PR IDE RUTLAND
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A Touch of Frost
Sharp frosts create stunning images across Rutland
THE LARGEST MAGAZINE IN RUTLAND
ALICIA KEARNS’ AFTER-DINNER SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT AT HAMBLETON HALL
DINING OUT IN THE CENTRE OF UPPINGHAM AT THE FALCON HOTEL SPRING FASHION, BEAUTY AND COSMETICS, PLUS NEWS AND LIVE EVENTS IN MARCH THE LARGEST SELECTION OF LUXURY HOMES IN AND AROUND RUTLAND MARCH 2025 £5.99
This month’s cover features our photographer Richard Brown who treats us to some wintery images later in this edition! Think your photography has what it takes? Send your highquality images to our editor and get the chance to enjoy the ultimate bragging rights: your work on our front cover!
Send your very best photos to our editor Rob Davis, robin@pridemagazines.co.uk
Julian Wilkinson and his new best friend, Monty CEO & Publisher julian@pridemagazines.co.uk
Spring is just about to unfold all of its wonderful optimistic glory across Rutland and Stamford. We can’t wait to enjoy the sights of snowdrops and aconites in our gardens, narcissus growing wild at the side of the road, or to look up and enjoy bright blue skies with whisps of white clouds.
There’s joy associated with each of the four seasons, indeed even the changing of the seasons themselves is magical, but spring is especially eagerly anticipated. Before we say a fond farewell to winter, though, we’ve invited our friend Richard Brown to spoil us with a few images that demonstrate the beauty of a frosty winter.
Richard is a keen photographer and we’ve long admired his commitment to capturing incredible images of the area in which we live, which is why we’ve commissioned him to photograph our covers throughout 2025 to ensure that the beauty of each season is captured at its best.
Elsewhere in this edition, we’re enjoy two of life’s simple pleasures, good coffee and good bread with a visit to two of the area’s artisanal food and drinks producers. We also visit Uppingham’s Falcon Hotel to enjoy Dining Out at one of the area’s most venerable establishments.
Also this month we’ve enjoyed attending Hambleton Hall for dinner with Rutland and Stamford MP Alicia Kearns as after-dinner speaker and we’ll meet Stamford’s Poet Laureate Caroline Avnit. Finally, we’re in Stamford to examine the history of Red Lion Square and, not too far away, Browne’s Hospital too.
Our very best wishes for a wonderful month!
Stamford Pride
Rutland Pride
8 NEWS ‘Good news’ stories from across Rutland and Stamford.
12 HIGH LIFE Alicia Kearns’ MP dinner. 51 WHAT’S ON Live events in March.
Eat, Drink & Enjoy
16 DINING OUT Spring dining in Uppingham as we pay a visit to The Falcon Hotel.
23 RECIPE Satisfying winter dining for St Patrick’s Day with a hearty beef and Guinness stew.
26 REAL BREAD WEEK Celebrate sourdough with Julian Carter.
31 WINE Spring recommendations.
32 FRESH COFFEE Why Stamford’s Derwent & Dunne is full of beans.
36 PRIDE’S GOOD FOOD GUIDE Listings for the area’s finest restaurants, pubs, bistros and cafés.
March Features
40 A TOUCH OF FROST Our new photographer Richard Brown helps us bid a fond farewell to winter.
46 POET LAUREATE Stamford poet Caroline Avnit searches for a successor.
54 STAMFORD HISTORY Red Lion Square and Browne’s Hospital.
Homes & Gardens
66 WELCOME HOME A beautiful barn conversion in the village of Morcott.
108 LUXURY HOMES Quality homes in Rutland and Stamford.
Ladies & Gentlemen
124 FASHION & BEAUTY Timeless style for men and women, plus March cosmetics.
134 WEDDINGS Fiona & Will marry at Deepings’s Molecey Mill.
154 MOTORS Audi’s RS eTron GT.
158 AND FINALLY... Almanac and fiction. MARCH 2025
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Local News
A new wellbeing experience in Rutland
Rutland Hall Hotel announces the launch of Four Roots, its pioneering luxury wellbeing experience designed to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul
Golden Gates to return
Late February or early March will see the return of Burghley House’s late 17th century Jean Tijoi gates
Since summer 2024 there has been an iconic element of Burghley House missing, namely its late 17th century golden gates on the west front of the Elizabethan property. The gates were removed for professional restoration over the autumn and winter, work which is approaching completion. It’s hoped that late February or early March will see the gates return and reinstalled.
Their creator, Jean Tijou, was a French master blacksmith and renowned metalworker of the late 17th century. He was widely acclaimed for his mastery of decorative ironwork. His craftsmanship was associated with several key English Baroque buildings, including the gates and railings of Hampton Court Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, Kensington Palace, Chatsworth House, and Burghley House.
A drawing of the famous gates appears in his book, New Book of Designs, published in 1693. Records indicate that Tijou was paid £150 by the 6th Earl’s trustees in 1704.
Rutland Hall Hotel last month announced the debut of its flagship Four Roots wellbeing experience, aimed to promote spiritual, physical, emotional and social wellbeing.
At its heart is the personalised fourhour journey of ritual bathing, a 60minute massage and facial treatment, meditation session and a delicious, nutritious dining experience courtesy of the resort’s Blossoms restaurant. Guests can choose between morning or afternoon sessions, with peak and off-peak booking options available. For those seeking an extended retreat, luxury overnight and two-night break packages are offered.
Treatments are underwritten by Four Roots’ in-house essential oil-based products, Ritual Collection.
£139/person, call 01572 757901 or see www.rutlandhall.co.uk/wellbeing.
Send your press releases & business news to us via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.
Electric minibus for Rutland
Levelling-up fund has ensured locals can now travel between Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham
Locals in Rutland & Stamford will now benefit from a new electric minibus service operating between Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham from this month. The new service will cover the Oakham ‘Hopper’ routes and the R9 service to
Stamford with the service being extended to offer transport to Uppingham soon. Three more examples of the electric minibus will be added to the service soon, thanks to Levelling Up fund secured for the area by Alicia Kearns, MP.
Rutland Good & New Sale
Popular clothing sale returns on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th March with VIP tickets on sale now
Returning this year to raise money for the charity For Rutland, the biggest sale of its kind takes place at The Pavilion, Rutland Hall, later this month with loads of pre-loved clothes for all the family. VIP tickets for the Friday evening of the event includes Champagne and canapés courtesy of Hambleton Hall plus first dibs on the best picks from the event!
See www.forrutland.org.uk.
Peterborough Cathedral ‘in crisis’
Peterborough Cathedral needs to raise £300,000 by the end of March or it won’t be open seven days a week
Peterborough Cathedral’s Cathedral in Crisis campaign, launched last month, has seen an extraordinary outpouring of support, raising an impressive £38,000 within the first five days of its launch. This remarkable response underscores the profound esteem in which the community holds this historic landmark, reflecting its central role in the region’s heritage and identity.
The campaign has captured the attention of both local and national media, receiving widespread coverage that has significantly amplified its reach. From feature articles in prominent newspapers to heartfelt stories on community radio stations, the plight of Peterborough Cathedral has resonated with audiences across the country.
The Cathedral in Crisis campaign aims to address the financial challenges posed by the rising costs of maintenance, conservation, staffing and energy. Contributions from individuals, businesses, and community groups are vital to ensuring the cathedral’s continued operation as a place of worship, heritage, and community engagement.
Donations to the campaign can be made via Kindlink.
And finally... ‘Oh yes they did’ make a real success out of this year’s festive performances. Box office records have revealed that Stamford and Grantham pantomimes have been more popular than ever, selling a total of 12,900 tickets. All 61 performances were sold out, which is heartwarming as pantomime is often the first exposure that young people have to live theatre.
High Life
Alicia Kearns at Hambleton Hall
Guests joined Stamford & Rutland’s MP Alicia Kearns and Tim & Stefa Hart of Hambleton Hall recently for dinner with after dinner questions and answers about life in Parliament and the condition of UK politics
Images: Rob Davis.
Apparently it’s bad form to discuss politics, religion and other such matters at the dinner table, but those rules were relaxed recently as Alicia Kearns MP was a special guest in the dining room of Hambleton Hall. Around 25 people enjoyed a three course dinner followed by an informal speech from Alicia about life in Westminster and the condition of UK politics. The Stamford & Rutland MP reflected on the challenges that The Labour Party is facing in government, how being in opposition is bringing Conservative MPs closer than ever, and Alicia offered her insight into global politics, drawing upon her experience as Chair of the Foreign Affairs committee in the last Parliament and, now, in opposition, Shadow Minister for the Home Office. See www.hambletonhall.com.
Eat Drink & Enjoy
FIND JOY IN THE ART OF EATING WELL
DINING OUT IN UPPINGHAM AT THE FALCON HOTEL
RECIPE: A DELICIOUS STEW FOR ST PATRICK’S DAY PLUS: RESTAURANT LISTINGS: OUR LOCAL SUGGESTIONS WITH OLD FAVOURITES AND NEW DISCOVERIES
Illustration designed by Ardea Studio.
The Falcon Hotel Dining Out in Uppingham at
Looking out over the Market Place of Uppingham, The Falcon Hotel has been a familiar presence in the town from the 17th century, but its provision of dining is thoroughly modern, thanks to chef Ali Duncombe and the team
Words: Rob Davis.
According to the saying, familiarity breeds contempt Certainly not here though. The Falcon Hotel in the centre of Uppingham has been a reassuring landmark and a familiar presence since the 17th century.
The Wills family felt the building so important that in February 2011, they undertook to restore the building and create a coaching inn experience for the 21st century, one that offered modern comfort and cuisine, whilst respecting the building’s heritage and ensuring that any work undertaken would preserve the building for hundreds of years to come.
The family already had a presence in the town as owners of Don Paddys, purchased and established in 2001 as a bar and bistro. At the same time as The Falcon Hotel became available, the family also took over The Vaults, securing a trio of venues in the town.
As a Grade II* listed building, The Falcon Hotel’s renovation was neither easy nor inexpensive. But its popularity for everything from morning coffee and cake to lunchtime dining to à la carte dining in the evening, to accommodation and special occasions like weddings, have all validated the family’s time, effort and investment.
Today The Falcon is a handsome building with stone mullion windows, a cosy tap room at the front with its log burner, plus a large open plan lounge which is a popular meeting place for locals.
There are three function rooms too, including the Garden Terrace which as its name suggests also boasts an adjacent outdoor space. The first floor Oak Room, meanwhile, has loads of character thanks to its original timber panelling, and is ideal for hosting private dining events.
Opposite: Launde lamb rump with duchesse potatoes, heritage carrots and charred broccoli, £29.95.
Above: Cod loin with king prawns, chive potatoes and pea purée, £27.50.
Salmon with blood orange, apple and chive oil, £12.50. Dining Out
Dining Out
Dishes change seasonally and benefit greatly from The Falcon’s long-standing relationship with lots of local suppliers
There’s also a dedicated restaurant at the front of the hotel, which during our visit was closed for a refurbishment.
As Pride goes to press it’s due to reopen and this spring it will be the home of a new dining out concept with smaller sharing dishes designed both to make the most of single ingredients, and to provide a point of difference from The Falcon’s existing dining provision.
For 18 years now Ali Duncombe has been a consistent presence in the kitchens of The Falcon’s owners, Wills Inns. Ali has served as Head Chef for six years now and is overseeing the menu development for the new restaurant.
The Falcon will offer the new restaurant’s provision of dining concurrently with the existing menus, doubling down on quality and the skilful creation of their dishes. For daytime diners there’s a bar menu and a set lunch menu with three starters, three main courses and three desserts offered for £24.95 and £29.95 respectively.
Dining in the evening means a choice of dishes from an à la carte menu a choice of five starters and a number of dishes from half a dozen beautifully-presented main courses as well as four ‘Favourites,’ inspired by classic pub dining, but elevated in quality and presentation.
Dishes change seasonally and benefit from The Falcon’s relationship with lots of local suppliers. Lamb is sourced from Launde Farm, whilst Leicester-based Andrew Tebbutt provides butchery, supplemented by premium cuts from Aubrey Allen. Fish is delivered daily, as is fruit and veg from Northamptonshire’s Collins, whilst smaller local suppliers from Rutland are also supported, from Great Bowden-based Richard Morris’s free range eggs to the use of the Makey family’s Rutland Rapeseed Oil.
Bread, of course, comes courtesy of Hambleton Bakery and includes Julian Carter’s unmatched sourdough. All dishes, sauces and other elements are made freshly in house.
Opposite: Smoked duck radiccio with feta, pine nuts, figs and herb oil, £12.25.
ON THE MENU
The Falcon Hotel, Uppingham
STARTERS
Chicken liver, brandy & pancetta parfait with red onion marmalade, apple melba toast & mixed leaves, £12.50.
Potted Stilton, hazelnut & red pepper pâté with fig & honey chutney, mixed leaves & toasted sourdough, £12.25.
Smoked cod, chive & mature Cheddar fishcake with herb mayonnaise, cucumber & cherry tomato salad, £12.95.
MAIN COURSES
Oven roast chicken supreme with caramelised shallot purée, dauphinoise potato, £26.95.
Cider braised pork belly with garlic mash, caramelised apple, and tenderstem broccoli, £26.95.
Pan seared salmon fillet with herb new potatoes, petit pois, spinach, baby prawns, & lemon & chive hollandaise, £26.50.
32-day dry aged 10oz sirloin steak £37.95.
The Falcon beef burger with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, tomato relish, mayonnaise, crispbaby gem, hand cut chips & baby and gherkin, £20.95.
Beetroot and sweet potato Wellington £24.95.
DESSERTS
Pistachio and white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry gel & white chocolate shavings, £10.50.
Apple and pear tarte tatin with caramel sauce, pear crisp & vanilla seed gelato, £10.95.
NB: Sample menu and featured dishes, subject to availability and change.
Whatever’s happening in Uppingham, it’s happening at The Falcon, and at its heart the hotel continues to provide unsurpassed hospitality and great dining
To accompany there’s a nicely curated wine list comprising over 30 bins with a trio of white and a trio of red house wines at under £35, plus a choice of seven Champagne and sparkling wines and a special From the Cellar selection crowned by a Sancerre and a Grenache Syrah from South Africa.
Sparkling wines are also an optional constituent of the hotel’s provision of afternoon tea from £25/person.
Celebrating at the hotel has been a tradition long observed by Uppingham residents. The town’s first Subscription Ball – the precursor of today’s black tie balls – was held in December 1802 and in 1815, the hotel’s owner Sir Gerald Noel hosted a grand public dinner to celebrate Wellington’s victory at Waterloo... and fittingly, Beef Wellington is still often on the menu at the hotel.
Opposite: Chocolate pecan tart with butterscotch fudge, £9.95. Apple tarte tartin with honeycomb lattice, £9.95.
More modern celebrations in Uppingham include June’s Uppingham Feast the planning for which the hotel and its sister venues Don Paddys and The Vaults are always heavily involved. Likewise, Uppingham Fatstock’s celebratory dinner is traditionally held at The Falcon.
The venues also host Social Sundays, featuring live music throughout the summer months, and a live music schedule from February to May including traditional Irish music, soft jazz and swing piano from artists like Govannen, Matt Lacey and Leannàn. Meanwhile the hotel also supports local sports clubs from Uppingham Town Football Club to Stonygate Rugby and Uppingham Town Cricket Club.
Whatever’s happening in Uppingham, it’s happening at The Falcon, and at its heart the hotel continues to provide unsurpassed hospitality and great dining, an example, perhaps of familiarity breeding content.
The Falcon Hotel, Uppingham
The Pitch: “Stunning 16th Century coaching inn situated in Uppingham’s historic Market Place, with a superb traditional restaurant, cosy bar offering traditional ales, and beautiful oak beamed private dining rooms.
Opening Times: Lunch served 11.30am2.30pm Monday to Saturday and 12 noon until 3pm Sunday. Dinner from 6pm9.30pm seven days.
Contact Details:
The Falcon Hotel, Market Place, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9PY. Tel: 01572 823535 or see www.falconhotel.co.uk.
Beef and Guinness Stew
A hearty March stew for St Patrick’s Day
Slow-cooked beef in a warming Guinness-infused broth, paired with seasonal root vegetables. This dish is perfect for family dining or entertaining, best served with warm crusty bread!
This month’s recipe Beef and Guinness Stew
Cut out and collect our great seasonal recipes each month in Pride Magazine.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Cooking Time: 3 hours. Serves: 6.
Ingredients
1kg braising beef, diced
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, thickly sliced
3 parsnips, thickly sliced
1 small swede, diced
2 tbsp tomato purée
500ml Guinness
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
A Stew to Warm the Soul
March’s crisp days call for comforting food.
This Beef and Guinness Stew is a classic, with tender chunks of beef, hearty root vegetables, and a rich, velvety gravy made with the iconic Irish stout. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes or crusty bread and enjoy with a glass of red wine or a pint of Guinness for a truly indulgent meal.
Rich in Flavour, Simple to Prepare
Using Guinness adds depth to the stew while keeping the preparation straightforward— perfect for impressing with minimal effort.
1. Prepare the beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper, then toss in the flour to coat evenly.
2. Brown the beef: Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches and set aside.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Cook the onions until soft, then add the garlic, carrots, parsnips, and swede, stirring for five minutes.
4. Build the flavours: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for two minutes. Pour in the Guinness, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Simmer the stew: Return the beef to the pan, add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
6. Cook low and slow: Cover with a lid and cook in the oven at 160°C (140°C fan) for 2½–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
7. Final touch: Remove thyme and bay leaves, season to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Perfect Pairings
Serve this with creamy mashed potatoes or a crusty sourdough loaf for a meal that feels both rustic and refined... Ideal for relaxed evenings when you want something rustic yet refined.
