, Stamford becomes home to a world-class sporting event and a must-visit fixture in the social calendar of well-heeled country folk. The Defender Burghley Horse Trials returns to Stamford in September bringing the usual excitement and action, but also contributing £20m to the local economy. In this month’s magazine we’ve a comprehensive guide to the Horse Trials and we’ll celebrate the history of the event too.

Speaking of history, we’re also taking a tour of Stamford’s historic churches, to discover why the town’s architecture is so divine, and we’re joining director Lotte Wakeham as she talks about her adaptation of Markus Zusak’s novel The Book Thief at Curve Theatre in Leicester.

We’ve a beautiful property this month in the village of Wing and we’re dining out at the absolutely lovely Red Lion at West Deeping, home to Emma and Frazer King who have created a superlative country pub dining experience.

Elsewhere in this edition, we’ve a round-up of the area’s best schools, we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hospital and we celebrate the wedding of Sarah and James at Oakham Castle. Our best wishes for a wonderful month!

Executive Editor robin@pridemagazines.co.uk

This month’s covers show Oakham School and Stamford School, we’ll visit some of the area’s best local schools later in this edition! We’re always looking for scenes of Rutland and Stamford to feature on our covers and in the magazines. If you’re a budding photographer, email your pictures to the address above!

42 DINING OUT Impressive food and a warm welcome at The Red Lion in West Deeping, a truly impressive country pub restaurant.

48 RECIPES & WINE Cherry Bakewell pudding and alcohol-free wines.

HOMES

52 WELCOME HOME A beautiful country property with stunning grounds in the village of Wing. 63 INTERIORS Neutral tones.

THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE AREA READ PRIDE MAGAZINE

Pride Magazine is delivered free of charge, via Royal Mail, to high value homes in the county. Our circulation is to homes in the top three council tax bands, which are predominantly worth over £300,000. This guarantees the magazine has an affluent readership commensurate with our content. The magazine is also sold in leading newsagents and supermarkets and we also deliver the magazine to local businesses including selected hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, doctors, dentists, executive motor dealerships and golf clubs. This helps to ensure we have a continued presence, right across our catchment area. Our titles also have more social media fans than any other local magazine. In addition we have over 45,000 online visitors viewing our magazines free of charge, online, on their tablet, computer, laptop or mobile phone via our website, our app, and via the Readly and Issuu platforms. If your business would benefit from being showcased to the wealthiest people in the area, please call our friendly sales team on 01529 469977.

THE PRIDE TEAM

Managing Director: Julian Wilkinson.

Advertising Director: Zoie Wilkinson.

General Manager: Matthew Deere.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis.

Sales Executives: Aisha Joyce, Amy Meader, Mia Garner, Gemma Mills, Yvette Curry.

Accounts Department: Steve Parrish, Margarita Pavlesevica, Chloe Watson, Beth Freeman-Burdass.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

IT Manager: Ian Bagley. Web Developer: Joe Proctor.

Quality care in a place you can call home

At Care UK’s care homes in Leicestershire, we deliver high quality residential, dementia and short-term care. Oat Hill Mews, our brand new care home in Market Harborough, opens early 2024.

As the UK’s most awarded large care provider, Care UK delivers high quality care that’s all about enabling you to enjoy the lifestyle you want. We support you to be who you’ve always been, or who you want to be, shaping your care and lifestyle to suit your interests, needs and preferences.

More like family

Our teams receive the latest training in all aspects of care. Our partnership with the Association for Dementia Studies at Worcester University means we stay up to date with the latest dementia care

approaches, and a Dementia Champion in each home supports all colleagues to deliver high quality care.

Above all, our teams are passionate about supporting you to live life to the full. There’s a variety of activities, entertainment, and outings in our minibus to enjoy.

The team at Oat Hill Mews are looking forward to getting out and about in the community too when they open their doors in 2024.

Relax in luxurious surroundings

At Care UK, our stunning, purpose-built homes offer a wealth of superb facilities, including a hair salon, cinema and café. And if it’s peace and quiet you’re after, there are plenty of comfy lounges and restful alcoves where you can relax with a favourite book.

Trust us to care

At Care UK, we’ve been delivering high quality, person-centred care for over 40 years. What’s more, we have more ‘Outstanding’-rated homes than any other provider. That’s why over 8,000 families across the country trust us to care for their older loved one.

Oat Hill Mews care home in Market Harborough opens its Marketing Suite in September 2023.

To find out more about Oat Hill Mews care home, visit careuk.com/oat-hill-mews

To find out more about care at Lonsdale Mews care home, visit careuk.com/lonsdale-mews

0330 818 0410

Green Flag retained at Rutland Water

RESERVOIR HAS KEPT ITS INTERNATIONAL GREEN FLAG QUALITY MARK...

It’s thought that over 1.2m visitors enjoy Rutland Water each year, and it’s no wonder, given that the 4,200 acre countryside park remains one of the cleanest and most well-managed parks in the country. It’s a fact which has been underwritten by news that Anglian Water’s ‘fab five’ water parks have all been given the Green Flag Award for quality and cleanliness.

The Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces. Jake Williams, Managing Director of Anglian Water Parks said: “We’re really pleased to receive the Green Flag Award across our water parks again this year.”

“Parks like Rutland Water are a vital green space for areas such as Rutland, bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles.”

“The staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards of the Green Flag Award, and everyone involved should feel extremely proud.”

Open Studios event 2023

ENJOY ART AS LOCAL TALENT OPENS STUDIOS EVERY WEEKEND THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities,

recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom. n

RUTLAND

Talented artists and makers will open up their studios to the general public over three weekends in September for this year’s Rutland Open Studios event.

The event is a collaboration between is a flourishing community of artists, crafts people and designer-makers working throughout Rutland and surrounding counties. Their aim is to help bring artists and local people together.

The ROS members are busily preparing to open their studios up to the public to demonstrate and display a wide range of media including

paintings, printmaking, pottery and ceramics, sculpture, textiles, glass, jewellery and decoupage.

A brochure about the event can be downloaded from the group’s website or it can be found in many shops, pubs, hotels and public information places throughout Rutland. All information, plus a full list of the artists taking part, details of where their studios are based and when and where they’ll be open to visitors are all available on The Rutland Open Studios website. n www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk.

RUTLAND

Stamford Car Show

REVVING-UP FOR CAR SHOW ON LATE SUMMER BANK HOLIDAY, 27th AUGUST...

Rutland’s Showground event is barking mad fun!

Preparations for this year’s Stamford Car show are revving-up, ready for the event on Sunday 27th August from 10am-5pm.

Organised by Stamford and District Round Table, the annual Stamford Car Show is a charity event, run by volunteers, to raise money for good causes in the community.

The event is hosted on the picturesque Stamford Meadows, with free entry and over 500 iconic vehicles for spectators to enjoy.

This Porsche Cayman GT4 took the show’s Best Modern Award in 2022. n For more information visit the event’s website at www.stamfordcarshow.co.uk.

Rosie comes to Stamford

CORN EXCHANGE DEBUT FOR COMEDIAN WHO APPROVES OF VENUE’S ACCESSIBILITY POLICY...

Plenty of waggy tails and excitement as Pride appears in shops, as the world’s largest dog agility festival returns to the Rutland Showground. The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, will feature 3,000 handlers and their dogs, from 12 countries. The festival will see competitions across four dog size categories, 18 rings and 200 classes with both novice and professional handlers from 10th-13th August. n

Well-known comedian and disability rights activist Rosie Jones is visiting Stamford as part of her new UK tour next month. Visiting Stamford and Rutland recently with fellow presenter Sandi Toksvig during the filming of their Extraordinary Escapes series, Rosie is thought to have been impressed both with the area and with the Corn Exchange’s inclination to help people with disabilities.

Rosie will bring her entirely unapologetic style of comedy to Stamford to the venue on Friday 27th October as part of her new Triple Threat touring show. n For more information see stamfordcornexchange.co.uk.

In Brief RUTLAND

Hambleton Bakery enjoys success in National Bakery Awards

RUTLAND Rutland MP Alicia Kearns has helped to secure a £75m government investment in local schools, ensuring funding in education will be increased to the highest level in history by 2024/5. “We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful schools locally!” she said. n LOCAL NEWS

£75m investment

Hambleton Bakery’s head baker and co-founder Julian Carter travelled down to London recently to collect the company’s National Bakery Country Award from the Bakery Business Magazine Awards ceremony. The business narrowly missed out on the regional win this year, but Julian and the team say they are still super proud of the company having recently opened their seventh premises in St Ives, created a new café area at the bakery’s original site and created a purpose-built bakehouse near the A1 to meet demand in 2022. n

STAMFORD

RUTLAND

STAMFORD

Duke of Gloucester visits Rutland

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER HAS PAID A VISIT TO THE COUNTY

HRH The Duke of Gloucester was welcomed to Rutland by Lord-Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness last month. Having last visited Rutland in 2021, His Royal Highness travelled to sites of significant local interest at Ryhall, South Luffenham and Ketton.

The visit began at Ryhall Hall, a Grade II* Listed building and private home and after learning about Ryhall Hall’s medieval, Elizabethan and Jacobean history, the Duke was escorted to the nearby St John’s Church by Reverend Jo Saunders. While at the Church, His Royal Highness was introduced to Wardens Win Peck and Marion Taylor, before hearing about restoration work and future renewal projects being led by Dr Sandra McCune.

From St John’s Church, His Royal Highness was escorted to the Green Dragon

LOCAL NEWS

In Brief

OAKHAM CASTLE COTTAGE CAFÉ TO BECOME A PERMANENT FEATURE

Members of Rutland County Council have approved the permanent use of Oakham Castle as a café. It follows Castle Cottage Café’s move from Church Street to the castle back in 2021. The café is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 8.30am-4pm.

n See www.castlecottagecafe.com.

Public House, to see its medieval vaulted beer cellar, and to family-owned logistics and warehousing company CS Ellis, celebrating its 90th year in business.

With a fleet of more than 60 vehicles and 500,000sqft of warehousing, the CS Ellis Group is one of Rutland’s largest employers, with around 280 staff.

Rutland’s Ready for Reading

CHILDREN ENJOYING A SUMMER OF READING ACTIVITIES THANKS TO RUTLAND’S LIBRARIES...

The Duke was invited to view a private collection of vintage vehicles, including Rutland’s first registered car, alongside a new state-of-theart truck. n

Libraries across Rutland have been taking party in ‘Ready, Set, Read,’ a series of summer reading challenges for children aged four to 11.

Youngsters were invited to visit Rutland Libraries to join a superstar team and their marvellous mascots and get involved in a Summer Reading Challenge themed around the power of play, sport, games and physical activity.

Taking part in the scheme are Oakham, Ryhall, Ketton and Uppingham libraries.

The scheme has been running since 1999 and in 2022 it reached 723,184 children and families across the UK. n

RUTLAND

RUTLAND

Image: Emma-Kate Wyrley Birch, CS Ellis.

BURLEY ON THE HILL £2,650,000

A stunning substantial contemporary country home set in a one of the most sought-after parts of Rutland enjoying open views over parkland to Burley House. The property offers extensive, stylish accommodation appointed to the highest standard and includes Gym, indoor heated Swimming Pool, Games Room and Cinema Room. The property offers accommodation extending to over 10,000 square ft arranged over three levels. Energy Rating: C.

EXTON GUIDE PRICE £895,000

Substantial detached family residence set within a well-regarded village on an established plot of approximately 1/3 of an acre and surrounded by beautiful wrap-around gardens. Sitting Room, Family Room, Conservatory, Dining Room, Breakfast Kitchen, Utility, Cloakroom/WC, 4 Large Double Bedrooms, 4 Bath/Shower Rooms, Double Garage, extensive Parking. Energy Rating: C.