Hambleton Bakery
Our Daily Bread
Use your loaf this month and mark Real Bread Week (15th-23rd February) by reminding yourself how artisan bakeries such as Hambleton Bakery are championing better bread. This month we examine why bread is a good illustration of what’s going wrong with our food as co-founder Julian Carter gains a new apprentice Words: Rob Davis.
It’s a staple of our store cupboards and one of the most common items in our shopping baskets. Bread is purchased by 99.8% of British households. Every day 11m loaves are purchased and it’s reckoned that by 2026 the British bread market will reach £9bn in value with each household buying 80 loaves a year.
What’s more, a good thick slice of bread with a slather of proper salty butter is a real treat throughout the year. Bread is one of our most venerable foods; healthy, filling and cheap. And sadly, at the same time, no product than bread better reflects how terribly wrong things are going with the food we eat in this country.
This month especially though, Real Bread Week – and traditional bakers like Julian Carter of Hambleton Bakery – are reminding us of what constitutes ‘real’ bread, hoping reunite us with an old favourite.
Hambleton Bakery is unusual in its scale. 85% of the bread we consume in Britain comes from just three companies – Allied, Hovis and Warburtons – with their industrial plant bakeries, about 150 sites each employing more than 100 people. The in-store bakeries of supermarkets produce a further 12% of the bread we consume, which leaves just 3% of the market served by 4,500 small craft bakeries.
Put simply, most bakeries are either prolific but produce mediocre bread, or they’re tiny and produce very good bread, but not at scale. Hambleton Bakery, by contrast, manages to produce 643 tonnes of bread annually – about three quarters of a million loaves – but without sacrificing its core principles of making authentic ‘real’ bread.
The bakery was founded by Hambleton Hall’s Tim Hart and co-owner (and head baker) Julian Carter in September 2008. Production has scaled up ever since and now the bakery has 120 wholesale customers as well as eight of its own shops. A new purpose-built bakery adjacent to the A1 on Hooby Lane opened in 2023 and is dedicated to the production of bread, which constitutes about three quarters of the company’s output. That leaves the original premises on Cottesmore Road in Exton free to create Hambleton’s cakes and savouries, and it has afforded the company the room to create a café in the old building.
The former power station was bursting at the seams and struggling to accommodate demand prior to the new Hooby Lane site’s creation.
Today the company employs about 120 staff including 10 bakers specialising in cakes and savouries in Exton and 20 bakers working three shifts at Hooby Lane. There, the team produces 17 different doughs that in turn become 38 different types of bread.
Julian began his career in his family’s bakery in Liverpool, later joining the RAF as a chef and then working as John Major’s chef at Downing Street and Chequers. He joined Hambleton Hall and remained there for 11 years before founding Hambleton Bakery. From the start, he and Tim Hart were both determined that any growth as a result of demand for their bread would not be at the expense of quality. Today though, they remain in the minority in maintaining that ethos... and it’s all thanks to Bill, George and Norman.
We’re all accustomed to the convenience of the supermarket and the availability of cheap food. But in the Hertfordshire village of Chorley Wood in 1961 it all went horribly right. Three bakers working at the British Baking Industries Research Association successfully devised what would come to be known as the Chorley Wood Bread Process, which dramatically speeds up the processing time needed when making bread, ensuring that a white sliced loaf can be produced from raw ingredients to packaging in under two hours.
Real Bread Week with Hambleton Bakery
Bill Collins, George Elton and Norman Chamberlain reckoned their new method was the best thing since sliced bread, facilitating the use of lower-protein wheats, reducing labour and ultimately ensuring that baking bread was a good deal more profitable for supermarkets who were (and still are) assuring us that our future as consumers would be predicated upon convenience and cheap food.
Today, 80% of the bread we consume is produced using the Chorley Wood Bread Process. But with increased productivity comes the relative indigestibility of the bread it produces. One Derbyshire-based research team’s longitudinal study of the presence of gluten intolerance and coeliac disease has seen the prevalence of gluten sensitivity increase by 2,000% from 1970-present, with women and those over 60 more sensitive than other demographics.
The Real Bread Campaign was officially launched in 2008 with a view to defining ‘real’ bread, produced by bakers following traditional methods, rather than the Chorley Wood Bread Process. The Real Bread Campaign officially defines ‘real’ bread as that made without chemical raising agents, processing aids or other additives. That includes – but isn’t limited to – sourdough loaves made with a maintained culture, such as Hambleton Bakery’s own sourdough loaves... which take over 30 hours to produce from start to finish.
At 7am on a chilly Tuesday morning in January I reported to Julian as his new apprentice, just as the early shift were finishing work. The shift is responsible for making and shaping sourdough loaves – the bakery’s flagship product – as well as making products like croissants, Eccles cakes, and spelt loaves.
They’re also responsible for nurturing the sourdough culture in two fermenting tanks, kept at about 18°c. When the day shift takes over, they can bake the previous day’s sourdoughs that have been held in the provers overnight at 20°c. This slow fermentation affords plenty of time for the breaking down of gluten, making the bread more digestible and ensuring the body can access and use more of the fibre, vitamins and minerals within the loaf.
On the Sunday evening before my visit, at about 11pm, the night shift extracted some of the bakery’s starter culture and made up the dough to Julian’s established recipe. The flour that the bakery uses to make its sourdough is blended and includes wild-farmed flour sourced from farms using regenerative farming practices and producing heritage wheat varieties.
These include a heritage organic wheat called Gilchester, rye and spelt from Max Chenery’s Loughborough-based Whatton Farm or stoneground wholemeal and white flour milled at Boston’s Maud Foster and Rutland’s Whissendine’s Windmill. Essex based Marriage’s Mill also supplies the bakery with organic white flour. Stone milled flour – as opposed to industrial roller-milled production – is a cooler process, enabling the flour to retain natural oils and achieve a richer, more complex taste. When making the dough, even water is dosed from holding tanks which ensures it comes out at precisely 24°c.
The strict use of good ingredients is a precedent carried over from Julian’s time in the kitchens of Hambleton Hall, but he maintains that process is as important as ingredients. It’s flipped three times to
Real Bread Week: 15th23rd February
What is ‘Real’ Bread?
4 Most of all, real bread is allowed to develop naturally through slow fermentation. It doesn’t use additives or aggressive working to artificially accelerate production: real bread is given the opportunity to rise and prove naturally.
4 Real bread is made by smaller, artisan bakeries, not the large plant bakeries (e.g.: Allied, Hovis, Warburtons) who make 85% of the bread we consume in the Britain.
4 Real bread is made with either wild yeast or a sourdough starter, not with commercial yeast. Sourdough starters are kept ‘fed’ and are used as a live culture indefinitely, producing CO2 and lactic acid.
8 Real bread does not contain preservatives like E282 (calcium propanoate); emulsifiers like E472e or E471 (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono and diglycerides; Sodium stearoyl lactylate). If a consumer doesn’t know what any of the above are, they have no business being in our bread.
8 Real bread does not go mouldy... it goes stale and can be revived by dousing it in water and reheating it in the oven for a few minutes.
8 Gluten intolerance is often a response to the composition of bad bread, not a reaction to the gluten in real bread (i.e.: the method of production is the problem, not the gluten per se.
ensure an even prove and then cut and shaped from a 250kg batch into individual loaves which are then placed into baskets and go in the provers ready for my shift to bake them during our visit.
The advanced provers in the bakery ensure that sourdough and other dough for breads like Julian’s cereal tins, white loaves and wholemeal loaves can be ‘held’ until a team of bakers are ready to put them in the ovens, enabling baking schedules to be staggered across shifts for consistent wholesale deliveries and for the bakery’s vans’ various delivery routes to its eight shops, to local farm shops and so on.
Finally, when the bakers are ready, the loaves are loaded into the bakery’s setter oven with its loading platform – a rather more convenient way to bake than the Exton-based bakery’s original woodfired oven or the three ovens the team subsequently installed. Hooby Lane’s oven has four cavities vertically and three horizontally, each individually kept at 200°c. With the loading platform it’s possible to load and unload the oven in under an hour with minimal handling, straight onto cooling racks. The oven’s capacity is about 100 sourdough loaves at a time. That one is dedicated to bread, though, with additional rotary ovens in the bakery used for other items like the Eccles cakes the team was unloading as our shift started work.
It’s a well-organised operation, working 24 hours a day, and it’s one that’s precisely-controlled and predicated on using the best ingredients. It’s still one that takes much longer, as befits ‘real’ bread, but the proof of the pudding is in the, um, bread, as anyone who’s ever enjoyed Hambleton Sourdough knows.
“The mission from the outset was simple; to produce good bread and an authentic product,” says Julian. “Our customers’ love for our products more than vindicates the longer process and the effort. I’ve spoken to so many people who thought themselves gluten-intolerant but have found they can digest and enjoy our bread. We’re also really proud that the best local restaurants are keen to let their customers know they source their bread from us. We’re so passionate about the product, so keen to retain its authenticity, and above all, so glad to be a part of our customers’ enjoyment of toast at breakfast time, lunchtime sandwiches and their afternoon teas!” Hambleton Bakery has eight shops including Exton, Stamford, Oakham. You can also shop online and ‘click and collect’ real bread, cakes and savouries at www.hambletonbakery.co.uk.
Raise a glass to spring at Rutland Vineyard!
Hello from The Rutland Vineyard!
We are really grateful for Pride Magazines to give us the chance to let you know how your local wine supply is getting on this vintage!
The Rutland Vineyard is a very new vineyard in vineyard terms as our vines were planted in 2021. We have six varieties across 16,200 vines and will be aiming to produce white, red and sparkling wines as the vines develop.
2024 was a whirlwind of year with our very first wines both picking up WineGB Silver Awards. Our First Crush white and red wines were warmly welcomed by our guests, so much so our white wine sold out three months and our red wine will soon run out as well!
However, the good news is as the vines develop so will the wine supply so don’t panic! Alongside the wines we offer freshly ground coffees (beans from Stamford Coffee Company), teas, homemade cakes from The Rutland Chef and a sharing cheese board from Rennet and Rind. We are open, generally, Wednesdays to Saturdays but we always advise a quick look at the updated website (www.therutlandvineyard.com) before you pop up. No bookings needed and free parking, we try to be as laid back as possible – it’s a vineyard after all!
We’re heading back to carry on winter pruning now and we’ll update you next month on how it’s going. Cheers! Tim, Zoe & The Rutland Vineyard team.
Silent Pool is golden for fans of botanically gifted craft gin...
A zesty gin for spring that’s refreshing and complex
Silent Pool Distillery was established in 2013 on the Duke of Northumberland’s Albury Estate. The brand’s flagship product is Silent Pool, utilising local botanicals which grow around the distillery. These include chamomile and elderflower, roses and lavender.
£38, 70cl, 43% ABV from, www.waitrosecellar.com.
The Wine Cellar
From premium spirits to exceptional wines and alcohol-free alternatives, here’s our pick of indulgent drinks for March — perfect for special occasions or relaxing evenings.
Marching On: Three Wines to Savour This Spring
Cune White Rioja 2021 is rich and creamy, and oaked Rioja pairs beautifully with roasted poultry. £12.99, 75cl, 13.5% ABV. www.majestic.co.uk.
Domaines Ott Château Romassan Rosé 2022 is a Provençal classic, delicate, dry, and fragrant. £38, 75cl, 13% ABV. www.waitrosecellar.com.
Bogle Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel 2020 is our March red of choice, jammy and rich with blackberry notes. £17.99, 75cl, 14.5% ABV. www.laithwaites.co.uk.
Wine of the Month
We already know and love Gusbourne for its blanc de blancs English sparkling wines. However, the vineyard’s 2022 Pinot Noir is highly praiseworthy. Named Best English Red at last year’s International Wine Challenge Awards, it’s bursting with fruit from morello cherries and berries to soft spice. There’s a sense of complexity too, with earthy minerality, smoky notes and a long finish. £40, 70cl, 13% ABV, 01233 884680, gusbourne.com.
Pentire’s coastal tipple for spring joy without the alcohol
A nonalcoholic aperitif created in collaboration with the world's best bartenders, who share Pentire’s love for the outdoors.
Pentire’s signature coastal botanicals are carefully blended with Blood Orange, Sea Rosemary and Oakwood to create the perfect balance of natural bitter flavours and refreshing coastal tones. Enjoy with a light tonic, garnished with orange peel.
£26, 70cl, 0% ABV. Buy direct by calling 07458 156863 or at pentiredrinks.com.
Our featured wines are available from local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary.
Wake up and smell the Coffee
Stamford’s Crispin and Juliet Moger (and their four-legged friends!) are on a mission to transform your morning coffee from the ordinary to extraordinary. This month we enjoy a coffee with the founders of artisan roastery Derwent & Dunne
Words: Rob Davis.
Last year something extraordinary happened. Coffee overtook tea as Britain’s most popular hot drink. 56% of people stated a preference for coffee, with tea coming second. Of those coffee drinkers, 46% reckoned that a latté was the preferred way to enjoy coffee with cappuccino, flat white and espresso thereafter.
One can but speculate as to the whys and wherefores of British beverage vicissitudes, but those aged 18-27 are keener on coffee than older generations, and spend about £64.50 a month on coffee, rather than the £28 expenditure of those over 60 years of age.
87% of those younger British coffee drinkers describe themselves as ‘coffee connoisseurs’ compared to just 66% of those in their 60s.
What’s more since the mid-2000s alcohol consumption among youngsters has been falling steadily (says the data from the ONS’s Adult Drinking Habits report), which seems to suggest it has fallen out of fashion against young adults meeting friends for coffee instead.
We’ve also seen the rise of big coffee companies in the UK. Britain is the biggest European market for one multinational takeaway coffee brand with sales 22% up on last year and revenues of nearly £550m.
At home, bean to cup machines and pod coffee machines, plus the proliferation of drive-through coffee shops, convenient
takeaway coffee delivery to your door and automatic machines in supermarkets and filling stations all mean that coffee is more abundantly available than ever.
And its many permutations – mocha, macchiato, cappuccino, Americano, espresso, cortado... and one retailer’s iced brown oat shaken espresso (?) – all give the impression of choice and premium quality.
On the face of it then, coffee drinkers should be full of beans, leaving tea drinkers mere has beens. However, proper coffee aficionados like Crispin & Juliet Moger of Derwent & Dunne (and their dogs, who all provide the blends’ names) will sound a note of caution, as not all beans – or blends thereof – are created equally. >>
Crispin Moger.
As a serial entrepreneur, Crispin enjoys establishing businesses, building them up and solving problems. He has a keen eye for creating a brand and noting where there’s a market for a product that improves on what’s offered already.
Crispin is also keen on his morning coffee and signed himself up for several barista and blending courses before establishing the business and even travelled to Columbia as part of his research. His intention was to discover more about what goes into creating the perfect coffee.
The Perfect Coffee
There are plenty of impressive looking machines in coffee shops up and down the country. They hiss and seethe, and they certainly look the part, but Crispin has noted two things.
Firstly, the skill of the barista is important. Secondly, and more importantly, you can’t get good coffee out unless you put good beans in.
Among the problems with scaling up a coffee business to the size of the multinational coffee chains is the insatiable need for coffee beans which necessarily means sourcing at scale. By contrast, artisan coffee roasters are more able to work with smaller local suppliers and blenders, concentrating on quality, not quantity.
Full of Beans
Among the different types of coffee bean available are Robusta and Arabica. Arabica beans are seen as the higher quality however as robusta is generally half the price of Arabica and double the caffeine content it can end up being used in cheaper coffees. Arabica yields a milder, smoother more floral flavour and tends to contain more natural sugars (9% as opposed to 7%) plus less caffeine (1.5% as opposed to 3.5%).
For this reason, bigger coffee blenders tend to use greater quantities of Robusta but smaller artisan roasteries like Crispin’s Derwent &
Artisan Coffee
Dunne are more able to leverage the broader flavour potential of Arabica only using the highest quality Arabica beans, apart from when they produce Charlie’s blend, which has a small amount of Robusta added to give it a more Italian flavour
One of Crispin’s niggles with the coffee industry was the use of very arbitrary descriptions of ‘strength,’ which is itself a pretty nebulous concept.
Some retail coffees are sold with a ‘strength guide’ from, say, one to six. This isn’t especially useful for consumers, and so one of the points of difference of Derwent & Dunne’s range of 10 coffees is a more meaningful description of the flavour of each one.
There are seven blends which provide consistency from batch to batch, as well as three single estate coffees for those who really know their beans. Crispin’s coffees are hand-roasted by artisans from specially imported, ethically-sourced beans.
Beloved Namesakes
Each Derwent & Dunne coffee is named after one of the family’s pets, so his most beloved coffee is the namesake of one of his most beloved dogs, Bo.
Bo’s Blend is a dark roast and great place to start your exploration of the brand’s coffee. Its notable flavours are treacle, bourbon and plum, with 100% Arabica beans sourced from Columbia, Honduras, Peru and Brazil.
If your preference is a medium-roast coffee, Etoile’s Blend has stone fruit, grape and spice among its flavours, with Arabica beans sourced from Uganda and Costa Rica.
Never one to leave out tea-drinkers, Derwent & Dunne’s range also includes single origin direct trade teas from Tea Rebellion, with a strong, full-bodied breakfast tea and an African Early Gray, plus herbal, green and white teas with lemongrass, peppermint or passion fruit and peach.
These are available as loose leaf or biopyramid bagged teas, and there’s also a superior hot chocolate available that produces a luxuriously thick hot drink that chocolate lovers can enjoy with hot water or steamed milk.
Joy at Home
In the hands of an experienced barista you’d expect a good cup of coffee but Crispin wanted to ensure that he could produce blends of coffee in both bean and ground form, to work equally well with stove-top coffee makers or a bean to cup machine at home too... and even in Nespresso-compatible pod machines: Bo’s Blend and the decaffBilly blend are available in pod form too.