GRETTON, RUTLAND OFFERS OVER £800,000

A superb Barn Conversion offering spacious and flexible accommodation with a wealth of character features and enjoying views over the Welland Valley. Reception Hall with winged staircase and minstrels' gallery, Dining Kitchen/Family Room, Utility, Garden Room, 4 Dbl Bedrooms, all with en-suite Bath/Shower Rooms, feature Living Area and Reading Area; Dbl Garage, Gym with Home Office above, ample off-road parking and Courtyard Gardens. Energy Rating: D.

BRAUNSTON OFFERS OVER £570,000

A delightful character property set on a select development of seven mews-style houses set in the heart of a fine conservation village. The well-proportioned and tastefully appointed accommodation sympathetically combines period features and charm with modern highquality fixtures and fittings. Sitting Room, Conservatory, open-plan Kitchen/Diner, Clkrm/WC, Master Bedroom with en-suite Shower Room, 2 further dbl Bedrooms, Bathroom. Single Garage, Parking, Mature, Private Garden. Energy Rating: E.

STAPLEFORD OFFERS OVER £549,950

Completely renovated and refurbished Grade II listed thatched cottage situated adjacent to Stapleford Park Country House Hotel and overlooking picturesque parkland. The property is believed to date from early 1700s and originally formed a part of a row of eight cottages which were converted into four in 1992. Open-plan Living Room & Dining Room, Breakfast Kitchen, WC, 3 double Bedrooms, one of them with ES Shower Room, Bathroom. Energy Rating: D.

GLASTON £370,000

An attractive two-bedroom semi-detached Grade II listed cottage with a garden room/studio and pretty cottage gardens set in a picturesque village location. The property retains much of its period charm while having been much improved to include a new roof, a refitted Kitchen, a luxury Bathroom and a green oak Conservatory. EPC Exempt.

NEW PRICE

Guide Price £1,150,000

Guide Price £1,250,000

Mill Lane, Caldecott

Riverbanks is an individually designed and spacious, six-bedroom village home offering flexible accommodation, and sitting on a generous plot on the bank of the River Eyebrook with approximately three acres of paddock land at the edge of the popular village of Caldecott.

Offers in Excess of £1,000,000

Top Street, Wing

A substantial, Grade II listed, five-bedroom home that has been beautifully presented with the elegant proportions and original features adding period charm. Sitting on a wonderful, half acre plot with exquisite gardens, the property is positioned in a private spot at the heart of one of Rutland’s most sought-after villages.

Offers in Excess of £600,000

Oakham Road, Braunston

Otters Holt, built and finished to a high specification, is a modern, fivebedroom ironstone village home offering flexible and expansive accommodation complete with a well-established, south-facing garden and sitting in one of the county’s most sought-after villages.

Barmstedt Drive, Oakham

A beautifully-presented, five-bedroom detached home with light-filled accommodation throughout, double garaging and ample off-road parking, all well-located within easy walking distance of Oakham town centre.

Defender Burghley Horse Trials

Images by Peter Nixon: Peter is an international Freelance Equestrian Photographer, who has covered four Olympics and will be going to Paris next year. He provides editorial and commercial images to the leading players in the industry as well as private individuals and is the Horse Trials’ official photographer. See nixonphoto.co.uk.

THE DEFENDER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS returns to the parkland of Stamford’s Elizabethan stately home this month, with another three rounds of competition designed to test the skill of both horse and rider at the most demanding, world-class level.

For 20 years, one of the most high-profile competitors in the event has been Zara Tindall. The rider’s first Burghley, in 2003, was one of the most impressive top-level debuts in modern sport. Aged just 22, she and her big chestnut equine partner, Toytown, blasted round the huge cross-country track like a tornado, coming across the finishing line a staggering 23 seconds under the optimum time.

It’ll go down as being one of the most memorable events in the history of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, a fixture of which Zara and her parents are clearly very fond.

“Burghley is one of my favourite events,” Zara says. “My father was the cross-country course-designer for many years and he won it on Maid Marion in 1973, two years after my mother won her European Championship title here on Doublet, which was owned by my grandmother, the late Queen. It’s been a special place for my family and of course I would love to win it myself.”

Those watching in 2003 will always remember the ease with which they shot round Burghley’s unique, testing undulations and over the demanding fences. Zara’s experience in the racing world showed: she rode with long reins and in a forward seat, utterly trusting Toytown, who had taken Zara from her Pony Club days to the greatest event in the world.

Burghley’s Best Brands

Some of the country’s best brands sponsor the Burghley Horse Trials, such as Defender, Rolex, Boodles, Joules, LeMieux, Holland Cooper, Fairfax & Favor, Pol Roger, Agria, Ariat and Dubarry.

“In his younger years Toytown was a nightmare to hack out and ride,” remembers Zara. “He had a lot of attitude and personality; he was a very expressive, exuberant character. He loved showing off, but he was a redhead at heart. He was really tricky, but he loved his job and loved a crowd, which at a major event was fantastic because he upped his game.”

“We came up the levels together and had the most amazing partnership. I shall never forget that feeling he gave me across country.”

“I remember that first Burghley and my father giving me such stick for being so far inside the time. I told him I didn’t have any choice in the matter; Toytown was pulling my arms out at the end! I loved Burghley and I loved having him there. That was where he was meant to be, that was his big stage,” Zara says.

Zara and ‘Noddy,’ as Toytown was known at home, went into the final show jumping phase at Burghley that weekend in the lead.

But the fairy-tale didn’t quite happen. They hit one jump to a loud groan from the excitable crowd and dropped to second. They hadn’t quite pulled off what would have been a historic win; Zara is the only rider whose parents, Mark Phillips and HRH The Princess Royal have both won Burghley; Mark in 1973 and the Princess Royal in 1971. >>

Above: Zara Tindall on Class Affair at the 2022 Burghley Horse Trials.

Above/Right: Last year’s winner, Piggy March.

>> But it was an eye-catching performance that they then used as a springboard to securing the European Championship title in 2004 and the World Championship in 2006. And, in a way, it was the right result. The outstanding British competitor Pippa Funnell, one of Zara’s sporting mentors, won Burghley 2003 as a result of Zara’s pole down, and became the first ever rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing (the Kentucky Three-Day Event in the USA, the Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley consecutively); “Pippa still owes me!” laughs Zara.

In the intervening years between Burghley 2003 and Burghley 2023, Zara has married the World Cup-winning rugby player Mike Tindall and they have had three children together. Mia, Lena and Lucas are often pictured at horse trials with Zara and Mike; eventing is a very family-friendly sport.

It’s a really sociable event for visitors too, and some who visit Burghley enjoy the fixture without ever seeing a single horse.

TEA & THE TROT UP...

A new way to enjoy Defender

Burghley Horse Trials in 2023

Brand new for Burghley in 2023, Tea & The Trot Up is a way to capitalise on the frisson of excitement as this year’s fit, gleaming contenders are presented to the Ground Jury by their stylishly dressed riders. This year, 100 guests can watch the Trot Up from inside the Main Arena, whilst enjoying a first-class Champagne cream tea, and expert insights on this year’s event from Captain Mark Phillips, a former Burghley winner and Burghley cross-country course-designer for many years. Tea & The Trot Up will also include a tour of five key fences on this year’s cross-country course, in groups of no more than 25 with Captain Mark Phillips, plus former winner Jane Holderness-Roddam.

n Tea and the Trot Up costs £300/head and is limited to 100 places, no entrance ticket needed, book online at www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

With 600 trade stands and a keen social scene, the event is both World Class sporting fixture and country show, celebrating the best of rural life with the very best shopping and socialising with Champagne courtesy of sponsor Pol Roger.

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials is one of just seven events worldwide with the very highest five-star classification, meaning the skill of horse and rider cannot be overstated.

Last year saw the debut of course designer Derek di Grazia who is presiding over a subtle evolution of the course once again this year.

Despite having its origins in 1961, a 21st century Burghley Horse Trials now means a dedicated TV channel, live-streaming the event to the world, and a site covering 530 acres. 20 acres alone are concentrated around a central ‘village’ with the relocation of the entire Horse Trials team, normally based in a dedicated office just off Barnack Road, into temporary digs in the heart of the event. The team is so busy that key sponsor Defender (one of three new sub-brands for Land Rover) lends the team about 50 vehicles to get around the site.

For Stamford, too, the event is a terrific source of pride, even if it does see more than 170,000 visitors descending on the town. The Burghley Horse Trials is worth about £20m to the local economy, with local hotels and restaurants booked out a year in advance and many local businesses benefiting greatly from the huge footfall around the town. Spring saw Zara and Class Affair achieving their best result to date at Kentucky in the spring, although their appearance at this year’s Badminton was scuppered by a family function… well, we say family function, it was her uncle, King Charles III’s coronation. Happily though, Zara was one of the first of around 80 entries for this year’s Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

“I’m going to try to get past fence seven this time!” she jokes. “Class Affair has got so much scope and if I can keep his concentration, he should suit Burghley really well.” n

Course designer Derek di Grazia and Event Director Martyn Johnson.

KEEPING UP-TO-DATE with BURGHLEY TV & BURGHLEY RADIO

If you can’t attend every day of Burghley in person, watch all the action, enjoy great interviews and see behind-the-scenes features on Burghley TV, presented by racing’s Nick Luck and Rosie Tapner....

With so much happening at The Defender Burghley Horse Trials, and the fact that you can only be in one place at once, it’s easy to miss some of the action. Alternatively, you may just want to relive some of the highlights of this year’s Burghley after the event. Happily, last year saw the debut of Burghley TV for just that reason!

Burghley TV combines uninterrupted live-streamed footage of this most prestigious CCI5*-L event with expert commentary, analysis and behind-the-scenes footage plus interviews from seasoned eventing reporters Nick Luck and Rosie Tapner.

EVENTING: Dressage, show jumping, cross country...

Three Day Eventing is a comprehensive test of the all-round ability of the horse and rider, comprising Dressage, Cross Country and Jumping phases...

n The Dressage phase of the Three Day Event tests the basic training of the horse, whilst helping him to develop an improved posture for carrying a rider and testing his obedience and calmness.

n The most popular and the most demanding of the three disciplines is Cross Country. With over four miles of course and 30 fences, visitors can get close to the action at Burghley on Saturday.

n Held on the Sunday of the Event, Jumping is the final element of the competition and the course at Defender Burghley is designed by International Course Designer Paul Connor.

The Concours Complete International (CCI) is the competition rating for eventing, Burghley’s CCI5*-L is the highest level of competition, suitable for horses and riders with a good deal of experience and success in international competition.

Other CCI5*-L events include Badminton and Kentucky which together with Burghley constitute the ‘grand slam’ of eventing.

As well as all the live action of Defender Burghley; from the first horse inspection on 30th August to the final prize-giving on 3rd September, Burghley TV includes an exclusive preview of the cross-country course with Derek di Grazia, plus interviews with last year’s winner Piggy March.

The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final will also be live-streamed and Burghley TV also features a comprehensive library of historic Defender Burghley Horse Trials footage, stretching back to 1990.

You can also stay in the loop whilst enjoying the Defender Burghley Horse Trials with BHT Radio, which broadcasts on 87.7fm with live audio commentary plus podcasts from Wednesday’s Trot-up to the conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

n A year-round subscription to Burghley TV costs £20, and gives you access to hours of footage from past events, see www.burghley-horse.co.uk/burghley-tv.

THE HISTORY OF THE BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS...

The Burghley Horse Trials arrived in Stamford in 1961 through serendipity. A previous competition at Harewood House was cancelled in 1961 due to an outbreak of Foot & Mouth, so the 6th Marquess of Exeter David George Brownlow Cecil offered the use of the parkland of Burghley House to the British Horse Society, and the rest is history.