However you grind your beans at home, experimenting with the coarseness of the grind will enable you to tailor your preferred coffee to suit.
For example, an espresso or cortada necessitates a finer grind to enable the hot (never boiling) water to pass through the coffee in less than five seconds, ensuring it’s not overheated, and doesn’t develop a bitter taste. If your preference is towards a longer coffee like a latte, a coarser grind can yield a steadier release of the beans’ flavour.
Derwent & Dunne’s range has been created to elevate your morning coffee at home and to enable anyone to ensure good coffee isn’t predicated on expensive hardware or dependent on a trip to your local coffee shop. Good coffee, Crispin and Juliet reckon, is a right, not a privilege.
Their blends and single estate coffees are the result of passion, research and a genuine desire to turn your everyday coffee into something exceptional.
In the future, Crispin and Juliet say they may launch a tasting studio in Stamford, perhaps even a café. But for now, their products are available to businesses and to households who want to bring quality and flavour back to your morning coffee.
Derwent & Dunne’s range of blended and single estate coffees (beans, ground coffee and pods), teas and hot chocolate drinks are available via www.derwentanddunne.co.uk or by calling 07462 952703.
THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE
RESTAURANTS
THE BARNSDALE BRASSERIE – 1760
Set in a beautifully restored 17thcentury building, The Barnsdale provides a relaxed yet elegant dining experience. The Barnsdale, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH. Call 01572 724678 or see barnsdalerutland.com.
BLOSSOMS
RESTAURANT AT RUTLAND HALL
A contemporary restaurant serving a seasonal menu using locally sourced ingredients, with a beautiful lakeside setting overlooking Rutland Water.
Rutland Hall Hotel, Barnsdale, LE15 8AB. Call 01572 757901 or see www.rutlandhall.co.uk.
CLOISTERS BISTRO
Cosy Italian bistro serving fresh pasta, authentic pizzas, and a variety of traditional Italian dishes.
St Mary's St, Stamford PE9 2DE. Call 01780 755162 or see www.cloistersbistro.com.
THE CROWN HOTEL
OUR GOOD FOOD AWARDS WINNERS
Each year we ask our readers to vote for their favourite restaurants, coffee shops and food producers, revealing our winners in our January editions. We’ve highlighted this year’s winners in buff to make sure they’re easy to see!
Promote your business in our Good Food Guide for just £15 + VAT per month! Get in touch with our friendly team on 01529 469977 or email us at sales@pridemagazines.co.uk to find out more.
THE GEORGE INN OAKHAM
A charming 17th century coaching inn situated in the centre of Oakham previously known as the WhipperIn Market Place, Oakham LE15 6DT. Call 01572 756971 thegeorgeinnoakham.co.uk.
MILLY’S BISTRO AT THE WILLIAM CECIL
A lively pub, restaurant, and hotel in the heart of Stamford, serving a seasonal menu with local ingredients.
All Saints’ Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG. Call 01780 763136 or see www.kneadpubs.co.uk.
RESTAURANT
OF THE YEAR 2024 THE FINCH’S ARMS
An 18thcentury pub situated on the very pretty Hambleton Peninsula, providing stunning views over Rutland Water along with a menu of British classics. Hambleton, LE15 8TL. Call 01572 756575 or see www.finchsarms.co.uk.
THE FOX AND HOUNDS, EXTON
A picturesque pub featuring a seasonal menu, lively events, and a spacious beer garden. Ideal for enjoying a relaxed meal in a traditional setting. The Green, Exton, LE15 8AP. Call 01572 811032 or see www.thefoxinexton.co.uk.
RESTAURANT WITH ROOM 2024 HAMBLETON
Located at The William Cecil, Milly’s Bistro is a relaxed yet refined addition to the Stamford dining scene, serving up a variety of nofuss dishes created using local ingredients. St Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LJ Call 01780 750085 or see www.millysbistro.co.uk.
HALL
Michelinstarred restaurant with seasonal menus in a luxurious country house setting. Created in 1979 and opening soon after, the kitchen is headed up by Aaron Patterson who has ensured the restaurant has retained its Michelin Star longer than any other dining room in Britain. Hambleton, Oakham, LE15 8TH. Call 01572 756991 or see www.hambletonhall.com.
HITCHENS BARN
Modern British cuisine using & locally sourced food courtesy of Neil & Louise Hitchen. Burley Road, Oakham LE15 6DH. Call 01572 722255 or see www.hitchensbarn.co.uk.
JASHIR INDIAN RESTAURANT & WINE BAR
A culinary destination that offers unforgettable Indian dishes made with the finest ingredients and spices. 51-53 High Street, Oakham LE15 6AJ. Call 01572 368282 or see www.jashir.co.uk
THE MAD TURK
A rustic Turkish Cypriot restaurant known for its delicious, authentic dishes cooked on a coal barbecue. 8-9 St Paul’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2BE. Call 01780 238001 or see www.themadturk.co.uk.
THE MARQUESS OF EXETER, LYDDINGTON
A standout pub in Lyddington offering a menu that blends classic pub fare with modern Indian cuisine, all in a cosy, welcoming setting. Main Street, Lyddington, LE15 9LT. Call 01572 822477 or see marquessofexeter.com.
NO.23 UPPINGHAM
A Mediterraneaninspired restaurant featuring offering a wellcurated selection of wines and cocktails.
High Street East, Uppingham, LE15 9PY. Call 01572 303023, www.23uppingham.co.uk.
THE OAK ROOM AT THE GEORGE HOTEL
Refined fine dining featuring modern British cuisine. Highlights of the menu onclude Dover sole and sirloin of beef carved at the table.
George Hotel, High Street, St Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LB. Call 01780 750750 or see georgehotelofstamford.com.
THE OLIVE BRANCH
An awardwinning gastropub offering seasonal British cuisine in a gorgeous setting. Having celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024, the restaurant’s kitchen garden provides fresh herbs, fruit and veg, and local producers are really well represented across the menus. Clipsham, Rutland, LE15 7SH. Call 01780 410355 or www.theolivebranchpub.com.
ORBIS STAMFORD
Recently opened in the heart of Stamford, Orbis brings a unique fusion of international flavours, featuring small plates and vibrant cocktails. Creative menu includes dishes from across the globe
All Saints’ Place, Stamford, PE9 2AR. Call 01780 669950 or see orbisstamford.co.uk.
PATEN & CO
Located in a historic 18thcentury pub, Paten & Co serves a variety of small plates and larger dishes, with a special focus on its charcoal oven. All Saints’ Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG. Call 01780 408647 or see www.kneadpubs.co.uk.
BEST INTERNATIONAL
DINING RESTAURANT 2024
SARPECH INDIAN RESTAURANT
Sarpech offers a contemporary dining experience with a focus on topquality Indian cuisine and excellent service.
Burley Corner, Oakham, LE15 6DU. Call 01572 842888 or see www.sarpech.co.uk.
ZADA
A beautiful Turkish restaurant in one of Stamford’s old stone buildings, offering a menu packed with authentic Turkish dishes like kofte and baklava. St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP. Call 01780 766848 or see zadarestaurant.co.uk.
DINING PUBS
THE BLUE BALL AT BRAUNSTON
Cosy country pub with a focus on local produce, offering traditional British dishes. Cedar Street, Braunston, LE15 8QS. Call 01572 722135 theblueballbraunston.co.uk.
THE BULL AND SWAN
A quirky pub offering classic British dishes in a stylish, historic setting.
High Street St Martin's, Stamford, PE9 2LJ. Call 01780 766412 or see www.thebullandswan.co.uk.
THE FALCON HOTEL
Historic hotel and pub offering a variety of hearty British dishes and Sunday roasts. High Street East, Uppingham, LE15 9PY. Call 01572 823535 or see www.falcon-hotel.co.uk.
THE FOX
Cosy pub serving a mix of traditional British and international dishes.
Pinfold Lane, North Luffenham, LE15 8LE. Call 01780 720991 or see thefoxrutland.co.uk.
THE FOX & HOUNDS
Village pub offering a seasonal menu in a traditional setting. The Green, Exton, LE15 8AP. Call 01572 811032 or see www.thefoxinexton.co.uk.
THE HORSE & JOCKEY
A charming traditional pub located near Rutland Water, offering pub classics and a variety of local ales.
St Mary’s Road, Manton, Oakham LE15 8SU. Call 01572 737335 or see horseandjockeyrutland.co.uk.
THE JACKSON STOPS
A charming Grade II listed, country pub serving twoAA rosette food.
Rookery Lane, Stretton, LE15 7RA. Call 01780 410237 or see thejacksonstops.com.
THE KING'S ARMS, WING
A historic 17thcentury country pub and smokehouse, known for its contemporary take on traditional dishes and game based dishes.
Top Street, Wing, LE15 8SE. Call 01572 737634 or see www.thekingsarms-wing.co.uk.
THE KING’S HEAD
A quaint pub in the heart of Stamford, offering hearty pub meals.
Maiden Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AZ. Call 01780 753510 or see www.kingsheadstamford.co.uk
THE LONDON INN
Oldworld pub offering traditional dishes, including brunch and grill options.
St John's Street, Stamford, PE9 2DB. Call 01780 754919.
THE LORD BURGHLEY
A traditional British pub with a suntrap garden, serving a variety of pub classics.
Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Call 01780 763426.
THE NOEL AT WHITWELL
Country pub with a recently refurbished interior, offering a wide range of beers, wines, and homecooked food. Whitwell Road, Whitwell, Oakham LE15 8BW. Call 01572 510137 or see www.noelatwhitwell.com.
THE RAILWAY INN, KETTON
A friendly village pub set in a Grade II listed building in Ketton, serving excellent local cask ales and hearty pub food.
Ketton, Stamford, PE9 3RD. Call 01780 721050.
THE SUN INN, COTTESMORE
A beautiful thatchedroof country pub offering a varied menu made with locally sourced seasonal produce. The pub has a welcoming atmosphere and serves Everards cask ales. Main Street, Cottesmore, Oakham, LE15 7DH. Call 01572 812321 or see www.suninncottesmore.co.uk.
THE TOBIE NORRIS
A historic 13th century pub with a cosy atmosphere, offering traditional British dishes, woodfired pizzas, and a variety of local ales. Part of the Knead Pubs group alongside Paten & Co and The Crown Hotel. St Paul’s St, Stamford, PE9 2BE. Call 01780 753800 or see www.kneadpubs.co.uk.
THE WHEATSHEAF
Weekly changing menu of modern British dishes, featuring in the Michelin guide as one of the area’s top gastropubs, set in a Grade II listed building with Carol and Scott at the helm since 2008. Greetham, Oakham LE15 7NP. Call 01572 812325 or see wheatsheaf-greetham.co.uk.
DAYTIME DINING
THE BLONDE BEET
A plantbased restaurant with a creative menu that highlights seasonal ingredients, The Blonde Beet is run by Jo Kemp, who has brought her passion for vegan cuisine to the heart of Stamford. Expect inventive dishes that are both healthy and packed with flavour. St Paul's Street, Stamford PE9 2BE. Call 01780 766464 or see www.blondebeet.co.uk.
DON PADDY’S
Familyrun business since 2001 and somewhere to meet for brunch, lunch and dinner daily, or cocktails. Serving delicious, high quality food with local produce in a friendly, local space. Recently refurbished with brand new menu, sister venue of Uppingham’s Falcon Hotel. Market Place, Uppingham LE15 9QH. Call 01572 822255 or see www.donpaddys.co.uk.
FIKA STAMFORD
Opened by brother and sister duo Tia and Ivo, Fika Stamford offers a ‘vibey brunch café’ experience. With a warm atmosphere, good music, and friendly staff, it’s perfect for those seeking a stylish spot for brunch, lunch, or a relaxed coffee break.
High Street, Stamford PE9 2BB. Call 01780 723514 or see www.fikacafe.co.uk.
GARDEN RESTAURANT AT GATES GARDEN CENTRE
The perfect place to eat and drink. Large 350seater restaurant within Gates Gardens Centre, which also benefits from having an exceptional farm shop on site. Outdoor verandah for summer months and log burners for the cooler months.
Cold Overton, LE15 7QB. Call01664 454309 or see www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk.
LAMBERT’S BISTRO
Welcoming and comfortable environment in which to enjoy good coffee, brunch or lunch. Cheyne Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AX. Call 01780 767063 or see www.lamberts-stamford.co.uk.
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR 2024 ‘THE VIEW’ AT RUTLAND NURSERY
A popular spot with stunning views of Rutland Water, offering a range of light lunches and homemade desserts in a serene setting. Manton, LE15 8RN. Call 01572 498720 or see rutlandnursery.co.uk.
CAFÉS AND TEA ROOMS
BARNSDALE GARDENS TEA ROOM
A delightful spot within Barnsdale Gardens, known for serving freshly made dishes using local ingredients. The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, LE15 8AH. Call 01572 813200 or see www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk.
THE DAIRY BARN CAFE
Delightful tearoom with homemade cakes, sandwiches, and teas. Located on a dairy farm at Leesthorpe between Oakham and Melton, with 200 cows and its own ice cream parlour producing luxury ice cream from cow to cone. Whissendine Rd, Leesthorpe, Melton Mowbray LE14 2XJ. Call 01664 474461 or see www.ferneleysicecream.co.uk.
HAMBLETON BAKERY
Artisan bakery offering a range of breads, pastries, and sweet treats created by Julian Carter and his team. Exton based café is the former bakehouse, extended with excellent countryside views. Cottesmore Road, Oakham LE15 8AN. Call 01572 812995 or see www.hambletonbakery.co.uk.
THE HAYLOFT AT HUNTERS
A stylish and inviting coffee shop with an adjacent interior design studio for inspiration. Excellent coffee, delicious homemade cakes, Hambleton Bakery bread and tea cakes and savoury light lunches, which include a soup of the day and a salad of the day. Copthill Farm, Stamford PE9 4TD. Call 01780 753351 or see www.huntersinteriors ofstamford.co.uk.
NEW LODGE FARM SHOP & RESTAURANT
Farm shop and restaurant offering fresh local produce and homemade dishes. Rockingham Forest, Laxton Road, Corby NN17 3DU. Call 01780 450493 or see www.newlodgefarm.co.uk.
WYMONDHAM WINDMILL TEAROOM
Set in a historic windmill, this familyfriendly tearoom serves homemade meals, cakes, and a variety of hot and cold beverages. The tearoom is surrounded by boutique shops, making it a lovely place to relax and explore.
Butt Lane, Wymondham Melton Mowbray LE14 2BU. Call 01572 787304 or see wymondhamwindmill.co.uk.
FOOD & DRINK PRODUCERS AND RETAILERS
DERWENT
& DUNNE
Exceptional coffees & teas using growers of quality, Call 01780 723826 or visit www.derwentanddunne.co.uk.
FARMER LOU
Quality cuts of beef, pork and lamb grass fed on Lou’s land around Exton.
Tower House Farm, Barnsdale Avenue Oakham, LE15 8AH. Call 07807 748352, www.farmerlou.co.uk.
GATES FARM SHOP
Farm shop with 12,000sq ft retail space incorporating Hambleton Farms butchery. Cold Overton, LE15 7QB. Call 01664 454309 or see www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk.
HAMBLETON BAKERY
Handmade artisan bread and cakes free of additives and preservatives available from seven shops including those in Exton, Stamford, and Oakham. Oakham LE15 8AN. Call 01572 812995 or see www.hambletonbakery.co.uk.
FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 2024
RENNET & RIND
Stamford’s goto destination for artisan British cheese. High St, Stamford PE9 2AL. Call 01480 831112 or see www.rennetandrind.co.uk.
DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 2024
RUTLAND VINEYARD
Beautiful vineyard in Rutland producing stunning wines on Jurassic limestone soil. Tasting Barn, Barrowden Rd, Ketton, PE9 3RJ. See therutlandvineyard.com.
Promote your business in our Good Food Guide for just £15 + VAT per month! Get in touch with our friendly team on 01529 469977 or email us at sales@pridemagazines.co.uk.
Rennet & Rind, our Food Producer of the Year in 2024.
A Farewell to FROST
Looking forward to spring? Yes, so are we!
But before we whisper farewell to winter for another year, we’ve asked local photographer Richard Brown to remind us why each season has a beauty of its own, such as the glistening white prevalence of frost in the winter months
Images: Richard Brown, Richard in Rutland Photography, see www.rinrphotos.co.uk
Previous Page: A frosty sunrise at Barnsdale, Rutland Water. “This group of trees are a favourite of mine and feature in quite a few photos.”
This spread: Trees at Burley on the Hill covered in hoar frost.
“Created by freezing fog which on this occasion was just beginning to clear leaving some interesting light and a Narnia type scene.”
Images: Richard Brown, Richard in Rutland Photography, see www.rinrphotos.co.uk.
A trio of images of the Eyebrook Reservoir. “Opposite is a cold and frosty sunrise at the Eyebrook reservoir viewed from the bridge. It was 6°c on this particular morning and even the stream that feeds the reservoir had frozen over.”
About Our Photographer
Richard Brown is a photographer based in Rutland who is working with us to capture each season in all its beauty throughout the year, including taking outstanding images for our front covers. A landscape, nature and aviation photographer, his work can be seen at www.rinrphotos.co.uk, on Facebook (@richardinrutland) and Instagram (richard_in_rutland).
Poetry in Stamford Never Lost for Words
Stamford is looking for a new Poet Laureate for 2025/2026, and with great responsibility comes great joy, says the current holder of the title, Caroline Avnit
Words: Rob Davis.
It was love at first sight... just the sort of romantic notion that might inspire a hundred poems. Good thing too, as Stamford’s Poet Laureate needs to be quite prolific as well as being a creative ambassador for the town.