In its second year Burghley ran the FEI’s European Championship. It went on to host two World Championships (1966 and 1974), six European Championships (1962, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989 and 1997) and one Young Riders European Championship (1978). No other horse trials site has staged as many Championships.

Burghley Horse Trials is one of only seven CCI 5*-L events worldwide and in 2003 a victory at Burghley saw Britain’s Pippa Funnell becoming the first rider to ever win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Andrew Nicholson has completed The Burghley Horse Trials more times than any other rider: 36 times, notching up five wins, five seconds and six thirds.

In 1971, HRH Princess Anne rode at Burghley and took the European Championship title. Captain Mark Phillips also has a long standing association with the event, winning Burghley in 1973 and subsequently becoming its Course Designer. Their daughter Zara Tindall is the only child of two former winners to compete at the event. n

THE DEFENDER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS in Numbers....

£20m It’s estimated that the event is worth £20m to the local economy, with visitors shopping locally, staying in hotels and dining in local restaurants during the event, and providing Burghley’s 600 trade stands with access to a well-heeled market for luxury goods. It’s estimated that 25% of visitors are between 45 and 54 years of age, 75% of attendees are female, and half of visitors earn more than £60,000...

173,000 There are around 173,000 visitors to the event each year, and about 40% of them travel more than two hours to attend.

13,000 The Burghley estate covers more than 13,000 acres, 2,000 acres of which is the main estate. The Horse Trials takes up 530 acres of space including 20 acres for the central ‘village.’ 22,277 metres of tents and marquees are erected to create spaces like the main arena, and trade stands. That’s the equivalent area of 919 tennis courts.

12,000 The first Burghley Horse Trials in 1961 had just 19 competitors and 12,000 spectators attending.

20,000 Over 20,000 ice creams are consumed during the event (subject to the weather!), whilst visitors enjoy 4,800 glasses of Champagne – Pol Roger is a sponsor – and 26 gallons of Pimm’s!

340+ Over 340 horses will take part in the competition, with around 80 competitors. 800 officials and volunteers are responsible for running the cross-country element of the competition, which is usually 6,500m long and comprises 30 obstacles. Over 50 doctors and vets are on hand to ensure the health of riders and horses.

1961 The event has been running since the early 1960s and the most prolific winner is William Fox-Pitt who has taken the top prize six time, (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011).

Eight horses have completed Burghley six times: Watkins (Tanya Cleverly), Smokey VI (Chris Collins and William PowellHarris), Significant (Clare Lewis), Fairfax (Rodolphe Scherer and Heidi Antikatzidis), Happy Times (Sam Griffiths), Armada (Oliver Townend and Andrew Nicholson), Lazy Acres Skip On (Sarah Oliver), Ballincoola (William Fox-Pitt). The youngest horse ever to win Burghley was Merely-A-Monarch, aged six in 1961. The oldest were the 17 year old horses Lenamore (Caroline Powell, 2010) and Vanir Kamira (Piggy March, 2022).

£110,000 The first prize for winning Burghley is £110,000; the most offered in the sport of eventing. The total prize fund is £300,000. n

HRH The Princess Royal on Doublet at Burghley in 1971.

Piggy March...

Piggy March or Georgina March nèe French won Burghley in 2022 and she represented Team GB at multiple World and European Championships. She has also won Badminton in 2019 on Trevor Dickens’ Vanir Kamira, the same horse upon which she rode to victory at Burghley. Piggy and husband Tom March run their eventing yard and stud in Maidwell in Northamptonshire. n See www.piggymarch.com.

Zara Tindall...

Zara Tindall is well-known as the daughter of HRH The Princes Royal, and Captain Mark Phillips, both former Burghley Horse Trials competitors. Her father was a long-standing cross-country course designer, too, until handing over the task to Derek di Grazia in 2022. Last year, Zara competed on Class Affair, achieving a score of 28.4 in the dressage. n

See www.zaratindall.com.

Oliver Townend...

Oliver is the former world number one and is likely to ride three horses at Defender Burghley this year, including his 2017 winner Ballaghmor Class, on whom he took team gold for Britain at the Tokyo Olympics. They will be among the favourites to win again - the 16-year-old grey is the ultimate ‘Burghley horse’ and should be thrilling to watch. n

See www.olivertownend.com.

Alice Casburn...

A true rising star, twenty-one year-old Alice Casburn, who lives in Norfolk, made a brilliant Burghley debut in 2022, finishing fifth on her homebred Topspin. They are back for a second shot at it - watch them eat up the demanding cross-country course with all the exuberance of youth and confidence in their partnership. Alice’s mother Caroline also rode at Badminton. n

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2023...

Provisional Timetable

Wednesday 30th August

4pm First horse inspection.

Thursday 31st August

9am CCI5* Dressage

9.30am LeMieux Pony Club

Team Jumping (House Arena).

Lunch Break Yogi Breisner: Better cross country, without hiring a course.

End of Dressage Dickie Waygood: The right platform for cross country success.

Friday 1st September

9am CCI5* Dressage

9am Dubarry Burghley Young Event

Horse 5 year old Final (House Arena).

12.45: British Breeding Stallion Parade (House Arena).

2pm: Dubarry Burghley Young Event

Horse 4 year old Final (House Arena).

Lunch Break Carl Hester: The road to Grand Prix, featuring superstar equine guest.

End of Dressage Katie Jerram - Hunnable: Changing tack — eventers try side saddle.

Saturday 2nd September

9am Final horse inspection.

11am CCI5* Cross Country.

Sunday 3rd September

9am Final horse inspection followed by Shetland Pony Grand National.

9am FBSPS Topspec Gold Cup Sports Pony Final (House Arena).

10.30 Morning Jumping Session

12 noon SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse HOYS Qualifier.

2pm Band Display.

2.30pm Final Jumping Session - Top 24.

3.30pm Parade of Fox Hounds.

3.45pm Presentation of Prizes.

Find Out More: Defender Burghley Horse Trials takes place from 1st-4th Sept.

Thursday/Friday/Sunday £27/adv.

Saturday £48/adv. Car parking £15/day adv.

Four day admission £93/adv, car parking £50/adv, membership from £350.

See www.burghley-horse.co.uk or call the box office on 01780 752 131. n

What’s On...

STAMFORD

THURSDAY 31st AUGUSTSUNDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER

THE DEFENDER

BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS 2023

Quite probably the best display of horse and rider in harmony anywhere in the country. With over 173,000 visitors over the four days, more than 600 carefully selected exhibitors, an average of 80 of the world’s top competitors and a prize fund of over £300,000, 21st century Burghley Horse Trials is a far cry from the inaugural event, which took place over 60 years ago with just 19 competitors and in front of a mere 12,000 people.

n Burghley House, PE9 3JY. Call 01780 752 131 or see www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

Rutland Food & Drink Week

TAKING PLACE FROM 24th TO 30th SEPTEMBER, THE COUNTY OF GOOD TASTE WILL CELEBRATE THE BEST LOCAL PRODUCERS

RUTLAND

SUNDAY 24th SEPTEMBER

DISCOVER RUTLAND

FOOD & DRINK WEEK

Rutland is known as being ‘The County of Good Taste’ Join Discover Rutland between 24th – 30th September to celebrate the excellent food and drink we have in the county. The event will feature cookery demonstrations, food markets, workshops, themed menus and lots more, culminating in the Rutland Food & Drink Festival in Oakham’s Market Place and Mill Street, organised by Carolyn Acton Events.

n For more information see www.discover-rutland.co.uk.

PETERBOROUGH

FRIDAY 1st SEPTEMBER

- SATURDAY 2nd SEPT

THE EAGLES BY CANDLELIGHT

This epic show features over 20 Eagles favourites including ‘New Kid In Town,’ ‘Life in the Fast Lane,’ ‘Tequila Sunrise’ and ‘How Long.’ Performed at the beautiful Peterborough Cathedral by Candlelight, this euphoric concert promises to be a real feast for your ‘Lyin’ Eyes’ and will ‘Take It to the Limit!’ n From £22.50-£47.40, Peterborough Cathedral, see peterborough-cathedral.org.uk.

GRANTHAM

SATURDAY 9th SEPT

- SUNDAY 10th SEPT

LAND ROVER

INTERNATIONAL SHOW 2023

If muddy tyres and locked differentials leave you weak at the knees and you swoon at this Great British icon of the countryside, join like-minded Landy-lovers and their vehicles, both classic and modern, for a weekend of off-road entertainment.

n Belvoir Castle, NG32 1PE. Organised by Live Promotions, see www.lroshow.com, tickets £16/advance, £25/on day.

ROCKINGHAM

SATURDAY 23rd SEPT

- SUNDAY 24th SEPT

ARTISAN MARKET

Food, drink and crafts return to Rockingham Castle with unique and talented local exhibitors.

n Rockingham Castle, LE16 8TH, rockinghamcastle.com

Delicious afternoon tea at The Wisteria Hotel, Oakham, www.wisteriahotel.co.uk.

Delicious afternoon tea at Wisteria Hotel, Oakham, www.wisteriahotel.co.uk.

LEICESTER

FRIDAY 29th SEPTEMBER -

WEDNESDAY 11th OCTOBER

THE BOOK THIEF

Brand new musical adaptation of the bestselling novel by Markus Zusak. By her brother’s graveside, in 1940s Germany, 12-year-old Liesel steals a book abandoned in the snow – her first act of such thievery. Soon she is stealing from libraries, churches, and book burnings.

But these are dangerous times for a girl with a curious mind. When her foster family hides a Jewish boxer in their cellar, Liesel learns that words are so much more than letters on a page. As the Nazi regime wields words as weapons, Liesel, determined to fight back, picks up her pen and starts to write…

n Tickets from £25, Curve Leicester, call 0116 2423595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk.

Rutland Open Studios

FOR THE 16th YEAR IN A ROW, TALENTED LOCALS ARE INVITING YOU TO EMBARK ON AN ART TRAIL!

STAMFORD

THURSDAY 14th SEPT –

SATURDAY 16th SEPT

GREASE BY STAMFORD SHOWSTOPPERS

Stamford Showstoppers have the pleasure to bring you another amazing musical in the form of Grease, hot on the heels of previous performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Chicago and Cats.

n Stamford Corn Exchange, from 7.30pm, tickets from £17. Call 01780 766455 or see www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

STAMFORD

TUESDAY 19th SEPT

A WALK AROUND THE RECREATION GROUND

Philippa Massey talk at Stamford Arts Centre.

n From 7.45pm, tickets £6, www.stamfordartscentre.com.

RUTLAND

SATURDAY/SUNDAY 9th 10th

SATURDAY/SUNDAY 16th 17th

SATURDAY/SUNDAY 23rd 24th

THE RUTLAND OPEN STUDIOS ART TRAIL 2023

There isn’t a collective noun for a group of artists, so I’ll propose one: a Rutland of artists. And that’s what you’ll see on this years’ Rutland Open Studios Art Trail. The event sees 45 local artists opening up their studios so you can take a closer look at their work, see how they create their paintings, sculptures, blown glass and crafts.

Send your press releases and events to editor@pridemagazines.co.uk

STAMFORD

THURSDAY 28th SEPT

AUTUMN WONDERS IN THE GARDEN

Burghley House invites you to pop on your boots and enjoy a ‘Tour, Talk and Demonstration’ with Burghley’s Head Gardener Joe Whitehead and his team. The day includes flower arranging, soup and sandwiches, a garden tour and talk plus a visit to the garden shop. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the history of the Gardens in autumn, the vast and diverse planting areas, the key autumn highlights plus all the winter tasks and developments planned for the months ahead.

n 11.15am and 3.30pm, meet at the loggia in the orangery, £45/person, pre-booking. See www.burghley.co.uk.

Our aim is to help bring artists and local people together,” says chairperson Julie Wade. “Rutland Open Studios is a flourishing community of artists, crafts people and designer-makers working throughout Rutland and surrounding counties.” “This is the 16th year that artists from Rutland and the surrounding area have opened the doors of their studios and exhibition spaces to the public, to give an insight into the creative processes involved in making art.”

n A programme detailing the artists participating is available at www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk.

Boxing hares by www.andreanaylor.co.uk.

THE BOOK THIEF

September sees the most extraordinary story come to Curve Theatre as The Book Thief, the novel by Markus Zusak’s which has sold over 17m copies, is transformed into an epic and exhilarating live production…

Words: Rob Davis.

GOOD THEATRE leaves an audience engaged, but great theatre leaves an audience exhilarated. A new adaptation of Markus Zusak’s best-selling novel The Book Thief, coming to Curve Theatre in Leicester this month, will prove to be a truly epic performance that leaves theatregoers uplifted.

Its Director Lotte Wakeham couldn’t be more thrilled with the response that the production has enjoyed so far, and she is full of praise especially for the production’s young cast members as they combine acting, singing and dancing, but also engage with the production’s sometimes dark subject matter.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful source material,” says Lotte. “Set in Nazi Germany in 1940, it’s not an obvious setting for uplifting musical theatre, but over the course of the production we come to appreciate the power of words and we see the world from the perspective of its young protagonist Liesel.”

Markus’s story sees illiterate pre-adolescent Liesel abandoned by her parents as they flee persecution and their daughter is fostered by Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Whilst adapting to her new home, and having just buried her brother, Liesel steals one of several books and becomes fascinated by the power of words.

Her foster parents also conceal Jewish boxer Max, who befriends Liesel and teaches her to love language, leading the youngster to begin writing a manuscript of her own to process her experience of life under the Nazi regime.

“Probably half of the audience are familiar with the story already, and many more are unfamiliar with the story itself but are fans of Jodi Picoult who has co-adapted the book for the stage alongside Timothy Allen McDonald,” says Lotte. >>

Main: Director Lotte Wakeham is bringing Markus Zusak’s best-seller The Book Thief to Curve Theatre from Friday 29th September to Saturday 14th October.

>> “We’ve seen many families, too, with secondary-school aged youngsters who have been studying the Second World War and can relate to Liesel’s age. They develop a great empathy for the way such a young person processes and come to terms with the trauma that’s unfolding around her.”

“I think there’s an important message for youngsters, too, in the fact that words can have such power and can be used in many ways, from disseminating everything from propaganda to positive messages.”

The Book Thief’s stage debut at the Octagon, Bolton, in Autumn 2022 was a sell-out production, commanding standing ovations and tears from the audience.

It sees three youngsters aged between 10 and 14 each taking turns to play Liesel and three more playing her on-stage confidant, Rudy.

Since then, and on the back of audience engagement, the production has been given a few tweaks and refinements to ensure that when it comes to Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre in early September, then Leicester’s Curve Theatre from Friday 29th September to Saturday 14th October, it promises to inspire an even greater response.

Alongside a strong story plus a great adaptation, its talented cast of youngsters and its ensemble of 18 adults, the production’s 20 musical numbers have been written by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel whose

previous work includes creating music for Apple TV and Disney productions.

“It’s a big soundscape commensurate with the power of the story,” says Lotte. “There are some epic musical textures with inventive lyrics and melodies.”

“And the creative team has been just as inventive with the stage too, with big set pieces, period-accurate details and the use of puppetry and video all incorporated into the design too. We’ve also played with the use of colour as a narrative metaphor using hues like inky blue to represent writing.”

“I’m thrilled to be part of the team which is bringing the story to the stage, and I’m thrilled that as more and more audiences see it, the story will become even more familiar.”

I think we all have West End aspirations for the production, but we’re also really looking forward to bringing it to Curve Theatre.”

“I’ve had the joy of directing at the theatre before, including Sweet Charity in 2015, so I know the team are really very dedicated and committed to ensuring audiences enjoy the very best productions.”

“I’ve been back to the theatre a number of times since, and it has always been a pleasure. I think we’ll all be thrilled to bring The Book Thief to Curve this autumn and we hope that our audiences will be as proud of the production as we are!”

n

“I think there’s an important message for youngsters, too, in the fact that words can have such power and can be used in many ways, from disseminating everything from propaganda to positive messages.”

15-year old Bea Glancy as Liesel, Pamela Raith Photography. In Lotte’s production at Leicester Curve Theatre, the character will be performed by Tilly-Raye Bayer, Mollie Casserley and Erini Louskou.

AUTUMN 2023 at CURVE THEATRE

TUESDAY 19th SEPT - SATURDAY 23rd SEPT FRANTIC ASSEMBLY’S METAMORPHOSIS

One morning Gregor Samsa awakes to find himself changed. To those around him he is dangerous, untouchable vermin. Worse than that, he is a burden. This promises to be an unmissable retelling of Franz Kafka’s shocking tale of cruelty and kindness. n

TUESDAY 17th OCTOBER - SATURDAY 21st OCTOBER SHREK THE MUSICAL

Based on the Oscar winning DreamWorks film, the Broadway and West End smash hit Shrek the Musical is a fun filled and hilarious musical comedy with a cast of vibrant characters and a ‘shrektackular’ score. n

MONDAY 23rd OCTOBER - SATURDAY 28th OCTOBER GREATEST DAYS

Relight Your Firewith this sensational new production of Take That’s smash hit musical Greatest Days, featuring more than 15 record-breaking Take That songs. The musical follows five boy band-obsessed best friends in the 1990s, who reunite over 20 years later to see their heartthrobs one last time in what could be theGreatest Daysof their life. n

MONDAY 27th NOVEMBER - SATURDAY 13th JANUARY EVITA: A CURVE PRODUCTION

This year, Nikolai Foster directs an unmissable new Made at Curve production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical, Evita. Eva Duarte, a child born into poverty, follows her dreams of becoming an actress. only to break new ground and became the most powerful woman in Latin America. n

n Curve Theatre is based on Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB. Call 0116 242 3595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk.

STAMFORD DIVINE ARCHITECTURE in

Stamford was so important during the medieval era as a centre of the country’s wool trade that by the time it gained its town charter in 1256, it had six monasteries and 14 churches... an unusual number for a town of its size!

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

All Saints’ Church, Red Lion Square...

LOCATED in Red Lion Square, Stamford’s All Saints Church was created on the grounds of an existing building and it’s thought that a church existed on the site going right back to Saxon times. All Saints was originally a satellite church to St Peter’s, but when the latter was considered beyond repair in the 1500s, All Saints became a place of worship for the two amalgamated congregations.

St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Street...

WE CAN THANK a famous Stamfordian, the antiquarian William Stukeley, for saving St Mary’s Church, which is rather a mix of ages and styles. The church was built in the 12th century, the tower in the 13th century and the spire in the 14th century. The latter was in danger of collapse before Stukeley intervened and insisted that it should be repaired in 1741. At the time, Stukeley was a vicar in the town, albeit at All Saints.

St Paul’s, St Paul’s Street...

ST PAUL’S CHURCH can still be seen on St. Paul’s Street. It was in existence by 1152,

and retains some 12th century fabric within its walls. Its parish was amalgamated with that of St George’s. By 1556 it housed the Free Grammar School, and continued to do so until the school, now called Stamford School, had new buildings constructed in 1874. It reverted to use as a chapel for Stamford School in 1930.

St George’s, St George’s Square...

HOME TO STAMFORD’S evangelical Anglican community, St George’s was also created in the 12th century, but much of what remains of the church dates back to the 13th century or later. The box pews were removed by the Victorians and replaced with chairs and a declaration on the main entrance to the church yard, that all the seats in St George’s are free – in other words, you did not have to pay a pew rent – which was an early egalitarian gesture.

St Martins Church, High Street...

ST MARTIN’S CHURCH was, at one time, a bit of an outsider. That’s because when Stamford was a walled town (from about

1135 to 1461), St Martin’s was outside of the perimeter. For that reason it was part of the Peterborough Diocese, not Lincoln, in 1541 when the former was created. It was returned to the Diocese of Lincoln in 1990. Replacing a 12th century building, St Martin’s current stonework dates from 1485 to 1494.

St John the Baptist, High Street...

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST’S CHURCH is a redundant Anglican church in the centre of the town. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church originated in the 12th century, the rest of the church and was completed in 1451. It was declared redundant in 2003, though more repairs have been carried out since.

Saint Augustine, Broad Street...

STAMFORD’S previous Catholic church was built in 1826 on All Saints Street and was one of just six Catholic chapels in Lincolnshire. This was replaced by a newer church on Broad Street, built in 1862-1864. Prior to this, Catholic worship was undertaken surreptitiously in congregations’ cellars. >>

Main: St George’s Stamford. Left: The church yard of All Saints’ Church. Top: All Saints’ Church.

>> In addition to the churches in Stamford which are still in use, there are a number of other buildings which have been demolished or have been de-consecrated.

St Peter’s Church is located just west of St Peter’s Hill and was mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Stamford’s St Leonard’s

A monastery was founded in Stamford by St Wilfred in 657, later destroyed by the Danes. It was reformed during the Norman invasion and remained until dissolution in 1538. It’s now a Grade I building.

It fell into disrepair in the late 13th century and when its congregation was amalgamated into the parish of All Saints, it was demolished in the mid-1500s. An earlier All Saints’ Church – known as All Saints’ Beyond the Bridge – was amalgamated into St Martin’s Church in 1434, probably coinciding with the extensive renovation and expansion of the church we all now know as All Saints in the 15th century by the Browne family.

St Leonard’s Street in Stamford was originally known as Cornstall Street, and on the site of St Michael Cornstall there was a church which disappeared in the 14th century with its parish amalgamated into St George’s church in 1309. The St Michael’s Church we know today on Maiden Lane was once known as St Michael’s The Greater in order to distinguish it from Cornstall.

Another church may have stood on Star Lane, and was amalgamated into St Michaels’ (The Greater, not Cornstall) in 1566. It’s believed that material from the church upon its demolition was used to repair the town bridge. Another such church jointly administrated with All Saints was St Clement’s, referenced in 1223, on the current site of the Unity Centre. It was probably amalgamated into All Saints in the mid-16th century.

Finally, Victorian and of interest in the town centre are two non-conformist churches; The URC and the Methodist Church, plus the Free Church on Kesteven Road. Stamford also has a medieval chapel in Brown’s Hospital – still used by residents – and an old chapel in the Burghley Alms Houses opposite the George, which is also used as a church office. n

Find Out More: For more information on Stamford’s churches, see www.churchestogetherinstamford.org.uk.

Stamford & Rutland in 1611: John Speed’s Maps...

John Speed was one of the earliest modern cartographers, originally a historian and illustrator of heraldic/genealogical texts. ‘The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine’ (1611, 1616, 1623) attempted to create a map of Britain, and these included a scale of paces for accuracy as well as early representation of topographical features. Five known sets of proofs are thought to remain, created in 1611 prior to the first printing. These are known as the Gardener copies after a former owner and are kept in Cambridge University Library. Maps created by Speed were engraved in reverse on copper plates by Jodocus Hondius from his workshop in Amsterdam. Stamford’s map shows the original town walls whilst a map of Rutland shows the original hundreds/sokes of Oakhamsook, Martinsley and Allstoe. n

Local Schools

Here, we profile some of the best independent schools and colleges, across Rutland & Stamford, offering the very best education the region has to offer...

Lead image: Stamford School.

Stamford Welland Academy

Laxton Junior School

Stamford Welland Academy is a co-educational secondary school with academy status in the heart of Stamford.

The school values the learning that happens in the classroom and what happens outside of the classroom in equal measures to that which happens within.