Since 2012 Stamford has appointed a Poet Laurete each year who works with the Town Hall and Stamford Arts Centre to mark important events and to encourage others to put pen to paper to celebrate the town’s unique heritage.
Though she was already a seasoned poet, Caroline Avnit wasn’t expecting to take up the position because she arrived in the town quite by accident back in October 2021. Having fallen under the town’s spell though, Caroline and her family have taken the advice of the sign on London Road which suggested they ‘stay awhile amid its ancient charm.’
“I’m originally from South Africa and we intended to travel in early 2020, but couldn’t have chosen a worse time as Covid was just about to change everybody’s plans.”
“We arrived in the UK to London in lockdown and ended up travelling extensively, including nine months in Edinburgh. Between, and following lockdowns we were able to visit places like Windsor, Bath and Bristol too. We hadn’t known about Stamford but we arrived one day by train, instantly falling in love with the town.”
“It seemed like a great place to settle and as we enjoyed getting to know the town a bit I soon found myself attending Stamford Arts Centre’s Pint of Poetry event which takes place on the last Wednesday of each month giving local poets the opportunity to develop and perform their work live to an appreciative and supportive group.”
Pint of Poetry was created by Karen Burrows of Stamford Arts Centre following Verse, the town’s successful spoken word festival in 2012.
The event has subsequently taken place every other year; the next event will run in April 2026 and as ever, it will be hosted by the town’s incumbent Poet Laureate.
Meanwhile, Caroline’s time in the role will conclude at the end of April when her successor will be appointed, and one of her final jobs will be to have a say in naming the town’s next Poet Laureate.
There’s a panel of judges including the Mayor of Stamford, Kelham Cooke, Caroline and Karen.
“We invite either budding or established poets to submit a poem, and we want to hear how they will use the role to reach out to people in the town.”
“One of the nicest features of the position is that every poet has brought something unique to the role, using their own skills or interests to further its potential.” >>
Poetry in Stamford
Caroline’s time in the role of Poet Laureate has seen her craft poetic verse around subjects as diverse as the anniversary of D-Day or a visit from representatives of Stamford’s twinned town to the local Community Orchard Group’s Blossom Day
>> “In 2022/2023 Scott Coe had a real interest in visual and audio arts, so he used that to reach as many people as possible in addition to hosting live performances.”
“Other poets have taken their work into local schools or into residential homes to reach different groups in the town to ensure everyone has a voice in the town.”
“What’s nice about the panel is that we all approach the choice of town poet in a slightly different way, with the Mayor usually looking for someone who can act as a really strong ambassador for the town, promoting everything that we value about life in Stamford, and with the incumbent poet usually looking at the style of their work.”
“I’m looking for somebody who can bring imagination and adaptability to the role and write on a range of subjects from the role that nature plays in the changing look and feel of the town to events throughout the year from civic events to the Mid-Lent Fair, to Christmas celebrations.”
Among Caroline’s work has been poems to mark Remembrance Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which has yielded some really thoughtful words and helped to capture the occasion with respect and humanity.
“We’re inviting entries from 1st March with a closing date of Friday 18th April. From all of our entries we create a shortlist and invite them to Pint of Poetry on Wednesday 30th April when the winner will be chosen.”
Caroline’s time in the role of Poet Laureate has seen her craft poetic verse around subjects as diverse as the anniversary of D-Day or a visit from representatives of Stamford’s twinned town to the local Community Orchard Group’s Blossom Day. She has also been interviewed by BBC Radio Lincolnshire and she hosted and warmed up the crowd when World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker brought his show to the town.
Caroline’s work can be found on Instagram (@mystamfordlife) and the poet has also used to opportunity to publish two volumes of her work; All the Birds in October and Walk in the Light in December, both available via Amazon and closer to home at Walkers Bookshop.
“There’s a bit of pressure knowing you have to write to order, however I soon learnt to write less form the head and more from the heart,” Caroline admits.
“There’s usually plenty of notice, though, and there’s always plenty of inspiration to be drawn from the fact that wherever you look, everybody loves Stamford and everyone is happy to celebrate life in our super town.”
“I personally credit divine intervention, but I guess it depends on whether you believe in God, fate or just luck... nonetheless, I’m so glad to have found Stamford.”
“It’s a wonderful place and being able to live, and a great source of inspiration for a poet!”
Main Image: Lemm Sissay, appearing at Stamford Arts Centre on 19th June, 8pm.
To put yourself forward as Stamford’s next Poet Laureate, complete the entry form online at www.stamfordartscentre.com, entries are open from 1st March to 18th April.
Poetry in Stamford
Friday 11th April
Luke Wright: Joy
Is it possible, as a 42yearold, to feel pure unbridled happiness, and what does it look like? The French novelist Henry de Montherlant said that ‘happiness writes white’ but Wright’s not exactly starting with a blank page. With a mix of the comic and the wistful, JOY takes in consumerism, boozing, cancer scares, abseiling vicars, and the joy of language itself. We might have to go down to come up, but we’ll get there in the end. Come let a little joy into your life with a raconteur and wordsmith at the top of his game.
7.30pm, Stamford Arts Centre, tickets £15.
Thursday 19th June, 8pm
Lemn Sissay:
Let the Light Pour In
Lemn Sissay is a BAFTAnominated, awardwinning writer and broadcaster. For the past decade, Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. Lifeaffirming, witty and full of wonder, these poems chronicle his own battle with the darkness and are fuelled with resilience and defiant joy. Let the Light Pour In is a collection of the best of these poems, and a book celebrating his morning practice.
Details to be confirmed, see www.stamfordartscentre.com.
What’s On
From Sunday 16th February
Boughton House Gardens with the National Garden Scheme
The Gardens, Landscape, and Parkland will be open on Sunday, 16th February, from 1pm to 4pm. Explore the diverse areas of the estate, including the expansive parkland, and tranquil gardens. Wander along the waterways and tree-lined avenues, admire art installations like Life Flow, and visit highlights such as the Walled Garden and the Alpine Garden, each offering its unique charm. Finally, enhance your visit with a delightful stop at the tearoom and gift shop.
Booking available online at www.boughtonhouse.co.uk
A Heart Full of Songs
Send your press releases and events to us via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk
Tuesday 4th Friday 7th March
A Taste of Honey
The Stamford Shoestring Theatre group present A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney. Set in Salford in 1958, the film of the ‘kitchen sink drama’ was released in 1961 and was groundbreaking both in its breaking of its taboos and its ensuing controversy. Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd
Tickets £12, from 7.45pm.
Stamford Arts Centre, PE9 2DL. Call 01780 763203 or see www.stamfordartscentre.com.
Tuesday 18th March
The Dawn of Impressionism
Satellite screening of the Musee d’Orsay’s documentary about the origins of impressionism.
Saturday 22nd March
10cc’s Graham Gouldman
The semi-acoustic four-piece perform a broad spread songwriter Graham Gouldman’s back catalogue, including his many chart hits for 10cc, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck and his time in Wax with Andrew Gold. An intimate gig for fans of a musical genius.
Tickets £34, from 7.30pm, Stamford Corn Exchange, call 01780 766455 or see stamfordcornexchange.co.uk
The Impressionists are the most popular group in art historymillions flock every year to marvel at their masterpieces. But, to begin with, they were scorned, penniless outsiders. What led to that first groundbreaking show 150 years ago? Who were the maverick personalities that wielded their brushes in such a radical and provocative way?
This production considers why 1874 was the very year in which Impressionism was born and the art world was changed forever.
Tickets £15, from 7pm.
Stamford Arts Centre, PE9 2DL. www.stamfordartscentre.com.
Send your press releases and events to us via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk
Saturday 8th March
Young Musicians’ Showcase
Rutland Sinfonia’s 3rd concert of the 2024-2025 season showcases the talents of two young local musicians: Felipe Klepin-Salles performs as a piano soloist, whilst soprano Evie Holder dazzles with her impressive vocals.
The Rutland Sinfonia is an amateur orchestra based in Oakham, but there is nothing ‘amateur’ about the quality of its performances, especially in this, its 50th year. Look out for future concerts hosted by the group throughout 2025.
Oakham School Chapel, 7.30pm, £10/general, call www.rutlandsinfonia.org.uk
The Tina Turner Musical
Tina Turner musical biopic West End mega-hit comes to Leicester as part of its first-ever UK & Ireland tour...
Wednesday 26th March
Mike & The Mechanics
Following 2023’s much lauded sell out ‘Refuelled’ Tour, Mike and The Mechanics return for the Looking Back – Living The Years 2025 Tour.
Originally formed in 1985 by Mike Rutherford, the group will play their hits including Over My Shoulder, The Living Years and All I Need Is A Miracle as well as drifting into some of Genesis’s much loved classic tracks. The group has sold over 10m albums in the 1980s and 1990s, including The Living Years in 1988.
Tickets from £48.50, 7.30pm, DeMontfort Hall, Leicester. Call 0116 233 3111 or see www.demontforthall.co.uk
Saturday 22nd March
Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years
Critically acclaimed as one of the greatest Simon and Garfunkel tribute shows in Europe Through the Years is fronted by Dan Haynes and Pete Richards.
Sunday 23rd March
Paul Metcalfe as Rod Stewart
The voice, the look, the charisma – Paul Metcalfe’s Rod Stewart Tribute Show has it all from. The Faces’ hits to Rod’s solo tunes.
Both events Kilworth House Hotel & Theatre, Leicestershire. Includes welcome drink and dinner, accommodation optional. Call 01858 881805 or see www.kilworthhouse.co.uk.
Thursday 6th March to Saturday 22nd March
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
From humble beginnings in Nutbush, to her transformation into a multi-award-winning global superstar, Tina Turner didn’t just break the rules, she rewrote them, winning 12 Grammy Awards and selling more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history.
Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her iconic hits, including The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer and River Deep, Mountain High, discover the
heart and soul behind the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Experience her inspiring story live on stage as this exhilarating celebration reveals the untold story of a woman who dared to dream fiercely, shatter barriers and defy the bounds of age, gender and race to conquer the world against all odds.
Curve Theatre, Leicester, various ticket prices, call 0116 242 3595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk
Image: Matt Crockett
Secrets of the Square
Nestled in the centre of Stamford, Red Lion Square has long served as a vibrant hub for the town’s activity, steeped in history that resonates through its picturesque architecture and storied past
Red Lion Square takes its name from the Red Lion Inn, a prominent coaching inn that stood proudly in the square during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a bustling stopover for weary travellers journeying along the Great North Road, which connected London to the north of England. While the original inn no longer exists, its legacy remains central to the square’s identity, symbolising its longstanding role as a meeting place.
Medieval Market Days
During the medieval period, Red Lion Square played a vital role in Stamford’s thriving market economy. As one of the key trading centres in the region, Stamford held markets as early as the 12th century, with Red Lion Square becoming a focal point for commerce. Merchants and farmers would gather here to sell their goods, from fresh produce to handcrafted wares, with the square’s location offering easy access to the rest of the town and its surrounding villages.
Architectural Highlights
Today, Red Lion Square is bordered by an eclectic mix of architectural styles that reflect Stamford’s rich history. At its heart is the mid-18th-century former Town Hall, an
elegant Georgian building that was once used as a courthouse and guildhall. Another notable building is Browne’s Hospital, a Grade I listed almshouse founded in 1475 by wealthy wool merchant William Browne. Though not directly on the square, its proximity highlights the importance of this area during Stamford’s medieval period.
To the keen observer, Red Lion Square’s Georgian and Victorian façades hint at Stamford’s prosperity during the 18th and 19th centuries, when the town became renowned for its fine coaching inns and highquality stone buildings. Stamford was designated England’s first conservation area in 1967, ensuring the protection of gems like those found around the square.
The Square Today
In the 21st century, Red Lion Square remains a beloved part of Stamford’s social and cultural life. Local businesses, from artisan coffee shops to boutique retailers, now line its perimeter, attracting both residents and visitors. The square also serves as a venue for community events, including seasonal markets, live performances, and charity fundraisers, keeping its centuries-old tradition as a communal hub alive.
The Cover Story Red Lion Square
1. WHERE’S THE RED LION?
The namesake of Red Lion Square was the Red Lion Inn, where North Shoes is now located. The pub ceased to exist around 1720, and in the last years of its presence in the square, it’s believed that it was known as the White Meat Market Market. The term is a relic of the fact that the market in Stamford used to be divided into four areas; the white market, meat market, fish market and butter market.
Later on, a public house was established where Paten & Co now stands. Prior to that it was home to a Peterborough wine merchant established in Peterborough in 1898, moving the business to Stamford. Paten & Co was formerly known as The Marsh Harrier and later The Periwig, before its closure in 2016. It reopened after a comprehensive refurbishment by Knead Pubs as Paten & Co, when the team were delighted to uncover the original Paten & Co signage which had been covered over.
2. THE HISTORY OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH
Much of All Saints’ Church dates back from the 13th century (around 1220), although it’s believed an earlier church stood on the site prior to its construction. During the 1200s, Stamford was home to 14 medieval churches, of which five still remain; All Saints’, St George’s, St John the Baptist, St Mary’s and St Michaels. All Saints was originally a daughter church to St Peters (on St Peter’s Hill) which was closed in the 16th century, where upon the congregation merged with that of All Saints. Stamfordian wool merchants William and John Browne came to All Saints’ rescue in 1461 when the building was badly damaged during the War of the Roses. Their family shield can be seen over the chancel arch with the letter ‘B’ marking the family’s benevolence.
3. A NEW HOME IN RED LION SQUARE
Red Lion Square also has a family of peregrine falcons who live in the tower of All Saints’ Church. They moved in back in 2021 and returned year on year, fledging chicks in 2022 and 2023. The church welcomes them for keeping messy pigeons under control, and has even installed cameras to view the birds live when they are in residence (www.stamfordallsaints.org.uk).
No 6 and No7 Red Lion Square are on the southern side of Red Lion Square adjacent to what was formerly known as Horse Shoe Lane. The row of buildings comprise of a shop that is believed to date from 1700, and a timber-framed guildhall and hall house dating from about 1400. The large round glazed lantern on top of the building dates from around 1830 and has seating inside so visitors could enjoy elevated views across to All Saints Church. The shop front was added in 1848 and as the building was owned by the Browne family, it’s likely that it was used for trading wool, but also luxury goods like wine.
A WALK THROUGH HISTORY
History in Six Objects
The Old Gas Lamps: These elegant relics of Victorian engineering still stand proudly in the square, casting a nostalgic glow during evening hours. A reminder of Stamford’s first introduction to gas lighting in the 19th century, they add a timeless charm to the area.
Boot Scrapers: Keep an eye out for these iron boot scrapers, embedded beside several doorways. These practical fixtures were once essential for cleaning muddy footwear before entering buildings — a small but significant glimpse into daily life of yesteryear.
The Town Hall Clock: A striking feature of the Jacobeanstyle Town Hall, the clock has kept time for the square for over two centuries. Its ornate face and mechanism are a testament to 18thcentury craftsmanship.
The Browne’s Hospital Signage: Just off the square, the original stonecarved signage of Browne’s Hospital remains intact, offering a tangible link to the medieval era and the charitable endeavours of its founder.
Stamford’s cobbles have been a bone (or perhaps a stone) of contention since 2007 when new Yorkstone setts were installed. Having suffered by the amount of traffic through the town centre, and with health and safety concerns, some suggested replacing the setts with tarmac... which would have been cheaper too; £44m2 compared to £744m2 However, preserving the look an feel of Red Lion Square was considered important and replacement cobbles were installed in 2022.
Historic Shopfronts: Some of the shopfronts around the square still feature traditional wooden fascias and handpainted signs. These details harken back to Stamford’s days as a thriving commercial hub.
Cobbled Streets and Thresholds: The square’s cobblestones date back centuries, their worn surfaces bearing the footprints of countless generations. Look closely, and you might spot threshold stones inscribed with dates or initials, offering a personal touch to the square’s enduring history.
4. A JACOBEAN TOWN HALL
6. THE COBBLES SURVIVE
550 years of History in Stamford at Browne’s Hospital
This year represents 550 years since the founding of Browne’s Hospital on Stamford’s Broad Street. The almshouses are a Grade II* property founded by William and Margaret Brown with a letter patent granted by Richard III. Open to the public every Bank Holiday Monday and Saturdays from June to the end of September, the hospital and its almshouses offer a fascinating insight into Stamford’s history
Words: Rob Davis, David Wallington. Images: Browne’s Hospital.
One of Stamford’s best kept secrets, perhaps? Well, maybe not a secret. Let’s just say that Browne’s Hospital is such an established presence in the town that it’s easy to take it for granted.
Its ecclesiastical architecture gives the impression that the building is one of Stamford’s medieval churches, but although Browne’s Hospital does incorporate a chapel, it was created by its namesakes – the wealthy Stamford wool merchants William and Margaret Browne – as an estate of almshouses for 10 poor men and two poor women in 1475 and was also home for the Guild of All Saints, of which Browne was an alderman.
Today it’s still used for the purposes of providing almshouse accommodation, but even locals will be forgiven for not realising that Browne’s Hospital is open to the public either from private tours or for everyone on Bank Holidays Mondays and Saturdays from June to the end of September.
David Wallington is one of the trustees who cares for the property and is responsible for maintaining the Grade II* building’s fabric... which is no small undertaking.
“William and Margaret established Browne’s Hospital and funded it themselves,” says David. “They lived next door and the buildings they created served both as a guild hall and almshouse. In 1548 guilds were abolished and room above the dormitory became the Audit Room for the almshouse where the Warden would present the financial accounts to the Vicar of All Saints and the Dean of Stamford for their approval.”