Beyond the classroom, our students have showcased their talents and passion in various extracurricular activities and have epitomised the Meridian Trust value of ‘Extending the Boundaries of Learning.’

Whether it was on the sports field, in the arts, in the jungle, or through community service, they have exemplified the SWA values of Aspiration, Resilience, and Understanding.

“Their achievements in these areas have been a testament to their well-rounded development and our

unwavering ethos of educating the ‘whole child,’” says headteacher Vicky Lloyd.

“None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering dedication and expertise of our exceptional staff members.”

“They have gone above and beyond to provide quality education, guidance, additional trips, experiences, and support to our students.”

“Their commitment to nurturing the potential within each child is truly commendable, so a big thank you to each and every one of them.”

n If your child is starting secondary school in 2024/25, please come along to our next open evening on Tuesday 19th September at 5:30pm. Please call 01780 761000 to speak to a member of the admissions team or see www.stamfordwellandacademy.org.

Teaching our youngest children is really special. It requires a particular passion and skill…and a desire to enter the amazing world of their imagination. Our small classes and one-to-one approach enable us to get to know each child really well from the outset, building both trust and confidence. We respond to their brilliant ideas and interests, working with them through play to wonder where, what, why and how. We call this the Power of Play because is it through play and without any inhibitions, limitations or expectations, that four-year-old children truly fall in love with learning. This is, without doubt, the strongest possible foundation for their future development.

Supporting this vision for learning is our brand new, state-of-the-art Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) space which opened last year. Working closely with specialist

architects, the existing classrooms have been reimagined to become a dynamic, open plan indoor and outdoor learning space that maximises opportunities for learning through play in all weathers. Sustainability has been central to the development, with the space making use of natural eco-friendly materials, connecting with nature and the environment. We would love to show you around and bring to life our innovative approach to play and child-led learning. Why not join us at our upcoming Open Day, or you can arrange an individual tour – whatever works best for you and your family. Please contact Rachel Waterhouse, Assistant Head Admissions, or see our website for further details.

n Laxton Junior School (part of Oundle School).

W: www.laxtonjunior.org.uk

E: admissions@laxtonjunior.org.uk

T: 01832 277275

Instagram: laxtonjuniorschool

“

Innovative approach to play & child-led learning”

“Where every child is known, valued and supported...”

Copthill School, Stamford

Oakham School

“An outstanding school for pupils aged 10-18...”

There really isn’t another school like Copthill in the area. In an age where parents worry constantly about how much exercise their children are getting, or how addicted to their phones and iPads they are Copthill School, near Uffington, is a perfect solution to those concerns.

It has the most amazing 300acre grounds, which hide the sorts of delights and challenges which will make any child forget Fortnite in an instant.

Whether its building rafts on its gorgeous stretch of the Welland, learning about World War I in a purpose-built trench, or playing all sorts of sports on its astroturf pitch, Copthill provides opportunities for children that inspire their imaginations and kick-starts a passion for learning.

But it’s not just about the Forest School, wooden fort,

farm with live animals, outdoor kitchens and any other number of other outdoor marvels. Academic attainment and Copthill’s indoor educational resources are of an extremely high standard too. There’s a fully kitted out laboratory for science, all the classrooms have state-ofthe-art digital teaching facilities, while music pods and a studio cater for the arts and of course, as you would expect at a school with such a strong health the dinner hall is a bastion of fresh, healthy eating.

The next Open Morning is on Friday 7th October from 9.00am - 11.00am (no need to book) as it’s an informal morning where the Copthill children, will show you their Copthill School.

n Copthill Independent School for children age 2 - 11 Years, Barnack Road, Uffington, Stamford PE9 3AD Tel: 01780 757506 or visit www.copthill.com.

Oakham School is a vibrant co-educational independent boarding and day school for pupils aged between 10 and 18. Founded in 1584, its uniquely structured population of 50:50 boarders and day pupils and 50:50 girls and boys create a genuinely inclusive school community.

Set in the heart of rural England close to Rutland Water, Oakham offers boarding, weekly boarding and day options that fit around busy family life.

Oakham aims to provide an education for children that recognises that these School years are precious and should be joyful, memorable and transformative.

The School combines its exceptional pastoral care with academic excellence and outstanding co-curricular opportunities, underpinned by its core values, to enable its

pupils to flourish at school and long into the future. The connected curriculum means each individual pupil is given the opportunity to excel in what they love the most and experience new things.

Over many years, Oakham School has received national recognition for its outstanding achievements in sport, music, drama and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme. Amongst other sporting accolades, Oakham School’s Rugby 1st XI are reigning Continental Tyres Schools Cup U18 Champions. Above all, Oakham is a welcoming community that values learning and human relationships, the bedrock of a successful and happy life. n Open Events are being held in October and May. For more information and to book a place, please call the Admissions team on 01572 758758 or visit oakham.rutland.sch.uk.

“Curiosity, excitement and desire for 50 years!”

Stamford Schools

Creating happy, rounded and grounded young people…

Lincoln Minster School

Woven into the fabric of the beautiful Georgian town, Stamford Schools offer an outstanding, contemporary education for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.

Founded in 1532, the Schools have an impressive foundation of nearly 500 years of learning, upon which is built a resolute focus on preparing students to lead happy and fulfilling lives in the 21st Century. Despite its long heritage, Stamford is a forward-thinking, vibrant, and distinctly unstuffy environment.

Comprised of a Nursery and Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form, the Schools are dotted around various sites across the town and offer over 60 acres of sports fields, gardens and grounds.

The Schools take pride in developing active, engaged, independent learners.

From their first day children are given opportunities and breadth of experience, which combined gives them an education that develops their ability to think for themselves.

Stamford is one of the top sporting schools in the Midlands, supported by quality teaching and coaching, and investment in sporting facilities, including the newly-opened Wothorpe Sports Centre.

Pastoral care at Stamford is given the highest priority; valuing and supporting each students’ individuality, encouraging personal resilience and equipping children with a toolkit to lead a healthy life. Students leave the Schools a Stamfordian; happy, socially responsible, with a clear sense of self, skills for life and the right qualifications for their next steps.

n Various Open Events are being held this autumn. Visit stamfordschools.org for more details or email admissions@ses.lincs.sch.uk.

Lincoln Minster School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 4 – 18 years. The school includes Preparatory, Senior and Sixth Form teaching as well as an extensive offering of out-of-hours support, activities, and clubs. The school provides an enriched education that consistently creates high achievers with purpose, ambition, and character. The small class sizes provide each student with the attention and individualised nurturing needed to support their development as they reach their full potential.

One of the main priorities for the school is to nurture the academic abilities of their pupils. Their Aspire Programme is designed with this in mind, providing opportunities that aim to extend knowledge and understanding, provide

stimulating and demanding academic challenges, and, ultimately, inspiring students to apply for the most competitive courses at the most prestigious institutions.

The Preparatory school was ranked in the UK top 40 Preparatory Schools (The Times Parent Power Guide 2023) and became a finalist in the national Independent Schools of the Year Awards (2022) for Student Wellbeing. The Senior school’s sports offering was also shortlisted in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards (2022) for Sporting Achievement and ranked in the UK’s top 70 sporting schools, in 2022.

n To find out more, families can book on to a whole school Open Day at the Preparatory and Senior School on the 6th October. Call 01522 551300 or see www.lincolnminsterschool.co.uk

“The best in everyone...”

Roast rack of fallow deer with herb gnocchi, green beans, girolles and poached blackberries £22.50.

A Fantastic Environment and Brilliant Dishes at The Red Lion, West Deeping

What an absolute pleasure! This month we’re thrilled to add The Red Lion at

West Deeping to a list of our favourite local restaurants, thanks to the talent of Frazer & Emma King who have created a genuinely lovely dining experience...

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

BRILLIANT DINING, a super cosy place, and really really lovely people! Although we do have to issue a note of caution before we go any further. The Red Lion is the most popular name for a pub in the country, with about 530 places sharing the name.

The Red Lion that we’re featuring here is in West Deeping, so make sure you get the right one, because not all of them are created equally. For a start, not all of them are within beautiful limestone buildings, Grade II listed and dating back to at least 1632.

Not all of them are situated in such a friendly village, welcoming children and dogs, families and locals. Not all of them have been treated to a sympathetic refurbishment, reinstating original features and creating cosy wood burners in inglenook fireplaces for those cooler months.

And above all, none of the other Red Lions dotted around Britain have the phenomenally talented Frazer King in the kitchen, or the warm and professional Emma King at front of house.

The two met at The Deepings School and went on to study marine biology and drama respectively. Frazer, however fell into (and then fell in love with) hospitality, working in London and in Norfolk before returning to the area to work as the Head Chef at The Olive Branch, at Paten & Co and at Barnsdale Lodge under its previous owners prior to Covid and furlough.

The dream was always to own a pub or restaurant of his own, but lockdown afforded the chance for the couple to consider it more seriously and look for potential businesses to take on. Lockdown also made Frazer realise that he was spending too much time working too many hours instead of watching his daughters growing up, as children are inclined to do, far too quickly.

The couple wanted somewhere that would be family-friendly and welcoming to locals, in which to offer the kind of well-thought out dishes that would also ensure the place was worth travelling to from Stamford, Oakham, Peterborough and south Lincolnshire.

Happily, in April 2021 the couple found West Deeping’s Red Lion and recognised that it could be a pretty place to create a dining experience whose appeal would go far beyond the appearance of the building itself.

Frazer blitzed the kitchen, creating a place to work, and the couple turned their attention to ripping out old carpets and painting over the oppressive dark walls with fresh neutral shades, allowing the lovely architecture of the building to show through uninhibited. >>

MEET THE CHEF

FRAZER KING, CHEF PATRON of THE RED LION, WEST DEEPING

Frazer & Emma were raised in The Deepings and Frazer has worked in Edinburgh, London, and Norfolk. Locally Frazer was Head Chef at The Olive Branch and Paten & Co, and he worked at Barnsdale Lodge. The Red Lion at West Deeping is their first solo venture, opening in May 2021. n

Wild goose pastrami and heritage tomatoes on grilled sourdough with wood sorrel £9.

on the MENU

Starters

Sweetcorn soup with chilli and smoked almond relish £7.

Marsh samphire pakora with coriander mayonnaise and wild flowers £8.50.

Wild goose pastrami and heritage tomatoes on grilled sourdough with wood sorrel £9.

Roast pork croquettes with pickled gooseberries, wild garlic capers and scratchings £9.

Steamed Tallington crayfish, pickled fennel and nasturtium salad £8.50.

Main Courses

Smoked beef brisket, celeriac remoulade, grilled Gem lettuce and crispy shallot £20.50.

Grilled pork loin with saffron pickled cabbage, parmentier potatoes and marjoram £19.

Whole baked lemon sole with soy steamed mussels, fermented carrot, sea arrowgrass and chilli £21.50.

Desserts

Blackcurrant jam doughnut with red wine custard and West Deeping honey cream £8.

Dark chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet £8.50.

Charred peaches with balsamic and shaved Berkswell £8.50.

Cheese & Savoury

Eccles cake with Stilton ice cream and port gel £8.

Local cheese selection with crackers & homemade chutney £9/three; £16/six.

“The Red Lion is run by a genuinely lovely family who are truly invested in creating a friendly place to enjoy some really stunning food, prepared with skill, creativity and the best ingredients...”

>> Whilst the building dates back to at least 1632, a first floor was added (and the thatched roof removed, replaced by Collyweston slate) in 1795, then latterly several internal walls were all removed too. This meant that two smaller rooms were consolidated into a brighter, more open-plan environment, and expanded further with the inclusion of the former kitchen with its old brick bread oven and the snug area which was formerly used as the innkeeper’s residence. Happily the couple were also able to uncover and restore an old inglenook fireplace which is now the beating heart of the bar, adored by customers in the winter months.