“Wanting to ensure the building would continue to provide for those in need, William applied by Letters Patent to the King to incorporate the almshouse – in effect creating a charity – to cover the 12 poor people in addition to the two clergy running the almshouse: a Warden and his deputy, the Confrater.”
“Richard III awarded Browne’s Hospital a licence (often referred to as a charter) just before his death in 1485. In 1488 William gave half his estate (around 2,000 acres Stamford and its surrounding counties) to the building for its maintenance. This land was all sold at the beginning of the 20th century and the money invested at that time continues to ensure the future of the charity. >>
History
>> “William and Margaret died in 1489 and 1490 respectively, whereupon Margaret's brother, Thomas Stokkes completed the foundation by obtaining a second licence from Henry VII and writing the statutes – or rules of the almshouse – which remained relevant until 1964. The last warden left in 1987.”
“Men lived in individual cubicles in a dormitory (the current Board Room) and this opened directly into the chapel where there was twice daily prayer. Worship in the chapel was obligatory until this time. The poor worshipped at All Saints on a Sunday.”
“The two women who shared a room elsewhere on the site served as nurses, whilst the Warden and Confrater also lived on site. Each of the poor received a small stipend out of which they bought their own food. We know the men had a blue cloak and in 1828 were given the uniform which remained in use until about 1960.”
By the middle of the 19th Century the site was suffering from dilapidation. Plans were even made to tear down all the buildings and build a new almshouse in its place.
In the end the original building facing Broad Street was retained and individual cottages built around a lawned area.
The new Warden's House was built on Broad Street but it is now rented out as office space.
More recently, a new Scheme of Management in 1964 was created and the almshouse was opened to both sexes and to married couples. The Hospital became responsible to the Charity Commission in 1854 when the first Scheme of Management was drawn up.
Today, Browne’s Hospital belongs to the Almshouse Association to which the custodians turn for help with best practice and general advice.
“Sadly, we know little of those who lived in the Hospital over the centuries although they would have come, not only from Stamford, but surrounding villages. But one person stands out,” says David. “In 1857 William Ball celebrated his 100th birthday and the Warden, Revd Charles Nevinson, asked Elizabeth Higgins, who had a photograph establishment in Maiden Lane, to take his portrait which is now in the Hospital archive.”
“William even got an obituary in the Stamford Mercury when he died just short of his 104th birthday. It drew a veil over some of his exploits when a young man stated that William admitted committing every crime except murder!”
Main: The chapel was separated from the Common Room by a mediaeval screen. Above: The Common Room. Right: 2022 saw the restoration of the medieval stained glass window at a cost of over £87,000. Also seen here is the 1871 accommodation around the cloisters.
History
Today, Browne’s Hospital’s accommodation comprises 13 flats arranged around the cloister garden, each self-contained and with a lounge, kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom.
In years gone by the criteria for accommodation within the Almshouses was based on poverty and religious commitment: being able to recite the Lord’s prayer and having led a ‘good life.’ Today the criteria is need.
However, David and the rest of the trustees would like to see more Stamford residents discovering for themselves the history of the building and its architecture, as well as the collection of antiquities within... for example, the ecclesiastical map of Lincolnshire showing the Saxon wapentakes which once divided up the area. Meanwhile two 16th century painted panels in the Audit Room which were cleaned and stabilised a couple of years ago.
Also on view is the oak-topped table dating back from 1583 and a massive iron-bound chest originally used to store the Foundation Documents and other precious possessions of the Hospital.
The latter was secured by three padlocks and could be opened only when the Warden, the Vicar of All Saints' Church and one of the men were all present each with his own key. An additional item on display is the late medieval alms box which was used to collect money to distribute to the poor.
Another link to the building’s past at the bottom of the staircase is a brass plaque that dates back to 1497 and records the original creed of the hospital and the purposes behind the building’s foundation. It’s history of which the trustees are also keen to acknowledge.
“We’re proud to celebrate our 550th year with a number of events thought the year,” says David. “We are planning events ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan in the Common Room to historical re-enactments, such as a visit in May from Richard III who granted the first charter in 1485.”
“We hope that this year we’ll have a chance to offer tours and invite people into a building they might otherwise walk past each day, understanding more of its history and the effort that is required to ensure its survival for future generations. We would welcome more volunteers to ensure that the building remains open to visitors.”
Homes & Gardens
FIND JOY IN THE ART OF LIVING WELL
WELCOME HOME: FYDELLS BARN IN MORCOTT
QUALITY DINING FURNITURE FOR YOUR OUTDOOR SPACES
PLUS: THE LARGEST SELECTION OF LUXURY HOMES IN RUTLAND, STAMFORD AND THE SURROUNDING AREA
Illustration designed by Anna Kutukova.
Fydells Barn A Property for All Seasons
A series of former farm buildings have been beautifully converted in a spacious, stylish and light barn ideal for a modern family seeking a very pretty rural home
Words: Rob Davis.
We’ll all be glad when spring comes along. It’s an optimistic season when grey skies give way to sunshine and our gardens enjoy fresh greenery and new growth.
The grounds of this month’s featured property will look lovely too, and Fydells Barn’s owners Marjorie and Richard will be glad to see winter turn into spring.
During our interview in January, both have emerged from Christmas with
rotten colds, but they were, at least, able to rest up in front of the log burner in the sitting room of the property on the sofa.
For a property that’s 200 years old, it’s as cosy and practical as you’d expect from a much newer property, thanks perhaps to the fact that it was only converted into a residence in the 1970s, and was purchased by the couple from a builder eight years ago when it was being modernised further.
Welcome Home
The namesake of the barn is thought to be Joseph Fydell, a Boston man who established himself as one of the area’s most successful merchants and who also owned Fydell House in Boston until that property was sold by the Fydell-Rowley family in 1935.
The Rowley Estate is the name of the Morcott farm on which Fydells Barn was created in the early 18th century, with a datestone above the fireplace initialled SF1721. The buildings are thought to be part of a former dairy or livestock operation, adjacent to a former crewyard.
Today the barns serve as a family home arranged over two floors with four bedrooms and two reception rooms. Visitors are welcomed in a very light and airy reception hall with a glass and timber split staircase, exposed stonework and limestone floor.
The sitting room in the west wing of the property features a log burner set into an inglenook fireplace, and with bifold doors opening onto the property’s courtyard with its outbuildings – including Richard’s studio – and an outdoor dining area.
The reception hall also leads to a large open-plan living space with a kitchen and dining area. Solid timber kitchen cabinetry with a shaker profile has been finished in a warm cream shade, with a slightly contrasting shade for the island. Work surfaces are topped with white Corian with its marble veining, and neatly integrated appliances by Neff include an oven with hide-and-slide door, microwave and warming drawer. There’s also a boiling water tap, drinks fridge plus additional storage thanks to the property’s useful pantry. There’s also a separate utility room for housing laundry appliances, and an adjacent boot room with cloakroom.
Fydells Barn dates back to 1721 serving as buildings for the Fydell Rowleyowned estate. It was converted in the 1970s and renovated further over the past eight years by current owners Marjorie & Richard.
On the first floor above the sitting room is the principal bedroom suite with dressing room and en suite.
A further guest suite in the east wing of the barn also has a dedicated en suite and there are two further bedrooms and a family bathroom.
Adjacent to the barn itself is a workshop of around 40ft, and adjacent tool shed. Beyond that is the studio in which Richard paints (mostly scenes of Rutland in acrylics) and Marjorie sculpts (typically creating animals and birds in clay).
The outbuildings feature rustic stable doors and other features that allude to their agricultural heritage, whilst the courtyard shape of the buildings create nice enclosed space within. There’s also a covered outdoor area ensuring al fresco dining can survive
Welcome Home
the odd shower and enabling the family to enjoy the warmer months without sweltering under direct sun.
The whole garden is a peaceful sanctuary, beautifully landscaped with a neat lawn, stone terrace, and raised planters framed by mature hedging.
In the front garden are mature mulberry and magnolia as well as a climbing wisteria and other mature shrubs.
“It’s been a lovely property but we’re seeking to downsize a little,” the couple says.
“We can see a family living here and being happy with the space, the versatility of the layout and the fact that it’s a family-friendly property which can feel both cosy, but also spacious all at the same time!”
Fydells Barn, Morcott, Rutland
Location: Situated in the village of Morcott Uppingham 3.9 miles. Oakham 7.5 miles.
Provenance: Former farm barns converted in the 1970s and renovated further over the past eight years. Four bedrooms with two en suite, two reception rooms currently arranged as living kitchen and sitting room.
Guide Price £1,250,000.
Find Out More:
Digby & Finch, Stamford. Call 01780 758 090 or see www.digbyandfinch.com.
Season of Opportunity
Kate Vincent from Garrington Property Finders discusses how to navigate the prime property market this spring.
With spring around the corner, the property market is poised for its traditional surge in activity, and 2025 shows every sign of continuing this trend. However, with the prime property sector facing a unique set of challenges, understanding current dynamics is essential for homebuyers aiming for success.
The property market remains competitive, driven by the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand. Although spring often brings an influx of new listings, many desirable homes are transacted off-market, making access to these opportunities crucial. For buyers, preparation and agility are paramount.
The relative shortage of desirable properties in prime locations around Stamford and Rutland is boosting sellers’ confidence when setting an asking price. However, most buyers are mindful of the economic challenges that many are facing, so confidence is muted and there is a clear reluctance in many quarters to pay over the odds for property. In such cases, sound and expert advice is of paramount importance and an experienced property finder who represents the interests of the buyer can prove to be invaluable.
Positioning yourself for success
In today's market, being a cash buyer or having your finances fully prepared makes a substantial difference. Securing a mortgage decision in principle and ensuring your property is under offer, if applicable, are steps that signal seriousness to agents and sellers alike. Buyers also benefit from enlisting expert guidance to uncover off-market opportunities, which continue to form a hidden share of transactions in the prime market.
Additionally, understanding local market conditions is key to determining the right price. Desirable homes often attract competitive offers, particularly if they are scarce within a specific area. Researching comparable transactions and time on the market can provide valuable insights, though professional advice can be instrumental in this nuanced market.
Selling and buying in tandem
For those both selling and buying, timing is everything. While selling often occurs swiftly in today’s market, finding a new home can be more complex. A rising number of sellers are exploring off-market transactions to maintain control over the process and secure
favourable terms. Similarly, buyers should be prepared to act decisively when opportunities arise.
In these circumstances, the expertise of a property finder can be transformative. By navigating negotiations and providing insight into the discreet off-market sector, buyers gain a competitive edge.
Making the most of spring
Spring presents an excellent opportunity for home movers, but careful planning is critical. Whether up-sizing, downsizing or relocating, understanding the current market landscape and acting decisively will set you apart.
If you are exploring your moving options this spring and would value some expert advice and guidance, Garrington offer a commitment free meeting.
Please get in touch: Tel. 01780 408377. Email info@ garrington.co.uk www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk
Kate Vincent Garrington
Professional Interior Design Service Re-Upholstery and Soft Furnishings
6 MARKET PLACE · UPPINGHAM · RUTLAND · LE15 9QH 01572 823389
www.sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk • info@sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk www.facebook.com/sarahhardinginteriorsltd
Sarah Harding Interiors (@sarahhardinginteriorsltd)
Transform your outdoor space into somewhere incredible... Stamford Domes
At Stamford Domes we believe that function should always be combined with beauty. Our domes allow you to make the most of your existing garden and create a space which is uniquely you. They offer the perfect setting for a meal and drinks in the garden with friends, for a romantic glass of wine with a loved one or even some time alone simply reading a book.
Fully customisable in size, appearance and function. The nature of the domes construction means that each individual panel can be selected by the client to be solid or clear, and can be constructed from a variety of materials. This allows the design to be tailored to suit a wide range of purposes; from stunning timber framed greenhouses to cosy snug spaces to curl up, outdoor social areas or bars, even saunas! Get in touch to find out how we can help you achieve your garden dreams.
www.stamforddomes.co.uk enquiries@stamforddomes.co.uk 01780 693979 / 07984 489956
Image courtesy of William Yeoward
The Home Office
Create a functional, elegant home office, ideal for those who work from home or want to create a space in which to express their digital self
Words: Gemma Platts. Image: Stamfordbased Cotswold Company’s Chester corner desk in charcoal, £899; large bookcase £499. Berkeley Nordic chair in charcoal, £150, 01733 911489.
Spring is the perfect time to refresh your home office, blending productivity with a sense of calm. Whether you’re reimagining an underused corner or revamping a dedicated workspace, a well-designed office should feel as inspiring as it is functional. For homes in Rutland and Stamford, think practicality paired with chic decoration and a touch of springtime energy.
Start with the Space
Every room has potential. In larger homes, consider converting a spare room or even a garden-facing nook into a serene home office. For smaller spaces, an alcove or bay window can be transformed into a compact yet productive zone with the right furnishings. Wherever you choose, ensure it offers ample light and privacy for focus.
Furnish with Flair
A desk and chair are the centrepieces of your workspace. Opt for a desk in a timeless material like oak or walnut, pairing it with a comfortable yet stylish chair upholstered in soft linen or leather. Choose a design that complements your home’s aesthetic while supporting ergonomic needs. For a lighter spring feel, painted furniture in pastel shades like sage green or duck egg blue can refresh the room without overpowering it.
SpringReady Storage
Add a Touch of Green
Spring is all about growth, so bring nature indoors with potted plants or fresh blooms. A vase of tulips or a leafy monstera can brighten your workspace and boost your mood. For a low-maintenance option, try a set of preserved moss panels or faux greenery that looks just as vibrant.
Finishing Touches
Soft furnishings and art can transform your office into a space you’ll love spending time in. Add a woven rug underfoot for comfort and texture, and hang artwork or prints with spring motifs to bring the outdoors in. A scented candle or a diffuser with fresh, floral fragrances can enhance the room’s atmosphere.
Practical Features
Don’t sacrifice function for form. Include cable management solutions to keep technology tidy and hidden. Built-in power points or charging stations make life easier,
A springinspired home office brings productivity and serenity into perfect harmony—an elegant blend of form and function
Keep clutter at bay with elegant storage solutions. Built-in cabinetry or shelving units are ideal for larger offices, while a slimline filing cabinet or wall-mounted shelves can work wonders in compact areas. Use decorative storage boxes or woven baskets to conceal paperwork while adding texture and charm.
Lighten the Mood
Lighting is crucial for productivity and ambience. Natural light is ideal, so position your desk near a window if possible. Complement this with a sleek desk lamp and wall-mounted sconces for layered illumination.
Opposite: Bespoke cabinetry and bookcases from Abode Carpentry, Leicester (07944 266880); Ercol Baletta desk £920 (www.ercol.com); Bespoke cabinetry by Easton on the Hill’s Fitted Furniture Company (www.ercol.com). Right: Stressless Mint highback office chair £774 (www.stressless.com).
while discreet acoustic panels or curtains can ensure peace and quiet during meetings.
With the right balance of style and practicality, your home office can become a haven of productivity and tranquillity — perfect for welcoming the fresh energy of spring into your workday.
Spring Style Homes at Sarah Harding Interiors
This month we’re thrilled to suggest these furnishings and finishing touches for your home, courtesy of Uppinghambased Sarah Harding Interiors,
Inspirational ideas for your home from Sarah Harding Interiors. If you’re seeking soft furnishings, prints and mirrors, Sarah’s Uppingham-based studio has a wealth of inspiration and products to turn your house into a home. Naturally, anyone is free to visit the showroom and browse the designer’s range of larger furniture, from chairs and sofas to foot stools and side tables, plus a range of mirrors and prints, cushions and lighting.
As well as a studio full of inspiring ideas, Sarah and the team provide advice and creative flair up to and including a full interior design service. Including paint colour consultations if anyone is feeling over-whelmed by choice of colours.
The team are also experts in the making up of stunning curtains, blinds and soft furnishings which are all hand-finished in the region by a highly skilled creative team of makers. Every item is meticulously quality checked to ensure perfection before being hung or installed by a member of their in-house team.
Choose from an extensive range of fabrics from suppliers including, Colefax & Fowler, GPJ Baker, Lewis & Wood, Zoffany, Sanderson, Osborne and Little, Pierre Frey, Ian Sanderson, Manual Canovas, Casamance, Camengo, Larson, Jane Churchill, Mulberry, Linwood and many more.
Grey chest of drawers, £845. Wicker maize stripe log basket, £68.95. Recycled grey striped rug, £125. Upholstered foot stool, £750. Cushions on floor, £90.00/ea. Large cushion on foot stool, made to order. Bronte by Moon throws on foot stool in pistachio and mint, £85. Red Amrita table lamp, £155. Zoffany tester pots, (156 colours), £5/tester; £99. 5 Litre Emulsion. Oval dish, £29.95. Branch d’Olive home fragrances, £7/soap, £31/room diffuser. Champagne flutes £29.95/four. Goldrimmed tumblers, £33/four. Blue stoneware plates, £24.95/four. White ceramic jug, £44.95. Pinecone print, £235/four. Framed Mother of Tongue print £85.95.
Sarah Harding Interiors, Market Place, Uppingham, LE15 9QH. Call 01572 823389 or see www.sarahhardinginteriors.co.uk.
Bespoke furniture making company specialising in kitchens
www.abodecarpentry.co.uk
Workshop | Unit 25 | 308a Melton Road Leicester | LE4 7SL
07944 266 880 | info@abodecarpentry.co.uk
Sow and Grow:
In the greenhouse, March is prime time to sow seeds for vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Use seed trays filled with quality compost and keep them somewhere warm and bright.
Outdoors, hardy annuals such as sweet peas, snowdrops, and cornflowers can go directly into prepared beds for a stunning summer display.
For the vegetable patch, it’s time to plant early potatoes, onion sets, and shallots.
Broad beans and early peas can also be sown outside under cloches. For those with fruit bushes, give blackcurrants, gooseberries, and raspberries a light feed of fertiliser to boost their spring growth.