Customers can dine in the bar or in the restaurant at the back of the building with its adjacent terrace.

Currently there’s a ‘Picky Bits on the Patio’ menu comprising no fewer than 17 small dishes such as rosemary fries, pork crackling, dressed crab, baked bone marrow and steamed mussels. Those enjoying fresh air on the patio can mix and match these tapasstyle options for sociable dining.

In the autumn and winter, this grazing-style menu will be replaced with a set lunch menu in September with two or three courses for £15 and £22.50 respectively.

Otherwise, the à la carte menu can be enjoyed during both lunchtime and evening service. It’s an absolutely fantastic menu comprising five starters, eight main courses, half a dozen side dishes and four desserts plus options for mini-desserts, ice creams, sorbets and cheese. Butchery is sourced from Owen Taylors or Grasmere Farm, fish is delivered daily,

NB: This is a sample menu, and featured dishes are subject to availability and change.

Marsh samphire pakora with coriander mayonnaise and wild flowers £8.50.

Blackcurrant jam doughnut with red wine custard and West Deeping honey cream £8.

Whole baked lemon sole with soy steamed mussels, fermented carrot, sea arrowgrass and chilli £21.50.

Hambleton Bakery provides bread, whilst honey is supplied by villagers Susanne and Ian Aldred’s hives. Sam Reilly, AKA ‘The Rutland Chef,’ provides speciality ice cream including the Stilton ice cream commissioned by Frazer to serve with his Eccles cakes, which are also baked in-house.

The chef also takes the family out on foraging sorties to gather wild garlic or encourages them to help out in the family’s kitchen garden. A special mention, too, for Custard, Chocolate, Jelly, Buttons, Oreo, Sherbert and Peanut, who lay the restaurant’s eggs and have been very wellnamed by the couple’s daughters.

Frazer & Emma work with Amps wine merchants of Oundle and with local real ale aficionado Nigel of Hopshackle who has created a totally bespoke draft beer, named King Street, exclusively for The Red Lion.

Look out for the return in September of the set lunch menu and for monthly quiz nights, plus Pie & Pint Thursdays, as well as The Red Lion’s quarterly wine dinners in conjunction with Amps. The format for this is a five-course tasting menu with wine pairing, and having visited South America back in June, the next two destinations are Australasia on September 13th then France on 6th December.

If we’ve done our job properly, the images should demonstrate the style and thoughtful composition of each dish, but what they won’t convey is the exceptional flavours. You’ll have to visit for the full experience, and you should definitely do so at your earliest opportunity, because you’ll find that The Red Lion is the friendliest, nicest and most enjoyable place to enjoy fabulous food and a warm welcome, from a genuinely lovely family! n

The Red Lion at West Deeping

The Pitch: “Local, fresh and sustainable food and drink with friendly-family service courtesy of Frazer & Emma King. Ingredients sourced within 30 miles where possible. Beautiful Grade II listed 17th century pub restaurant.”

Opening Hours: 12 noon to 11pm Wednesday to Saturday (kitchen 12 noon to 2.30, 5pm to 9pm) and Sunday 12 noon to 6pm (kitchen 12 noon to 3pm).

The Red Lion, King Street, West Deeping, PE6 9HP. Call 07421 977661 or see www.theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk

Dark chocolate mousse with raspberries and raspberry sorbet £8.50.

'Where

Combine'

In the KITCHEN

A traditional favourite that’ll satisfy when served with clotted cream or really good custard... we recommend homemade jam and homemade custard/crème Anglaise, but we’d still use ready-made pastry!

BAKEWELL PUDDING

Preparation Time: 30 minutes. Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes. Serves: Eight people.

1 sheet of ready-made shortcrust pastry, e.g.: Jus-Rol • 3 tablespoons good quality raspberry jam

100g unsalted butter, softened • 100g caster sugar • 2 large free free-range eggs • 100g ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon almond extract • 25g flaked almonds • Icing sugar, for dusting • Good quality custard

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 9-inch round baking dish. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit the size of your baking dish. Line the dish with the pastry, ensuring it reaches up the sides. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the pastry base. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the ground almonds and almond extract until well combined. Pour the almond mixture over the raspberry jam layer in the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top of the mixture. Place the Bakewell pudding in the preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Once baked, remove the pudding from the oven and allow it to cool in the dish for a few minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, dust the Bakewell pudding with icing sugar for an extra touch of sweetness. Slice and serve the Bakewell pudding on its own or with really good quality or home made custard and fruit like raspberries or redcurrants. n

A new local gin that’s been 75 years in the making!

Brand new trio of flavoured gins pays homage to Fred & Ivy, and to 75 years of Gates Garden Centre...

As this edition of Pride goes to press, Cold Overton’s Gates Garden Centre will be celebrating its 75th anniversary and as part of its Family Fun Weekend there will be an official launch for its new 1948 range of three flavoured gins, each inspired by founders Fred & Ivy Gates and by English country garden botanicals. Apple & Pear, Viola & Lemon Thyme and Raspberry & Lavender flavours blend beautifully with a floral juniper base. The 1948 range is available at Gates Garden Centre’s 12,000ft2 farm shop, which opened in 2019. 40% ABV n £37.99 / 70cl; £16.99 / 20cl. www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk.

The Wine Cellar

THIS MONTH WE’RE CELEBRATING A NEW TRIO OF LOCAL SPIRITS, WE’VE ALCOHOL-FREE WINES AND A MIDSUMMER SPIRIT FLAVOURED WITH RHUBARB AND CITRUS...

KEEP A CLEAR HEAD: A trio of alcohol-free wine to enjoy...

Matarromera Group is well known for Spanish wine from its 160 hectares vines. Win is alcohol-free, 12-month oakaged and with cherries and blackberries on the palate, £7.53 / 72cl / 0% ABV.

A well-produced Muscat wine with fresh apple, peach and citrus notes and just a bit of acidity. Muscat de Alejandria grapes ensures it has a plump and rounded grapey flavour, and it’s also low on calories, £8.99 / 75cl / 0% ABV.

Created using Müller Thurgau and Merlot, Wild Idol is an alcohol-free rosé that’s vegan, gluten-free and low calorie. Blessed with aromatic peach notes and lots of bubbles! £29.99 / 75cl / 0% ABV.

Spirit of the Month

Amaro Santoni, Florence, Tuscany, £29.87 / 50cl / 16% ABV

If you’re enjoying the later summer sunshine in the garden, we’ll direct you to this super aperitif, born in Florence. Its recipe was devised by its namesake Amaro in 1961 to a recipe that proved unique and popular. Created with rhubarb, it’s infused with undertones of citrus, of olive leaves and iris among 34 botanicals, too. With its moderate alcohol content of 16%, it is ideal for savouring in a versatile manner day or night. Enjoy with tonic water, with Prosecco or as a negroni cocktail. n Purchase from www.amarosantoni.com or good independent merchants.

Liquid Engineering for Social Occasions

Wasn’t there a brand of car engine oil which claimed its products were ‘liquid engineering?’ Well, then, this whimsical organic gin must be liquid engineering for social occasions! Beyond its novel packaging in a mock oil can, it was, we think, the first gin to be guaranteed 100% organic. Produced in Alta Langa, Italy, it has sage and lemon botanicals plus licorice root and damask roses. Guaranteed to make any occasion run smoothly! n

£25 / 50cl / 42% ABV, www.engine.land

n Our featured wines are available from the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.

HOME & GARDEN

A beautiful and deceptively large property with a very pretty garden. This month we’re exploring a country home in one of Rutland’s most sought-after villages, Wing. It’s the family home of Jillie & John Lord...

Words: Rob Davis.

THE DETAILS

Wingwell Farm, Wing, Rutland

Location: Wing, with Uppingham 3.3 miles, Oakham 5.5 miles.

Provenance: Five bedroom Grade II listed family property, former smallholding sitting on half an acre, dating back as far back as 1500s.

Rooms: Three reception rooms, currently arranged as living room, sitting room and reception room. Ground floor bedroom suite with en suite and dressing room.

Guide Price: £1,250,000.

Find Out More: James Sellicks, Market Place, Oakham LE15 6DT 01572 724 437, www.jamesellicks.com.

A LOT OF TALENT has been invested in this month’s featured property, situated on Top Street in the Rutland village of Wing. It’s a community of about 300 people, and Jillie & John Lord both reckon it’s the friendliest they’ve ever lived in.

The place has only had three owners in the past 120 years and was a smallholding and plant nursery spanning about eight acres before being divided up into three plots including this one, which covers about half an acre.

Prior to Jillie & John’s custodianship of the property its previous owners were John and Rose de Jardin, Rose was for a number of years the county organiser of the National Gardens Scheme in Rutland. Rose & John were responsible for designing and landscaping the beautiful gardens which surround the property on all sides, and a variety of seating and lawned areas with wellestablished planting creating the most exquisite, peaceful, and private outdoor space to enjoy through all the seasons.

The property has three reception rooms currently arranged as a living room, sitting room and reception room/study.

Top/Main: The property’s three reception rooms are arranged as a living room, sitting room and reception room/study.

A garden room extension to the east of the property has a large open kitchen diner, replacing the previous kitchen located in the main hall complete with a hand well pump for water supply. The original property’s thatched roof had to be replaced with Collyweston slate and the wiring and plumbing have all been updated.

John’s background is in agriculture, advising global clients on the use of agricultural technology. His ambition is to help farmers with the use of technology to sustainably increase yields whilst respecting nature and the countryside. Meanwhile Jillie is a ‘Jillie-of-all-trades’ and can count among her talents photography, design and a penchant for creating decorative paint finishes for her design clients.

Jillie & John have refurbished Wingwell Farm throughout during their tenure and Jillie has recently given the vaulted kitchen

a fresh look with a two-tone scheme of Cornforth White and Downpipe Grey. The cabinetry is topped with granite surfaces, and there’s a newly installed Aga in a ‘Pearl Ashes’ colourway, plus premium appliances and a boiling water tap.

On the property’s ground floor there’s a large living room with inglenook fireplace complete with wood burning stove and stairs down to a cellar. A separate sitting room has a wood burning stove, and there’s a further reception room currently used as John’s study, whilst Jillie’s study is adjacent to the ground floor bedroom with its en suite, dressing room and French doors opening out onto the garden.

Throughout the ground floor there are plenty of period features from lovely wonky beams and low ceilings to period windows and exposed stonework. >>

>> The first floor has four bedrooms plus a family bathroom. The ground floor suite, Jillie says, is handy as it sees them residing in the opposite wing of the house to the five noisy children and now grand children in the family. Other bonus spaces for those with plenty of family clutter include a utility room for laundry, plus a stone shed for bikes, balls and barbecues.

“It does look like a pretty little cottage from the outside, but people are always surprised by just how much space there is here,” says Jillie. “It’s a really well-thought out layout too as you’re never on top of each other, but there’s still plenty of space to come together as a family.”

“The property is lovely and we fell in love with it immediately when we saw it. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and we’ve been really lucky. The alliums in the spring and lavender and agapanthus are stunning in summer, sitting in the garden listening to running water is lovely. The water feature runs some 120 feet, located at the side of the property combines with an established pond that home newts and frogs. It’s great to just enjoy the garden, soak up the sound and find yourself at one with the place.”

“We’re seeking to move to Uppingham, but we’re really going to miss the place. We’d love to just pick the house up and take it with us. It’s been a really great family home.” n

n Main Street, Empingham Guide Price: £2,250,000.

Tastefully modernised manor house including a separate cottage in Empingham, renovated from 2003. Three receptions currently arranged as living kitchen/diner, sitting room and entertaining room. Savills Stamford. Call 01780 484696 or see www.savills.com.

n Rutland Terrace, Stamford Guide Price: £1,375,000.

Grade II, Regencyperiod property with an abundance of original features and flexible living accommodation across four floors. Courtyards to front and rear. Summer house, workshop, double garage. King West, Stamford. Call 01780 484520 or see kingwest.co.uk.

n First Drift, Wothorpe Guide Price: £2,500,000.

Strath Isla is a modern, exceptionally well designed property on Wothorpe’s Second Drift. Multiple reception rooms including lounge with log burner, dining room, cinema/games room. Five bedrooms and five bathrooms. Nest Estates, Stamford. Call 01780 238110 or see www.nestestates.co.uk.

A passion for horses and homes

A few years ago, my husband made a serious mistake. Thinking a surprise weekend riding across Exmoor was an innocuous treat, he badly miscalculated the impact two days in the saddle would have on his wife and the family budget.

Nevertheless, the riding bug was re-kindled, leading to a move of house (to one with land) and subsequent purchase of a magnificent stead. Whilst the financial implications of owning a horse are clear, it was not all bad, as not only did my re-found hobby significantly enhanced my life, but it has also helped me to become a better buyer of equestrian properties.

How does my experience help clients?

A good property finder will use their contacts to unearth potential properties; sometimes by looking at the open market with different eyes (‘Could that caravan park become equestrian?’) and at other times unearthing off-market opportunities. They will also preview properties to save their clients’ time and carry out suitable due diligence on a property before money is exchanged.

Applying personal experience as a rider adds to this level of professionalism and brings a personal touch and understanding that often proves to be invaluable. Examples of this include questioning the positioning of a stable block sited on a hill 300 yards away from the house which would be far from ideal in the depth of winter, or the paddocks that were set away from the house as horsey people often like to look at their horses grazing.

It is this deeper understanding and the ability to, for example, consider the state of a field’s

divots to assess the level of usage and drainage or appreciating that stabling is from Scotts, as opposed to cheaper manufacturers. Speaking the same language as equestrian buyers, sharing the same passion and understanding that whilst having horses and ponies is a privilege, it is also hard work so the setup needs to be as convenient as possible.

What is a good equestrian property?

Clearly the answer to this will vary from buyer to buyer but a typical desirable equine property will offer 3-10 acres of well drained land, with an adjoining self-contained stable yard and a nice house overlooking the paddocks. Sounds easy enough, but in reality finding the right balance between a decent house and excellent equestrian facilities can be a real challenge. Often or not, wonderful housing for horses is accompanied by a shabby property or conversely, special homes advertised as ‘suitable for equestrian use’ can often amount to a modest paddock and field shelter only suitable for a child’s pony.

There is no doubt about it that ideal equestrian properties, priced sensibly, are a rare find indeed.

Where to find these rare gems?

Consistent with other property searches, Rutland and Lincolnshire often top the shopping list of desirable locations but such properties rarely come onto the market and even those which do, are often exchanged away from the open market.

To increase choice, buyers widen their search to areas such as the beautiful Leicestershire

with its rolling countryside and fabulous hunting. There is also the Vale of Belvoir, towards Grantham, which is admittedly less popular but perhaps mistakenly so, because the countryside is very pretty and space in the form of land can comes at a reduced premium to the aforementioned locations.

How can Garrington make the difference?

Buyers often approach Garrington frustrated by the lack of stock and needing help to find an elusive property. Experience has shown us, however, that whilst unearthing rare finds is a challenge, carrying out the detailed due diligence, negotiating an acceptable price and managing the often-stressful period between offer and completion is where we add the unexpected value.

Buying an equestrian property is both similar and different to any other home purchases but with a search agent on hand who is both an experienced property buyer as well as a passionate horse woman, the result can form a winning combination.

If you are considering purchasing an equestrian property and would like further information on how Garrington can save you time and money contact Kate Vincent:

Tel. 01780 408377. Email info@garrington.co.uk

Kate Vincent Garrington

www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk

Garrington property finder Kate Vincent describes how her passion for riding helps her provide clients looking for an equestrian property with a more personal and practical service.

Professional Interior Design Service Re-Upholstery and Soft Furnishings

Image: Linwood Fabric

NEUTRAL GROUND

Warm shades and neutral tones to get ready for a cosy autumn, available from the area’s leading interior design studios...

This Page: Colefax & Fowler wallpaper, Bellflower, in blue; Sofa in Ruskin, beige; cushions in Ruskin beige, Delano Fan Edge stone, Minack Check Beige, Brook Stripe blue.

To make the best of these fabrics, seek out one of the county’s leading interior design specialists to create bespoke soft furnishings and decoration for your interiors...

Top: Thistle Weave fabric, Morris & Co, mineral colourway.

Top/Right: Lewis & Wood Doves wallpaper in Topaz.

Right: Delcor sofa, bespoke sizes and fabrics, Chelsea style shown, call 01780 762 579 for an appointment to design your perfect sofa.

White Company of Stamford Cavendish bed linen in white and mink. 800 thread sateen. Duvet cover £180-£225, flat sheet £125-£200, Oxford pillow cases £60-£80. thewhitecompany.com or High Street, Stamford, 01780 769192.

Stamford & Rutland Interiors: Broughtons: Leicester, 0116 2341888,www.broughtons.com. Delcor Interiors: Stamford, 01780 762579, www.delcor.co.uk. Elizabeth Stanhope Interiors: Oakham, 01572 722345, www.elizabethstanhope.co.uk. Hunters of Stamford: 01780 757946, www.huntersinteriors.co.uk. Sarah Harding Interiors: Uppingham, 01572 823389, sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk.

Sophie Allport Witham Console Table, light brown reclaimed pine, ready assembled, 180cm wide, £1,200, www.sophieallport.com.

An Apple a Day

This month sees Stamford Community Orchard Group’s Apple Day take place, with a chance to have your own apples identified and find kindred spirits if you’re keen to help the planet and reduce food miles...

Words: Rob Davis.

IF YOU’VE AN APPLE TREE growing in your garden, it’s time to take a second look at what variety its boughs will yield. Stamford and Rutland are rich in heritage varieties, but with some apples looking quite similar, it’s easy to assume that you’re growing an apple like Braeburn or Cox, rather than one of the area’s more venerable heritage varieties.

Happily, Stamford Community Orchard Group (SCOG) is on hand to provide some insight, and they’re experts to the core. The non-profit making group was founded more than 20 years ago and seeks to promote apples and orchards in the area by setting up community orchards, running workshops and public events, and helping Stamfordians to identify their own apples.

A couple of centuries ago, a great deal of land around Stamford was used for growing apples since the town has good soil. The town’s railway and road connections also provided decent transport links for selling and transporting your apple crop further afield.

With gradual development of the town and with supermarkets demanding more consistent and uniform varieties of fast-growing and sweet apples, though, heritage varieties have long since fallen out of favour.

Stamford Community Orchard Group

Just two varieties of apple, Gala and Braeburn, both natives of New Zealand, make up almost half of British sales. It’s only at an enlightened farmer’s market or possibly on a local Apple Day that most people get to sample some of the flavours and textures that the apple world can offer. By planting your own fruit trees, you can experience new exciting apples and really get creative. There are over 2,500 varieties in the UK and 7,500 varieties worldwide... you could, in fact, eat a different variety, every day, for six years!

SCOG comprises about 50 enthusiasts, and the group looks after its own orchard off the town’s Christ Church Close covering about a quarter of an acre with about 50 trees and 40 varieties. It is also developing a 2-acre orchard at Hudd’s Mill and has helped set up over a dozen community

SCOG holds bi-monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month at The Crown Hotel on All Saints’ Place, for more details on the group see scog.org.uk.

orchards in the area including the Barnsdale community orchard at Rutland Water.

In January the group hosts a wassail event – an ancient ritual to bless the trees and give thanks for their fruit. At the end of April they run an Orchard Blossom Day – whilst this month the group hosts its annual Apple Day. This year the event takes place on Saturday 16th September at Stamford Arts Centre.

The group’s experts are on hand to help identify varieties from your garden either from fruit or a tree’s leaves. They can also offer advice on growing, pruning and conducting grafting fruit trees as well as setting up community orchards.

SCOG also has its own apple press that members of the public can borrow, along with a scratter to press fruit into pulp.

That’s handy, because this year has been good for fruit tree production; we’ve had a warm spring with plenty of summer rain. It takes a fruit tree around five years to yield good fruit, so varieties planted by SCOG a few years ago are just beginning to proliferate an abundant harvest.

Fruit trees can pretty much be planted all year round, but in the winter, they make roots, whilst in the summer, they produce leaves and fruit, so grafting and growing heritage trees based on their workshops means you can plant them in your garden or create an orchard of your own during a mild autumn. If you are trying to establish a fruit tree or two (or more), it’s difficult to overwater them. A bucket of water a day is about right, and watering should continue as the fruit begins to swell. Sunny, sheltered spaces work best, and soil with good draining properties is preferable. Trees should be pruned each year – an entire subject in itself – and once you see a few windfall apples, you can harvest your crop to keep in a cool dark place.

The best orchards are those which are not just designed for fruit growing, but which yield other soft fruit, and have the odd beehive along with areas to sit and enjoy the presence of nature. SCOG’s orchard itself is looking especially lovely, with other fruit bushes planted along the edges of the

site, and areas of grass kept deliberately long to promote biodiversity, with wild flowers proliferating and windfall apples which are left for local wildlife to enjoy. We’re all acutely aware of the need to preserve green spaces in the community, look after trees – the ‘lungs’ of a planet afflicted by climate change – and we’re aware, too, of the perils of food miles and the rising cost of our food.

Given these facts, taking care of our own heritage varieties and choosing to buy British where possible seems to us to make a great deal of sense. And that’s before you consider the importance of preserving Stamford’s heritage, of which its local fruit varieties are very much a part. A community orchard which the whole town can enjoy is a great resource, so we’re happy to recommend going along to the group’s Apple Day this month. After all, when it comes to apples, and when it comes to the crunch, it’s good to preserve Stamford’s past.

n Stamford Community Orchard Group’s Apple Day takes place on Saturday 16th September at Stamford Arts Centre. For more information and to sign up to their workshops and events see www.scog.org.uk/whats-on.

Main: Lord Burghley is one of about 40 local apple varieties in the SCOG orchard.

Stamford’s Heritage Apples

A FEW OF THE VARIETIES PRESERVED BY STAMFORD COMMUNITY ORCHARD GROUP

1. Allington Pippin: Raised by Thomas Laxton before 1884, renamed South Lincolnshire Pippin, exhibited at the RHS by W&J Brown of Stamford, winning a First Class Certificate.

2. Lord Burghley: First fruited on the estate in 1834, widely grown in the 19th century.

3. Barnack Beauty: Has its origins in 1840 in a cottage garden where the original tree still grows.

4. Peasgood Nonsuch: Grown by the father of Emma Mamby of Grantham in 1858. Named by the RHS Fruit Committee in 1872 as ‘one of the most handsome apples in cultivation.’

5. Browns’ Seedling: Raised in Wothorpe by W&J Brown in 1874.

6. Schoolmaster: Dates back to 1855, introduced by Thomas Laxton. Image: applesandorchards.org.uk. n

• Working locally for 20 years

• All tree work undertaken

• Hedge cutting

• Stump grinding

FREE QUOTES AND SUPPORT WITH PLANNING PERMISSION

01780 784055

info@willow-tree-services.co.uk www.willow-tree-services.co.uk

Celebrating 40 Years of Care: Fitzwilliam Hospital

THE RAMSAY FITZWILLIAM HOSPITAL celebrated its 40th anniversary recently, hosting its Summer Ball for around 150 attendees. The hospital was established in 1983 and among the event’s guests were Theatre Operative Angela Haynes, who is the hospital’s longest-standing member of staff Sandra Lilley who has worked at the hospital for over 30 years.