March in Bloom
Spring’s energy awakens your garden. Here’s how to prepare, plant, and prune this month for a vibrant and rewarding growing season.
As the days lengthen and the frost loosens its grip, March signals a joyful shift in the garden. With spring just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and make your garden sing with life. From tackling weeds to planning bold blooms, here’s everything you need to do this month.
Prune and Tidy:
Tidy up roses by pruning any remaining frost-damaged stems and shaping the plant for healthy new growth. Wisteria also needs attention now; prune spurs back to two or three buds to encourage more flowers. It’s also a good moment to cut back winter-flowering shrubs like Mahonia once their blooms have faded, making room for fresh growth.
Deciduous ornamental grasses should be clipped down to the ground to allow new shoots to shine. And don’t forget to clean up your borders — removing dead leaves and debris not only looks tidy but prevents pests from finding a home.
Final
Tip
Keep an eye on the weather. Frosty nights can still surprise us in March, so have fleece or cloches on hand to protect tender plants and seedlings.
As you work through these tasks, take a moment to enjoy the sights and sounds of the changing season in the countryside. From the cheerful song of returning birds to the first shoots breaking through the soil, March is a time of renewal and anticipation. Your efforts now will lay the foundation for a stunning spring and summer ahead.
Lawn Love:
March is the month to revitalise your lawn. Scarify it to remove moss and thatch, then aerate compacted areas with a garden fork.
Sprinkle grass seed on bare patches and follow with a light top dressing of compost or soil. If you’re tackling weeds, use a selective lawn weedkiller, and don’t start mowing just yet — wait until the grass has grown a little.
Plan for Colour:
Consider adding some early-spring stunners to brighten up the garden. Plant primroses, polyanthus, and pansies for cheerful pops of colour, or pop in some daffodils and crocuses if you didn’t get around to it in the autumn.
For larger borders, hellebores and camellias are fantastic for injecting elegant structure and seasonal charm.
Elsewhere, keep on top of garden maintenance, tidying up terraces, potting sheds and stores ahead of the gardening season,
HUNTERS INTERIORS
Our
HUNTERS INTERIORS
Our experienced interior designers create timeless spaces tailored just for you Visit our showroom 01780 757946 See our website www.huntersinteriors.co.uk The Stables, Copthill Farm, Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD
DEKTON® FRONT IN KIRA FINISH WITH TOBACCO WALNUT
DEKTON® TOP IN LAURENT FINISH WITH KAMARI BASE
Ssh.. hear that? Nothing. Not a sound, except for the odd rustling of birds through the trees and a brief chorus of bird song. It’s summer and there’s nothing to do but relax and soak up the sun in a beautiful orangery created to suit your property by Bespoke Design of Rutland.
Protecting you from rude breezes and the sweltering heat of the midday sun, a bespoke
orangery, garden room, or conservatory is a haven; the ideal place to make the most of summer, remaining temperate in the warmer months, but also nice and cosy too in winter.
Whether you’re seeking a bright and spacious reception room, or a place in which to locate a new living kitchen, or just somewhere that can blur the boundary between indoors and outside with doors that open up to let
summer in, Bespoke Design can help you to create your new space from design and planning to construction and completion.
The family-owned business is now seven years old and specialises in creating hardwood and aluminium rooms with a 20strong team of architects, design specialists, and carpenters to ensure the very best construction, and the very best service.
Planning your garden room or orangery now will extend your summer season or ensure you can create a stunning living kitchen in time for autumn
“I’ve been in the industry for 25 years now, so I know from experience how a collaborative design journey and a team that communicates well with clients makes the difference, with full project management and a single point of contact for customers.”
“But beyond being easy to work with, we also want to ensure we guide clients towards the successful completion of a project which ensures they end up with a space that suits their property and their lifestyle, one they’ll enjoy using for years to come and one that will add value to their home for the future too.”
“We usually say that creating an orangery or garden room necessitates six months from planning to completion, but depending on the complexity of the project, speaking to us soon could ensure we can help you to create a space that will extend your summer by several months, or that you can find yourself preparing Christmas dinner later this year in a brand new living kitchen. The possibilities are without limit but the choice of company is without question. We can help you create a space that you’ll enjoy and ensure a journey to completion that you’ll remember for all the right reasons.”
Comfort & Luxury In the Garden
As the weather warms up, now’s the time to think about investing in quality furniture to ensure you can enjoy summer in comfort and luxury. Happily, the team at Gates Garden Centre has curated a superb range including Orchard Life, their new and exclusive range of outdoor furniture
Below: Amalfi eightseat dining set in bronze with parasol base.
Summer time means lazy afternoons in the garden. Happily, garden furniture has evolved to become more comfortable, hard-wearing and solid than ever. There’s a full range in stock at Gates Garden Centre, including its new and exclusive range, Orchard Life.
Orchard Life garden furniture is made to last season-after-season. Hand-woven for the best finish, Orchard Life use premium resin rattan and outdoor Olefin fabrics, designed to pair well with British gardens. Materials used to make this beautiful woven outdoor collection
have been thoroughly tested for UV and weather resistance.
Each piece of furniture comes with strong aluminium rust-resistant frames and for added peace of mind, Orchard Life garden furniture comes with a reassuring 3-year structural warranty and 12-month cushion warranty.
As well as a full range of furniture, the centre also has a range barbecues, pizza ovens, and all the products you need to ensure your garden looks great all summer long.
Above: Orchard Life Braeburn bistro set £699. Orchard Life Morello garden lounge set £2,199.
All products in stock with home delivery available courtesy of Gates Garden Centre at Oakham, LE15 7QB and Gates Garden Centre at Hinckley, LE9 8JE. Call 01664 454309 or online at www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk
Top: Orchard Life Mulberry fourseat dining set, £1,799. Chedworth triple hanging cocoon chair, £799.
Offers In Excess Of £650,000
St Albans Close, Oakham
A three-bedroom, detached bungalow with spacious accommodation, sitting on a generous plot with ample off-road parking and a double garage, within easy walking distance of Oakham town centre.
Back Lane, South Luffenham
Guide Price £600,000
Offers In Excess Of £600,000
A four-bedroom, detached family home sitting on a generous corner plot with off-road parking and garaging in the sought-after Rutland village of Wing.
Main Street, Pickwell
Offers In Excess Of £550,000
A deceptively spacious, four-bedroom stone-built cottage bursting with character, providing off-road parking and offering a sunny, south-west facing garden with wonderful countryside views.
Smithy Cottage is a charming, three-bedroom red-brick cottage offering deceptively spacious accommodation, pretty cottage gardens, off-road parking and garaging, situated at the heart of the peaceful village of Pickwell.
Top Street, Wing
Colston Bassett Hall, Colston Bassett
One of the finest examples of a regency home in the Midlands set within its own mature parkland of approx 10.35 acres, offering 25,000sqft of accommodation. NO ONWARD CHAIN.
Swallow Hole Farm, Saltby
An impressive, detached residence boasting a detached two-bedroom annexe and several outbuildings with equestrian potential, set in grounds of circa 7.5 acres. NO CHAIN.
Rotherby
Set in an exceptional rural position close to the village of Market Overton surrounded by open fields, Woodwell Barn offers modern country living with old barn style charm from an award
Stunning five-bedroom home built in the 1940s and set in a peaceful conservation village with elevated views over the Wreake Valley.
substantial stone residence positioned on a spacious plot of approx. 1.1 acre with spectacular views over its own paddock land and open countryside beyond. NO CHAIN.
Property with Moores Estate Agents
Get Ahead of the Market
An insight into the property market with Vernon & Jenny Moore, founders of Moores Estate Agents and Country & Equestrian
Don’t forget to change your clocks on Sunday 30th March. Spring is a time of the year characterised by lots of optimism: blue skies, new growth in the garden... and traditionally it’s a busy time in the property market too.
But there’s certainly no time to lose if you’re looking to market your property this year.
In fact, marketing your property now instead of waiting until spring means you’ll be able to get ahead of the market.
Don’t Wait For Spring
“It’s a misnomer that you should wait until spring to market your property,” says Vernon Moore. “It’s true that in spring properties photograph nicely, but leaving it until spring to market your home may mean you’re late to the market, leaving you at somewhat of a disadvantage.”
“That’s because marketing your property isn’t just about commissioning photographs and keeping your fingers crossed. It’s about being proactive and understanding the market. That’s why we have carefully curated an approach which endeavours to match properties to buyers, working hard to secure sellers the best price for their property, whilst helping those from out of the area to find a property that suits their needs.”
“The market is healthy for sellers at the moment. But soon – when there’s an increase in the number of fresh properties being marketed – supply and demand will balance out.”
“For that reason, launching your property to the market sooner – rather than waiting until spring – can help you to achieve greater success and take advantage of our discreet marketing expertise.”
“There’s no such thing as a definitive valuation – the only property valuation that counts is the price that a buyer will pay for a given property. Launching your home onto the open market also gives away the value you have in mind.”
Discreet Marketing
“Meanwhile, when our clients afford us the opportunity to engage in discreet marketing of their property – often with nothing more than an exterior image and a floor plan – we can approach potential buyers we’ve already engaged with at our Moores Move to the Country and Meet & Greet sessions, proactively introducing buyers to our portfolio of properties currently on the market. It’s a litmus test of the market; an excellent way of getting a feel for what buyers may be willing to pay and the level of interest without entering into lengthy contracts or paying the upfront costs likely to be required by other country homes agents.”
A New Era For Property Sales
“We’ve moved away from bricks-and-mortar premises and instead concentrated on building relationships, not offices. It enables us to be more proactive, and offer a better more personally-tailored service for our clients.”
“That’s reflected in the fact that Jenny, based at our property hub, personally oversees the selling process after a buyer’s offer is accepted.”
“Research shows that one in every three sales across the estate agency sector falls through. By contrast just one in nine of our sales fails to achieve completion.”
“We think that proves worthwhile the effort and the proactivity we invest in marketing –and successfully selling – your property, and validates our people-first approach.”
Moores Estate Agents and the company’s Country & Equestrian brand provide professional, proactive property services for buyers and sellers of homes across the region. Familyowned and established in 2005, the company offers free initial advice tailored to your personal circumstances, call 01572 757979 or see www.mooresestateagents.com.
The Old Vicarage Langtoft
Set behind private gates and approached by a long sweeping driveway, positioned within attractive landscaped gardens with St Michael & All Angels Church as a backdrop, The Old Vicarage is a substantial unlisted home, with mid-1700 origins. With elegant and symmetrical principal rooms, which retain the grace and generous proportions of the Georgian era, the south facing house was extended in the 1840s and in 1992.
Guide Price: £1,200,000
A spacious and beautifully presented home that has been meticulously refurbished throughout. This wonderful Grade II listed village home is brimming with period features typical of the Georgian era, including excellent ceiling heights, deep skirting boards, and panelled internal doors. Exposed timbers and polished wooden floors provide a stunning backdrop to the Inglenook fireplaces and wood burning stoves culminating in a stylish, modern country interior.
Cricket House is a detached executive family home built within a development of three individually designed properties, constructed using a mixture of red brick and local stone. Set in a private elevated position the gardens surround the house and then property borders a local cricket and bowling club. Cricket House, built in 2001 has an impressive interior with stunning garden views.
Price: £1,575,000
Cricket House Empingham
Positioned in the desirable village of Caldecott stands this stunning detached bungalow that has been extensively re-modelled, renovated, and extended to create a home that offers spacious flexible accommodation to the highest standard. The property boasts four double bedrooms with two en-suites, water underfloor heating throughout, a generous plot and an extended super-sized double garage that would be a car lover's dream.
Offers in Excess of £900,000
Newton Fallowell 24 Catmos Street, Oakham, LE15 6HW. Call
Caldecott Rutland
A versatile home within mature south facing gardens, with extensive parking and garaging in a popular village between Stamford and Oakham, less than a mile's walk to Rutland Water. This attractive detached home, with 1950s origins, is set back within lovely and mature south facing gardens, which extend to 0.44 of an acre, whilst its accommodation, from which the principal rooms face south, is bright and uplifting.
Guide Price: £750,000
Empingham
Oakham
This impressive and fabulously appointed south facing home occupies a wonderful position in splendid isolation within 8 acres, with views to all sides over farmland and towards Rutland Water. The property was comprehensively renovated in 2020, which included reconfiguration and extension, with a family’s use in mind to maximise the sense of space, light, conviviality and views. The result is a standout home in an enviable setting.
Guide Price: £2,495,000
Empingham Oakham
Luxury Homes
All Saints Street
Stamford
Nest Estates are delighted to present Otters Pocket, a charming four-bedroom character home ideally located in the heart of Stamford's vibrant town centre. Spanning over 2,800 sq ft of living space.
Price: £875,000
Nest Estates 8-9 Red Lion Street, Stamford PE9 1PA. Call 01780 238110 or see www.nestestates.co.uk
Tinwell Road
Stamford
Hurfords are excited to launch this beautifully presented 4-bedroom detached property in a sought-after area in Stamford.
Price: £1,200,000
Hurfords 38 St. Marys Street, Stamford, PE9 2DS. Call 01780 752136 or see www.hurfords.co.uk
Kelham House
Stamford
Kelham House is enviably located in the heart of the historic market town of Stamford and is a conveniently short walk from the train station, shops, amenities, and leisure facilities.
Guide Price: £1,000,000
King West 13 St Mary's Street, Stamford PE9 2DE Call 01780 484520 www.kingwest.co.uk
Main Street Empingham
Handsomely set back from the road, behind its iconic white gates, note the characterful stone exterior and Collyweston slate roof as you park up on the driveway or within the detached double garage.
Guide Price: £1,250,000
Pelham James 3 Saddler’s Court, Oakham LE15 7GH. Call 01572 497070 or see www.pelhamjames.co.uk
Luxury Homes
Thorpe By Water
Oakham
A substantial Grade II listed detached stone house, standing on a plot extending in total to approximately 1.60 acres comprising gardens and grounds, an adjoining grass paddock, an oak framed Cart Lodge.
Price: £925,000
Murray Market Street, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6DY. Call 01572 755555 or see www.murrayestateagents.co.uk
First Drift Wothorpe
This spacious detached property sits on a generous plot with great potential for future expansion. The property is also located in the sought-after area of Wothorpe, a picturesque area on the edge of Stamford.
Price: £1,750,000
Nest Estates 8-9 Red Lion Street, Stamford PE9 1PA. Call 01780 238110 or see www.nestestates.co.uk
The Stone HouseThe Stone Uppingham
The Stone House is an exquisite, detached home, situated within the centre of Uppingham, having been thoughtfully renovated and upgraded throughout by the current owners.
Guide Price: £1,590,000
King West 10 Church Square, Market Harborough LE16 7NB Call 01858 435970 www.kingwest.co.uk
Stretton Oakham
A detached four bedroom house with a detached two bedroom cottage within mature, attractive gardens with generous parking and integral garaging in the heart of a Rutland Conservation Village.
Guide Price: £945,000
Savills St Martin's, 9 High Street St Martin's, St Martins, Stamford PE9 2LF. Call 01780 484696 or see www.savills.com
Luxury Homes
Lambley Lodge Road
Belton In Rutland
Positioned in open countryside is this substantial, period home which has a stunning isolated location with extensive gardens and paddock land extending to approximately 5.5 acres in all with a range of outbuildings.
Guide Price: £1,125,000
Richardson Surveyors Sheep Market House, Stamford, PE9 2RB Call 01780 762433 or see www.richardsonsurveyors.co.uk
Second Drift
Wothorpe
Attractively set on the edge of one of the most soughtafter locations in Stamford with views out over open countryside to two sides.
Price: £1,350,000
Nest Estates 8-9 Red Lion Street, Stamford PE9 1PA. Call 01780 238110 or see www.nestestates.co.uk
Oak Farm Cottage
Normanton
Discover timeless elegance and rural charm on the edges of Rutland Water, at Oak Farm Cottage - a stone-built home with converted stables annexe, where luxury living meets countryside tranquility.
Guide Price: £1,250,000
Pelham James 3 Saddler’s Court, Oakham LE15 7GH. Call 01572 497070 or see www.pelhamjames.co.uk
The Corner House
Morcott
This beautiful stone-built home, tucked away in the picturesque village of Morcott, dates back to 1710–1830. With its unlisted status, it offer s the freedom to make it your own while retaining its original features.
Offers in Excess of: £980,000
Eastaway Property 63 Scotgate, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2YB. Call 01780 672030 or see www.eastaway.co.uk
Luxury Homes
Hereward Place
Stamford
Nest Estates is delighted to present this impressive sixbedroom home, beautifully crafted from stone, and located just a short walk from the heart of Stamford's vibrant town centre. The property offers spacious living throughout.
Price: £1,275,000
Nest Estates 8-9 Red Lion Street, Stamford PE9 1PA. Call 01780 238110 or see www.nestestates.co.uk
Rutland Terrace
Stamford
Serenely set on one of Stamford’s most iconic rows of Georgian homes, character meets contemporary comfort, at the sublime No. 2, Rutland Terrace.
Guide Price: £900,000
Pelham James 3 Saddler’s Court, Oakham LE15 7GH. Call 01572 497070 or see www.pelhamjames.co.uk
Manor Farm
Braunston
Manor Farm is a four-bedroom detached village home offering an abundance of space and natural light and sitting on a generous plot with a private driveway, outbuildings, a paddock and far-reaching countryside views.
Guide Price: £1,000,000
James Sellicks 6-8 Market Place Oakham Rutland LE15 6DT. Call 01572 724437 or see www.jamessellicks.com
Garden Farm
Wardley
Garden Farm is a charming and spacious 19th-century farmhouse nestled in the picturesque village of Wardley, a short drive from Uppingham and within a short commuting distance to Leicester.