The hospital has 41 en suite rooms, five operating theatres, a dedicated physiotherapy suite plus an imaging centre which included mammography, MRI and ultrasound facilities.

“It’s a real honour to be leading the team and the hospital in its 40th year,” says Carl Cottam, Hospital Director. “Fitzwilliam Hospital has been committed to delivering exceptional care to patients in the local area since its opening in 1983.” n

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

Mellow Yellow

RICH WARM COSMETICS FOR WHEN SUMMER TURNS INTO AUTUMN

1. The warmth of the Orient

Goutal, the high-end Parisian perfumier presents Ambre Fétiche, with base notes of vanilla and leather, and heart notes of geranium and iris. Warm, powerful and smokey, it’s a deep and richly rewarding scent for evenings out. Perfumier Annick Goutal opened her first shop in 1981 on Rue de Bellechasse and the brand’s scents are still hand-made, natural in origin.

£165 / 100ml / EDP goutalparis.com.

2. Nails by Hermès

Hermès presents Jaune Impérial, a solar shade with ochre undertones, one of 24 shades in its range, providing radiant colour and a long-lasting lacquered shine with intense pigments, £45/15ml, www.harrods.com

3. Detoxify your skin

Espa presents a deeply cleansing body scrub that refines, smooths and clarifies, for intensely hydrated and replenished skin. Natural Sea Salts sweep away dry, dull skin, grapefruit, cypress and eucalyptus cleanses while sweet almond oil nourishes and hydrates, £40 / 700g.

4. A reviving treat

Aromatherapy Associates’ products power many spa treatments, and now you can enjoy a spa treatment at home, and get out of the right side of bed thanks to the brand’s Revive shower oil, with uplifting zingy grapefruit, warming neroli and energising juniper, £30/250ml.

5. Midnight oil to treat your skin to some luxury

Caudelie invites you to pamper your skin with this rich body treatment created from argan oil, fig and shea oil. Designed to nourish and treat the skin from head to toe, it’s blended with an array of scents including coconut and orange blossom, leaving no oily residue behind.

£20/50ml, Space NK, Stamford or spacenk.com.

6. The timeless beauty of nature

Floral Street has teamed up with the Van Gogh museum to produce a range of fragrances to honour the artist. His 1889 Sunflowers is celebrated with this fragrance with bergamot, honey & bellini, available as a room fragrance, diffuser reeds and an EDP. £28/ 10ml EDP, £22/100ml room scent; www.floralstreet.co.

All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, please note that prices stated are RRP and may vary.

Super Holland Cooper

As Stamford & Rutland prepares for the Burghley Horse Trials, step out in style with Holland Cooper’s range of equestrian and womenswear...

Words & Images: Mandy Bray.

Tweed Riding Jacket, Mid Blue Check, £399.

1. Hybrid Shell Jacket, £179.

2. Country Classic Gilet, Coffee, £149.

3. Highbury Cape Coat, Tawny, £679.

4. The Competition Jacket, Midnight Black, £229. The Competition Jacket, Ink Navy, £199. Competition Breeches, Optic White, £125. 5. Highgrove Coat, Avebury Green Check, £499. For local stockists see www.hollandcooper.com or visit the brand’s stand at this month’s Burghley Horse Trials.

Four Seasons Silk Scarf, £119.95 www.houseofbruar.com.

Country Style

Make

Main Image: Hold Your Horses toffee & gold large square silk scarf, £199, Clare Haggas, www.clarehaggas.com.

1. Burberry vintage check umbrella, £320. www.burberry.com.

2. Women’s cashmere lined leather gloves tan nappa, £49.50. www.aspinaloflondon.com.

3. Tawny Aviator gilet, £499. Holland Cooper at Burghley, www.hollandcooper.com.

4. Dubarry Gallagher felt hat in bourbon, £89. www.dubarry.com.

5. Game Bird gold long tail silk scrunchie, £59, Clare Haggas of Louth, www.clarehaggas.com.

6. Albany knee boot tan suede, £349. www.hollandcooper.com.

7. Fairfax & Favor Regina boot gold key ring, £50.

8. Heritage braided belt, tan silky calf, £215, www.mulberry.com.

9. The Fitzwilliam women’s mini saddle bag in tan suede, £235, Fairfax & Favor, Stamford, www.fairfaxandfavor.com. n

REDISCOVERYOURSMILE WithInvisalignteeth straightening: Comfortable,effectiveanddiscreet–callusto findoutaboutthis revolutionarytreatment

Teeth Straightening: Discover your smile again using the latest Invisalign technology: removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth. Comfortable, discreet and removable, you can eat and drink, brush and floss as usual as you gradually achieve a straight, natural smile.

Teeth Whitening: A simple way to transform your smile, improving the overall appearance of your teeth, and bringing a youthful bright smile.

Dental Implants: A safe, well-established way to replace a tooth when it fails, restoring your smile in a permanent, effective way.

New Patients: Going to the dentist shouldn’t be a daunting experience. We take the time to help you feel relaxed and comfortable whilst we care for both your health and appearance.

MONDAY 08:30-18:30

TUESDAY 08:30-17:00

WEDNESDAY 08:30- 18:30

THURSDAY 08:30-17:00

FRIDAY

At Market Place Dental Practice, we are an independent local dental practice situated in the heart of Rutland, Uppingham established in 1994. We are focused upon providing holistic and preventative treatments to all our patients whilst using the latest in innovative technology. We pride ourselves on being a long-standing member of the local community and this is evident in our ethos to promote good oral health and hygiene.

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

At Market Place Dental Practice we offer a full range of dental services including routine dental check-ups, teeth whitening, implants and cosmetic treatments, all designed to enhance your smile and oral health. If you are looking to improve your smile, we will listen carefully to your wishes and explain any recommended treatments. We will then create a bespoke, individualised treatment plan just for you and once your treatment plan has been agreed we will book the appropriate appointment(s) for you.

We strive to provide high quality dental care for all our patients. Care that provides as positive an experience for all our patients as possible.

TEETH STRAIGHTENING IN UPPINGHAM

With continuous advances in technology, orthodontic treatment is becoming more popular amongst all ages. The traditional fixed braces in silver, gold alloy and ceramic as well as plastic aligners such as Invisalign are popular choices for straightening teeth.

FIXED BRACES

Fixed braces are made up of small brackets attached to each tooth and connected by a wire. Different wires are placed and adjusted over time, creating gentle pressure which aligns the teeth accurately into the desired position.

INVISALIGN

Invisalign uses removable plastic aligners that are taken off for eating, drinking and tooth brushing. They have a very subtle appearance, are comfortable and convenient. A series of these aligners, in combination with attachments on the teeth, gently move the teeth over time to improve alignment.

WEDDINGS

An Oakham Wedding

The backdrop of Oakham Castle was a wonderful venue for this month’s featured couple, Sarah & James, to exchange vows...

Wedding Photographer: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, www.amandaforman.co.uk.

THEY SAY that demonstrating good manners costs nothing. Not only did holding a door for a colleague in the office not cost anything for a very polite James Richardson, it also gained him the heart of his wife, Sarah Harris!

“James is from Uppingham and I’m from Peterborough. We were both working for the same company in the city; James in IT and me in payroll. He held a door for me which I thought was sweet and we made some small talk about what I was having for lunch.”

The couple’s gaze met over an unevenlycooked macaroni cheese ready meal and both noticed a spark. James and Sarah began seeing one another in November of 2015 and settled in Rutland, bringing their daughter into the world two and a half years ago.

“I had dropped a few hints about getting married, not least because I didn’t want our daughter to have a different surname, but James’s proposal still came as a complete surprise… and it didn’t go smoothly, either!”

“The idea was a meticulously-planned proposal at Rutland Water where we enjoyed our first date over a hot chocolate, then a romantic meal afterwards. Unfortunately, our daughter came down with a nasty bug, which we both caught too, so we were all feeling pretty rotten.”

“Partly to get a little fresh air and partly to get our daughter off to sleep we went for a drive. James had been really different, a bit stressed and not his normal cheerful self.”

“I confronted him about it, and he confessed that it wasn’t what he had planned. Down on one knee, in the pouring rain and with all three of us feeling quite poorly, he asked me to marry him… it was a slightly imperfect proposal from a definitely perfect man!”

WEDDING SUPPLIERS SARAH

“I immediately said ‘yes!’ and we all cheered up. We even managed a hot chocolate, just as we had back when we first met, then we began planning the day! Back at home we even had macaroni cheese for dinner!”

& JAMES

The couple’s first consideration for their ceremony was Normanton Church, but having seen a few of their friends marrying there, they instead opted for Oakham Castle.

“It’s close to where we live and we really liked the idea of choosing a venue to which we could return year after year,” says Sarah. “It’s a little bit different, but a really lovely backdrop and it looked great in the photos!”

Wedding Ceremony: Oakham Castle, www.oakhamcastle.org.

Wedding Reception: The Barnsdale, 01572 724678, barnsdalerutland.com.

Venue Styling/Stationery: Sparkle Occasions, www.sparkleoccasionsevents.co.uk.

Wedding Dress: Wed2B, Old Basford, 0115 896 0436, www.wed2b.com.

Groomsmens’ Tailoring: Stringfellows Gentlemen’s Outfitters, Groby, 07368 495586, stringfellowsoutfitters.co.uk.

Hair & Makeup: Ooh La La Hair and Make Up By Hayley, Barleythorpe, 07496 484381, hayleystanden.co.uk.

Wedding Floristry: Pickleberry Flowers, 07771987529, pickleberryflowers.com.

Wedding Cake: The Purple Pumpkin Cake Company, Stamford, 07934 195420 www.purplepumpkincakes.co.uk.

Wedding Car/VW Camper Van: VP Princess Cars, 01664 474542, www.vpprincessweddingcars.co.uk. n

The couple attended a few wedding fairs and say that doing so really helped them to meet with local suppliers. One of the first elements of the wedding they booked though was harpist Harriet Flather who performed at the couple’s reception during the signing of the register and during a drinks reception in the castle grounds.

“We met our photographer Amanda Forman at The Barnsdale’s wedding fair and spent the first 20 minutes just chatting with her before we even mentioned the wedding. We just got on so well and we both absolutely knew that she was the person we wanted to capture our day. She put everyone at ease, she was so lovely and her images are stunning!”

Sarah visited Wed2Be in Nottingham and was very decisive about her dress, picking out two and choosing the very first one she tried on, an A-line dress with cathedrallength train.

Sarah was also able to source a very similarlooking dress for the couple’s daughter who was an adorable flower girl on the big day.

Finally, the bridal party’s hair and makeup, was created by Barleythorpe’s Hayley Standen Hair & Make-Up. >>

>> James visited Stringfellows in Groby for the groomsmens’ suits and says that Stephanie in the outfitters was really helpful to the party over several subsequent fittings. The couple chose Sparkle Occasions to provide stationery and wedding venue styling, and worked with Isobel Cole of Pickleberry Flowers whose blooms, including the couple’s peonies and ranunculus, are all grown in her meadow. “She was so wonderful and positive, really excited for us and keen to contribute ideas!”

Ryhall’s Purple Pumpkin designed the couple’s wedding cake with its different sponge tiers and the same navy blue colour scheme the couple used throughout the wedding.

“It was a really incredible day, and we were so happy to share it with all of our family and friends,” say Sarah & James. “If I had any advice for other couples planning their wedding I’d say to really go with your own judgement as to what you’d like, make the day your own and impart some individuality.”

“Also, don’t stress about little details. The most important aspect of the day is that you’re sharing it with the person you love and it goes so fast, so you have to make sure you enjoy every single second!” n

Wedding Photographer: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, www.amandaforman.co.uk.

“It was a really incredible day, and we were so happy to share it with all of our family and friends,” say Sarah & James...

SANDLANDTAYLOR AESTHETICS

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