Offers in Excess of: £1,000,000
Hurfords 38 St. Marys Street, Stamford, PE9 2DS. Call 01780 752136 or see www.hurfords.co.uk
Ladies & Gentlemen
FIND JOY IN THE ART OF DRESSING WELL
SPRING FASHIONS FOR ANY OCCASION
NAVY ACCESSORIES FROM BAGS TO SHOES TO NAIL COLOUR
PLUS: STYLE FOR GENTLEMEN AND SPRING COSMETICS
Illustration designed by Val Iva.
Timeless Styles for the Modern Woman Spring Elegance Fashion
Spring brings a fresh start, and it’s the perfect time to embrace timeless elegance with a wardrobe that marries comfort, luxury, and style. This season, it’s all about light, breathable fabrics, gentle hues, and versatile designs that can take you from an afternoon tea in Stamford to an evening out in Rutland. Here are the key styles you’ll want to wear this spring.
Tailored Yet Comfortable: Highlight how structured yet relaxed tailoring is perfect for the modern woman. Showcase pieces like well-tailored blazers, lightweight trousers, and wrap dresses that offer a flattering silhouette while allowing for ease of movement. Include brands like Hobbs and The Fold London for their elegant yet practical styles.
Sustainable Fashion: Sustainability is always in style. Introduce ecofriendly fabrics such as organic cotton and linen, focusing on luxury brands that are committed to sustainable fashion like Brunello Cucinelli and L.K. Bennett.
Neutral Tones & Floral Prints: With spring’s arrival, soft pastels and floral prints take centre stage. Offer outfit ideas that incorporate muted blush pinks, soft blues, and elegant florals. This is where brands like Phase Eight excel, offering easy-to-wear dresses perfect for both formal and informal occasions.
Footwear for Comfort & Style: Emphasise stylish footwear that’s comfortable enough for everyday wear but still chic. Look to L.K. Bennett for ballet flats and smart sandals, or Chesca for comfortable yet stylish heels.
Lifestyle and Versatility: Focus on how these clothes offer not just style, but functionality for a modern, active lifestyle. Whether attending a garden party in Stamford, shopping at the market in Rutland, or enjoying an afternoon out, these timeless pieces are designed to make women feel confident and put-together.
Spring Accessories: Discuss the key accessories that will elevate spring
Opposite: Loretta Jacket Indigo Blue Sculpt Stretch Crepe, £395. Match Trousers £295. www.thefoldlondon.com Right: Lois Embroidered Dress, £229. www.hobbs.com
outfits—think statement scarves, lightweight handbags, and elegant jewellery. These small details can refresh any outfit, ensuring that you look chic throughout the season.
As the season shifts, it’s time to refresh your wardrobe with pieces that reflect both elegance and practicality. Embrace the fresh colours, breathable fabrics, and sustainable choices that are defining this spring’s fashion. With the right pieces, you’ll effortlessly transition from the cosy comforts of winter to the beauty of spring in style.
Emile Blue & Navy Cotton
Poplin Stripe Shirt, £179, www.lkbennett.com.
Nappa leather biker jacket with shiny details, £5,900, brunellocucinelli.com.
1. Knightsbridge Blazer Sky Blue Boucle, £499. www.hollandcooper.com.
2. Blue Floral Print Blouse, £99. www.mintvelvet.com.
3. Louisa Jumper In Blue Multi, £65. www.whitestuff.com
4. Issy Layered Jumper Dress £149. www.phaseeight.com.
5. Riyo Printed Ruched Midi Dress In Navy/Neutral, £148. www.reiss.com
6. Smocked Jersey Shirt Gallery Blue, Heart Cluster, £70. www.boden.co.uk.
Below: Vintage Wash Denim Shirt, £690. Falabella Pocket Bootcut Jeans, £650. www.stellamccartney.com.
£795 eu.christianlouboutin.com
Metallic Edge
Silver metallic trainers are the perfect blend of sporty and stylish.
Effortlessly elevating any casual outfit, they add a futuristic touch while remaining comfortable for everyday wear, from brunch to errands.
£149, shop.vogue.co.uk
£79.95, www.barbour.com
£485, golden goose.com
£130, onitsukatiger.com
£890, dior.com
£195, russellandbromley.co.uk
£89, holland cooper.com
£170, gb.weekend maxmara.com
£1,425, jimmychoo.com
£120, gant.co.uk
NAVY COMFORT
Casual navy sweatshirts are a musthave for women this season. Versatile, stylish, and comfortable, they pair effortlessly with jeans or skirts for a relaxed yet chic look.
£2,520, uk.louisvuitton.com
BOLDBLUE
Elevate your style with luxurious blue designer rucksacks, blending fashion and function. Perfect for women seeking elegance and practicality, these bags add a touch of sophistication.
£295, ospreylondon.com
£3,050, dior.com
£231, wolfandbadger.com
£320, michaelkors.co.uk
Brunello Cucinelli is the epitome of Italian luxury, renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Combining refined tailoring with relaxed, sophisticated designs, the brand is perfect for the modern gentleman seeking both comfort and style. Whether it’s a linen blazer for spring or a cashmere sweater for cooler days, Cucinelli’s collections offer versatility and understated luxury. With an emphasis on sustainability and ethical craftsmanship, Brunello Cucinelli remains a staple for those who appreciate both quality and style.
Beckham Trousers In Checked Stretch Wool, £199. Suede urban outdoor boots with corduroy insert, £970. Wool, silk and cashmere chevron bomber jacket, £3,900. Super 150s lightweight wool and silk blazer, £2,600. Silk pocket square with paisley design, £180. Grained calfskin watch box, £1,730. Cashmere Irish cable turtleneck cardigan, £4,550. Sartorial Sunset titanium sunglasses, £607. Men's Fragrance Brunello Cucinelli Pour Homme, £175/100ml. Cashmere knit gloves with suede palm, £730.
See www.brunellocucinelli.com
Picture-Perfect
Fiona and Will's relaxed, sun-drenched wedding at Molecey’s Mill perfectly captured their love for family, fun, and thoughtful personal touches
Words: Chloe Watson. Images: Sarah Carter Photography, 07970 327716, www.sarahcarterphotography.co.uk.
For Fiona and Will, their wedding day was a celebration of their decade-long relationship, peppered with personal touches, laughter, and a relaxed countryside charm that perfectly reflected their personalities. Fiona, originally from Leicestershire, and Will, from Peterborough, first met at Newcastle University.
With mutual friends and many a crossed path, a first date at the Pitcher and Piano on the Quayside soon sealed their connection. Fast forward ten years, and Will’s Norfolk proposal came as the perfect surprise.
As the couple enjoyed a peaceful walk from Holkham Hall to Wells, Will took a moment to deftly delve into his rucksack, pull out a ring and then pop the question.
Fiona recalls with a smile, “I was in total shock; it was just so relaxed and chilled. Our dog Daisy got into the rucksack and helped herself to the sausage rolls while we celebrated!” The first step in planning the wedding was securing the perfect venue.
For Fiona and Will, Deeping’s Molecey’s Mill ticked all the boxes. “We viewed a few venues, but the
moment Glenn showed us round Molecey’s Mill, we knew it was the one. It had everything we wanted: stunning grounds, accommodation for guests, and the option of a marquee.” The relaxed riverside setting, with its endless charm, became the backdrop for their perfect day.
The wedding itself was styled beautifully, with black-tie glamour against rustic touches. Fiona’s gown, though discovered in a high street shop after trying on many designer options, was exactly what she wanted – simple, elegant, and comfortable.
Weddings
Her bridesmaids, dressed by Maid to Measure, chose their own styles in a colour Fiona selected, ensuring they felt confident and happy.
Florals were kept vibrant yet meaningful, thanks to Tui’s Flowers, who created arrangements featuring Fiona’s favourites; sunflowers, daisies, and thistles in honour of Fiona’s Scottish roots.
Joe Drury set the tone for the drinks reception with his incredible voice, before duo Division took over the evening entertainment, ensuring the dancefloor remained packed with guests. Will’s friend Fabio stepped in as DJ to round off the night.
Catering was provided by Moor Farm Shop, who served a relaxed hog roast from a horse trailer that perfectly matched the marquee setting, courtesy of Dottie Events.
Amanda and her team delivered a beautiful marquee, styled with thoughtful details and rustic charm.
One highlight of the day was Fiona and Will’s unique arrival at the reception by canoe – complete with flares. Fiona laughs, “I’m not sure we’ll win any awards for canoeing skills (we almost ended up in the riverbank) but it made for some great pictures.”
The couple’s weekend wedding kicked off with a relaxed evening for close friends and family the night before.
Wood-fired pizzas from Pizza This, Pizza That and a friendly game of rounders made for the perfect prelude to the big day. As Fiona recalls, “It set the tone for the whole weekend; we wanted everyone to have fun and feel relaxed, and they did!”
Throughout the day, Sarah Carter’s candid photography captured every laugh, twirl, and heartfelt moment. “She’s exactly the person you want around on your wedding day. She caught the atmosphere perfectly without making us feel overly posed or staged.”
Local Suppliers
Wedding Venue: Molecey Mill, Market Deeping, PE6 9JD. Call 07855 242356, www.moleceyestates.com.
Photographer: Sarah Carter Photography, 07970 327716, www.sarahcarterphotography.co.uk.
Wedding/Bridesmaid Dresses: Maid to Measure, www.maidstomeasure.com.
Wedding Breakfast: Moor Farm Shop, 01733 259645. Pizza Oven: Pizza This, Pizza That, 07572 977866.
Catering Trailer: www.dottieeventsandhire.co.uk.
Bar: Sip & Savour, www.sipandsavourmobilebar.co.uk.
Floristry: Tui’s Flowers, Peterborough, 07557 806276, www.tuisflowers.co.uk.
Wedding Entertainment: Joe Drury, Division Party Band, both from Facebook.
15 minute free telephone consultation prior to booking
Weight loss medication where appropriate with ongoing, specialised support
Working together to empower your independence
Expert neuro physiotherapy service in your own home
> Stroke
> Demen a
> Trauma c Brain Injuries
> Parkinson’s
> Mul ple Sclerosis
> Brain Tumour
> Guillain Barre syndrome
> Func onal Neurological Disorders
07447 356734
Free, confiden al discussion about your concerns
www.braininjuryphysio.co.uk
Nikos Fotakakis MSc, MCSP, HCPC
Neurological Physiotherapist, over 20 years experience
Regain Control of Bladder Leaks
A new, innovative treatment to defeat incontinence is now available for both men and women
“There has been a long-term improvement to my pelvic floor, specifically: I no longer really think about the risk of leaks.”
Urinary incontinence is a significant problem for both men and women of all ages. Often the cause is weak pelvic floor muscles. In men, aging and prostate issues, including surgery, contribute to muscle weakening. In women, factors like aging, menopause, childbirth, or pelvic surgery can weaken the muscles. These muscles act as a hammock, supporting organs like the bladder and prostate. When they weaken, leaks can occur.
Rushing to get to the toilet?
Don’t make it to the loo in time and leak?
Wake up to pee in the night several times?
Sneeze or cough and leak urine?
Can’t exercise because you leak?
Have to wear pads?
These symptoms can be embarrassing and difficult to live with. They hamper daily activities like shopping, exercising, traveling, sleeping and socialising.
Treatment options for incontinence are limited. Many are invasive and unappealing and for many the only option left is wearing pads.
HOW CIRONE HEALTH CAN HELP
Cirone Health have the Ultra Tesla Seat, a non-invasive treatment that uses highfrequency electromagnetic stimulation to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. The treatment painlessly boosts muscle strength and retrains the muscle which improves bladder control and alleviates symptoms of incontinence allowing you to regain control. Research shows that 95% of people report improved quality of life after treatment, with pad users experiencing a 75% reduction in usage.
Here’s what a recent client said
“There has been a long-term improvement to my pelvic floor, specifically: I no longer really think about the risk of leaks. I don't have concerns in the way I used to. I am not disturbed at night any more by the need to go to the toilet.
I feel more confident that it's not a downhill slope from here!
The psychological effect of knowing there is a treatment that can help is also very positive.”
HOW DOES IT WORK
The Ultra Tesla Seat uses electromagnetic technology to cause supra-maximal muscle contractions, which are stronger than those you can achieve with normal pelvic floor exercises (Kegels). Each 28-minute session when you sit on the seat activates the entire pelvic floor, retraining the muscles, leading to improvements in your symptoms and quality of life. Most people require 6 sessions and start to feel the benefits after 2 or 3 sessions.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our clinic room is a private space where you can talk openly and in confidence to us. During your first visit, we will discuss your symptoms, how they affect your daily life, and assess if the Ultra Tesla Seat is right for you. We’ll offer a short trial session to ease any apprehension you may have. If the treatment is suitable, we can proceed with a full session. You sit fully clothed on the seat for the 28-minute cycle. The six sessions are typically spread over three weeks, with two sessions per week. The treatment isn’t painful. Some people describe it as tingly or compare the sensation to tiny taps. You may feel your muscles contracting and relaxing, similar to doing usual pelvic
floor exercises. During the session, you can read or chat with us, but electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops cannot be used. There are some conditions where this treatment may not be suitable, such as if you have a pacemaker or have undergone a hip replacement.
WHERE ARE CIRONE HEALTH’S CLINICS?
Clinics are at Stamford Osteopathic Clinic in Great Casterton in a private room where you can feel the focus is on you.
Cirone health clinics are run by Bobbie and Jo who both have healthcare backgrounds and are passionate about helping people defeat incontinence.
They find it incredible rewarding to see their clients confidence return as their symptoms lessen and their quality of life improves”
Start on your journey. Come take a seat!
Call Bobbie and Jo on 01780 678 003 or enquiries@cironehealth.com. Visit www.cironehealth.com for further information.
Don’t let leaks hold you back.
Contact Bobbie and Jo on 01780 678003 or enquiries@cironehealth.com. Visit www.cironehealth.com for further information.
Spring Refresh Cosmetics
Embrace spring with a skincare refresh—lighter textures, glowing finishes, and premium products to brighten your routine this season
Charlotte’s Magic Water Cream
Hydrate and smooth with this refreshing gelbased moisturiser featuring niacinamide for a brighter complexion. Unlock the magic of confident skin with this fragrancefree, lightweight gelcream formula refines and plumps your complexion. £65, 50ml, from www.charlotte tilbury.com.
Hydration from La Mer
La Mer’s Featherlight emulsion floods skin with allday renewing hydration to replenish, strengthen and stabilise the feel of skin, leaving behind radiant, healthy looking skin, £125, 125ml, www.cremedelamer.co.uk.
Lancôme Clarifique
Lancôme’s skin brightening emulsion, enriched with wild French beech bud extract, and Vitamin C, skin is hydrated up to 24h, feels comfortable and looks mattified, £92, 30ml, available at www.lancome.co.uk.
Pro-Collagen from Elemis
Elemis’s hero daily moisturiser is perfect for radiant spring mornings, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in just two weeks, with 24 hours of hydration, £92, 50ml, available at www.elemis.com.
Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Camellia Mist
A spring essenti Hydra Beauty Essence Mist is a concentrated face mist that helps to refresh, moisturise, hydrate, protect and energise skin at any time of the day. For all skin types. Noncomedogenic. £52, 100ml, available at www.chanel.com
Rodial Vitamin C
Energising Tonic
Enhance your skin’s natural luminosity with the exfoliating & brightening tonic from luxury skin brand Rodial. This energising tonic is infused with Vitamin C to brighten and awaken dull skin. Use it daily for a fresh, radiant complexion and an even skin tone.
£40, 200ml, available at www.rodial.co.uk.
All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, note that prices stated are RRP and may vary.
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.
TEETH STRAIGHTENING IN UPPINGHAM
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.
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.
Private GP Service at Fitzwilliam Hospital
Expert Care, Tailored to You
Professional, personalised and convenient. This month we meet the GPs behind Peterborough-based Ramsay Fitzwilliam Hospital’s range of Private GP Services
At Fitzwilliam Hospital in Peterborough, our private GP service provides compassionate, professional, and personalised care. We have a team of experienced GPs offering confidential, unrushed appointments with access to state-of-the-art diagnostics, fast results, and referrals to on-site specialists. With a focus on continuity and individualised care, this first-class service ensures a personal healthcare experience for urgent concerns or ongoing health management.
Meet the GPs
Dr Aisha Bashir
With a MRCGP qualification and over two decades of experience as a GP in Peterborough, Dr Aisha Bashir brings a wealth of knowledge across general practice. She has a special interest in women’s health and family planning and has also worked in dermatology contributing to improving healthcare pathways between primary and secondary care.
A graduate of the University of London, Dr Bashir is recognised for her support of medical students and her patient-centred approach and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for all her patients.
Dr Donna Hutchinson
Dr Donna Hutchinson is a highly experienced, compassionate GP and a GP Specialist in the Department of Physical Health Psychology. She uses her extensive knowledge and expertise to support patients with complex long-term conditions and medically unexplained symptoms.
Her specialist interests include migraine, musculoskeletal medicine, chronic pain, mental health, and medically unexplained symptoms.
She has a deep passion for lifestyle medicine and has trained with leaders in mental and physical health, mindfulness practices, and root cause medicine in the UK and USA. In addition, she has undertaken additional training in lifestyle medicine, traumainformed compassionate enquiry, functional medicine, advanced meditative practice, and coaching.
Dr Hutchinson holds an MRCGP and a Distinction in MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine. As a Licensed HeartMath clinician, she uses heart rate variability biofeedback to help patients rebalance their nervous systems and improve wellbeing. Her patient-centred and holistic approach empowers patients to play an active role in their health journey and for wider health care professionals to collaborate to restore health.
Dr Sara Moran
Dr Sara Moran specialises in women’s health, menopause care, sexual health, and traumainformed care.
Her deep commitment to patient wellbeing is backed by memberships in the British Menopause Society, Institute of Psychosexual Medicine, and other leading organisations.
Dr Moran also has an nMRCGP qualification, diplomas in Child Health, Obstetrics and
Gynaecology and most recently Psychosexual Medicine.
With her academic credentials and compassionate approach, she provides expert guidance on sensitive and complex health concerns.
Why Choose Fitzwilliam’s Private GP Service?
Our service is designed for anyone seeking high-quality, individualised care:
n Confidential, friendly, convenient, and unrushed appointments.
n Person-centred and supportive team of highly experienced GPs.
n Immediate private prescriptions and fast access to diagnostic tests.
n Rapid referrals to on-site specialists and physiotherapy services.
n Ongoing management of chronic illnesses and support for family planning, minor illnesses, and more.
Our GPs offer comprehensive care for both urgent issues and long-term concerns. Appointments are available for 30 minutes or 60 minutes ensuring patients feel heard, supported, and prioritised throughout their health journey.
Patients are urged to book 60-minute appointments if they feel that is required due to complexity or longevity of their symptoms.
For appointments or more information, simply call 01733 842 304 or complete our online form. Ramsay Fitzwilliam’s GPs look forward to welcoming you and providing expert guidance for your healthcare needs.
Escape and unwind with our luxury head spa experience designed for maximum relaxation
Let go of stress, as we treat you to a calming head, scalp and neck massage that promotes deep relaxation, eases tension and restores balance
Choose your perfect treatment:
30 minutes for £35
45 minutes for £45
60 minutes for £65
Relax, recharge and rejuvenateBook your appointment today!
14 Dawson Court, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6SD 07955 425775 hairatchristines@mail.com
Luxury Health and Wellness Retreats at Homefield Grange
If your start to 2025 has seen good intentions slip a little, or if you want to make this year the one you reconnect with yourself and establish good habits for sustainable health and well-being, we’re delighted to introduce you to Homefield Grange, a luxury residential health and wellness retreat nestled in beautiful rural Northamptonshire
Words: Rob Davis.
With a busy life comes the tendency to put others before you, often at the expense of self-care and your own sense of wellness. The founder of Homefield, Suzanne Peck has enjoyed a well-established career in fitness and nutrition, and now promotes wellness in a much broader sense, offering health and wellness retreats for an enjoyable, luxurious and sustainable way to change the way you look and feel.
“There’s no shortage of people with recommendations for how to achieve a sense of wellness,” says Suzanne, a naturopathic practitioner, health coach and nutritionist. “Some are based around nutrition, some around diet and some around offering holistic treatments or pampering.”
“To enjoy real change, though, you can’t consider any of those in isolation, and you can’t expect any results to endure unless you’re empowered to make – and stick with – positive changes. That was the basis on which I founded Homefield Grange in 2004.”
“Our spa retreat is a haven for inspiring wellness and our focus is on personalisation of the individuals’ needs, whether it be to inspire weight loss, relax an overwhelmed mind, detox, or to kick start better ways of eating, thinking and feeling.” >>
Wellness Retreats
>> Today, Homefield Grange runs tailored retreat breaks, such as Weight Loss, Detox, Mind Body Restorer, ‘Take a Break’ from Alcohol and Ultimate New You. In practice, though, these are starting points from which visitors can create a programme of wellness tailored to them with the help of Suzanne and her colleagues.
Homefield Grange is a luxury health retreat in the Northamptonshire countryside, with Suzanne committed to helping those with personal goals to achieve them. Her team of wellness experts supports this vision, offering advice, understanding and professionalism.
Numbers of clients are limited to a maximum of 20 guests at a time, who enjoy a wellness break of between two nights and five nights.
During that time guests stay in one of 17 comfortable and luxurious private bedrooms and enjoy nutritious and delicious plant-based dining courtesy of the retreat’s chefs.
Guests can also enjoy spending time in Homefield Grange’s Living Well spa, with its chlorine free hydropool, salt inhalation and herbal sauna, infra-red beds and ice trough.
Central to the experience, though, is the expertise of the luxury health retreat’s activities and treatments, from food demonstrations to health and wellness talks to massage, body treatments and access to Homefield Grange’s wellness health clinic.
“Everything we do is based on science and on sustainable results,” says Suzanne. “Diet, sleep, and mental wellness are all pillars of health, and any results, we believe, should be sustainable to ensure you’re motivated to take the positive experiences you enjoy here away with you.
Wellness Treatments
Courtesy of Homefield Grange’s Living Well Spa
n Unwind My Mind, £60/25 mins:
Using a targeted calming massage oil, this deeply relaxing therapy releases tension and relaxes mind and body. Deeply restorative therapy that aims to help induce restful sleep and ease anxiety
n Anti Ageing Body Wrap, £129/80 mins:
Developed using the most luxurious ingredients, this wrap specialises in turning back the clock on ageing.
n Illuminate Facial, £89/50 mins:
Restorative, tightening, firming, calming and soothing facial helps your skin age backwards. Skin is left feeling smoother, cool and refreshed.
n Rasul Ritual, £49/50 mins:
A mineral rich mud treatment applied to your back, with warm steam to gently open pores, stimulate circulation, remove toxins, and stimulate the lymphatic system.
When guests arrive here for their retreat they check in with a programme advisor to further tailor make their experience to their aims.”
“Some experiences like meditation and yoga are common to several retreats that run at Homefield, but some therapies are unique. For instance, our diagnostic blood tests which help to inform clients about their individual deficiencies in vitamins, or address concerns around food intolerances or cholesterol. The underlying ethos is that understanding your body better will give you direction both whilst at Homefield Grange and in the future too.”
Undoubtedly with its boutique spa-feel, calm environment and sense of luxury there’s a parallel to be drawn with spas, but Homefield Grange’s point of difference is its emphasis on sustainable wellness beyond your visit, with an aim to reunite body and mind in self-care.
For that reason a Homefield retreat is intended to be an absolutely enjoyable and empowering experience. Many of the retreat’s clients return year after year for an annual wellness break, and guests on similar retreats often connect with one another and share their experiences.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see our guests keeping in contact, forming What’s App or messenger groups to keep in touch and offer each other support after their visit and even arrange reunion visits. It highlights to the team how the advice and support we give initially continues after our guests’ visits, but also how enjoyable the experience was.”
“When we established Homefield Grange our mission was to help our guests to cope with the challenges of life and emerge as the best possible version of themselves,” says Suzanne.
“We believe that health is the cornerstone to looking and feeling good. Homefield Grange offers an exclusive residential venue that offers a relaxed and unhurried feel to some much needed ‘me time.’”
Homefield Grange is based in Rushton, Northamptonshire, call 01536 712219 for booking details or see www.homefieldgrangeretreat.co.uk.
Homefield Grange, Rushton 2025 Retreats
Weight Loss Retreat
An enjoyable, body confidence promoting retreat to establish balance blood sugar levels, lowers stress levels and changes your mindset around weight loss with the emphasis on nourishment, not punishment. Five nights, Sun-Fri, from £2,257.
The Detox Retreat
A detox is the perfect way to achieve that all important kick start. Making positive changes to how you treat yourself can feel difficult on your own. We will give you the inspiration and guidance to get you over the initial hurdles. The perfect retreat to get you to the finishing line of a ‘new you.’
Five nights, Sun-Fri, from £2,157.
Mind Body Restorer
This retreat, Mind, Body Restorer, will help recovery from overwhelm, overwork and overindulgences. Targeted, deeply relaxing therapies will lower stress hormones, whilst nourishing foods will help balance your blood sugars, reducing irritability and poor sleep. Reconnect with yourself and leave feeling stronger, more resilient, ready to face your world anew.
Five nights, Sun-Fri, from £2,257.
Love Your Gut
Successful weight loss, good immunity, hormonal balance, resilient mental health and general wellbeing are all down to the health of your gut. Homefield’s Love your Gut weekend will help you take care of your gut in order to look and feel great.
Two nights, Fri-Sun from £899.
‘Take a Break’ from Alcohol
If you want to make some changes to your relationship with booze, we can teach you powerful tips and techniques (e.g.: NLP, hypnotherapy) to change your life in a supportive and nonjudgemental way.
Two nights, Fri-Sun from £799.
For more information and booking details, call 01536 712 219 or see www.homefieldgrangeretreat.co.uk.
Electric in Every Way
Audi RS e-tron GT Performance
The Audi RS e-tron GT Performance delivers 925hp, blistering 0-62mph acceleration in just 2.5 seconds, and an official range of up to 368 miles
Words: Mandy Bray.
If you’ve ever doubted that electric cars could deliver luxury, performance, and sheer excitement all at once, let the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance change your mind. With its powerful electric drivetrain, stunning design, and premium technology, this is Audi's finest entry into the luxury electric grand touring segment—and it’s set to dazzle the area’s discerning motorists.
Let’s start with the aesthetics. At first glance, the RS e-tron GT Performance demands attention. Its aerodynamic profile combines sharp, angular lines with muscular proportions, giving it a presence that’s both futuristic and distinctly Audi.
Subtle performance-inspired details, like carbon-fibre trim and a light-up single-frame grille, ensure this car looks as fast as it drives. And the choice of colour schemes is nothing short of spectacular, with options like Tactical Green paired with striking green interior stitching for those who want a bold statement.
Step inside, and you’ll find a cabin that epitomises Audi’s dedication to blending comfort, technology, and luxury. The interior
features premium materials like leather and Alcantara, alongside eco-friendly options such as recycled fabrics. At its centre is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit Plus, a fully configurable driver’s display offering everything from navigation to performance stats. The secondary touchscreen, seamlessly integrated into the dash, ensures you’re always connected with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Of course, this isn’t just a pretty face—it’s what’s underneath that makes the RS e-tron GT truly special. Two electric motors—one at the front and one at the rear—combine to deliver an astonishing 925hp, creating an allwheel-drive powerhouse. This setup results in a 0-62mph sprint of just 2.5 seconds, putting it in the same league as supercars. With a top speed of 155mph (electronically limited), you’re guaranteed thrilling drives on every journey.
The driving experience is further elevated by Audi’s engineering. The car features adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering, and torque vectoring for exceptional handling and agility. Whether cruising along the A1 or tackling winding roads the RS e-tron GT feels
Audi’s electrifying RS etron GT Performance blends 925hp with luxury—perfect for spirited drives across the counties countryside.
precise, composed, and above all, fun. Despite the performance credentials, the car remains remarkably refined, balancing its sporty edge with quiet luxury.
One of the standout features of the RS e-tron GT Performance is its practicality for an electric vehicle. A large 105kWh battery pack (with 97kWh usable) provides a range of up to 368 miles on a full charge, depending on conditions.
And thanks to its 800-volt architecture, it supports ultra-fast charging. Using a 320kW DC charger, you can go from 10% to 80% charge in just 18 minutes.
That’s enough time to grab a coffee and be back on the road — ideal for longer commutes or weekend getaways.
The practicality extends to the car’s storage as well. While it doesn’t have the cavernous boot of a typical SUV, its 350-litre rear boot and additional 81-litre front compartment provide enough room for a weekend's worth of luggage. Plus, rear seats make it a viable option for small families or additional passengers.
Priced from £122,995, the RS e-tron GT Performance is certainly a premium investment.
However, for buyers who demand the latest in luxury, technology, and driving dynamics, it’s a compelling choice. It’s not just a car; it’s a statement of intent—a vision of sustainable motoring without compromise.
For those considering alternatives, Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S (£139,200) offers sharper handling, Tesla’s Model S Plaid (£114,990) wows with outrageous straight-line speed, and the BMW i7 M70 (£137,990) excels as a luxurious cruiser. But few quite balance performance, technology, and practicality as seamlessly as the Audi RS e-tron GT.
Audi RS etron GT Performance (2025)
Price: From £122,995. Motor and Power: Dual electric motors, 925hp.
Top Speed & Acceleration: 155mph (electronically limited); 062mph in 2.5 seconds.
Range: Up to 368 miles; rapid charge to 80% in 18 minutes. CO₂ Emissions: Zero.
Three Alternatives
www.porsche.com.
BMW i7 M70:
electric cruiser with the usual hallmarks of sportiness and luxury, £137,990, www.bmw.co.uk. THE RIVALS
Porsche Taycan Turbo S: Unrivalled handling dynamics from the home of the world’s best sports cars, £139,200,
Tesla Model S Plaid: Incredible straightline performance and lots of cuttingedge technology, £114,990, www.tesla.com.
Luxurious
Almanac
FIND JOY IN THE ART OF LIVING WELL IN MARCH
HELLO MARCH
Treat Yourself
A Trip to the Theatre with Friends
There’s nothing quite like a trip to the theatre to brighten up your March evenings. As the days slowly get longer, why not escape the stillchilly weather and enjoy some live entertainment?
Whether it’s a laughoutloud comedy, a stirring drama, or a timeless musical, the theatre offers an experience that’s both enriching and social.
Gather a group of your closest friends and make an evening of it. Many theatres have preshow dining options, so you can enjoy a meal and a glass of wine beforehand. Don’t forget the interval treats – a cheeky tub of ice cream is practically tradition!
From local productions in community theatres to larger shows at iconic venues, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
So go on, treat yourself this month. It’s a simple pleasure but one that will leave you smiling all the way home.
Star Sign for March: Pisces
(19th February – 20th March)
Pisces are dreamy, intuitive, and wonderfully empathetic. Represented by the fish, they’re known for their creativity and emotional depth, often finding solace in art, music, or a gripping novel. Their imagination knows no bounds, though they can sometimes drift into escapism.
In love, Pisces pair perfectly with steady Taurus, who offers grounding, or intense Scorpio, who matches their emotional depth.
This March, embrace your natural creativity – whether it’s picking up a paintbrush, writing, or simply daydreaming, it’s your time to shine.
Try Something New Kitchen Gardening
March is the perfect time to try your hand at gardening. Whether you have a sprawling garden or just a small balcony, starting a vegetable plot or planting some flowers can be a rewarding new hobby. Gardening offers a wonderful mix of creativity, exercise, and relaxation, and it’s one of
Small Wins
Spring Cleaning
March is the perfect time for a small win— spring cleaning. This isn't just about dusting and mopping; it’s an opportunity to declutter, refresh your surroundings, and create a peaceful environment for the warmer months ahead.
Start by focusing on one room or area at a time. Tidy up your wardrobe, clear out old items, or deep clean your kitchen. The feeling of accomplishment that comes from seeing a sparkling home is worth the effort.
those hobbies that keeps on giving throughout the year.
Start small with easytogrow plants like herbs or hardy vegetables, such as lettuce or radishes, which thrive in the early spring months. As you watch your plants grow, you’ll gain a sense of accomplishment and joy. Plus, gardening connects you to nature and gives you a beautiful, calming space to unwind.
THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE - THINGS TO PLAN AND DO
A Mini Adventure
Sailing on Rutland Water
Sailing on Rutland Water is a wonderful way to embrace adventure, enjoy the outdoors, and appreciate the stunning scenery this March.
Rutland Water, England’s largest reservoir, offers the perfect setting for a mini adventure this March. Whether you’re an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, a day on the water provides an exciting experience. With its vast open space, stunning views, and tranquil waters, Rutland Water is ideal for a relaxing yet invigorating sailing adventure.
You can hire a dinghy, catamaran, or a keelboat from Rutland Sailing Club, which offers lessons for beginners or more seasoned sailors. For a more leisurely experience, take a boat tour to enjoy the beautiful countryside from the water. With spring approaching, March provides the perfect weather to get out and enjoy the fresh air, making it a great month to try something new.
The professional staff, trained by the Royal Yachting Association offer everything from introductory sessions, to personal tuition sessions in your own boat.
Not only is sailing an enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, but Rutland Water is also a fantastic spot for wildlife watching. Keep an eye out for ospreys and other native birds as you sail across the water.
Opening Times:
Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Entry Fees:
Sailing Boat Hire: From £25 per hour
Boat Tours: From £10 per person
Contact Details:
Website: www.rutlandsailing.com
Tel: 01572 755637
Our Little Quiz
A Celebrity Riddle
I’ve played cricket, been quite the star, And on your TV, I've come quite far. From the pitch to the screen, I’ve made my mark,
A sporting legend with a cheeky spark. Born in 1977, I hail from Preston, On Top Gear, I’ve had my share of fun. A commentator too, with a smile so wide, But which famous face am I, with a pride?
Cryptic clue: Bowler turned broadcaster, his antics on screen leave us grinning.
On this day in History
What event took place on March 15, 44 BC, that changed history?
Walk on the Wild Side
I roam the hills with fleece so fine. Not a sheep, but sure, I shine. Gentle in nature, and often seen, with long necks and a woolly sheen. Native to South America, but here I dwell, in herds they wander, so gentle, so swell. What am I?
Cryptic clue: Small South American grazers, their wool prized for warmth and softness.
Where am I
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful countryside, this charming town boasts a rich history and a lively community spirit. Known for its stunning stone buildings and attractive market square, it’s a place with a strong sense of tradition. The town is home to a famous school, which has produced notable alumni over the years, including influential figures in the arts, politics, and business.
ANSWERS: PAGE 162
Almanac
FIND JOY IN THE ART OF LIVING WELL
THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE - THINGS TO PLAN AND DO
Local Nature Beaver Comeback
Beavers, once extinct in the UK, are now making a remarkable return to our countryside. Known for their impressive dambuilding abilities, they create valuable wetland habitats that support a wide variety of wildlife. As natural engineers, beavers have a significant impact on the environment. Their dams help to regulate water flow, reduce flooding, and improve water quality. By creating ponds and wetlands, they foster biodiversity, providing a home for many species of plants and animals.
Get Your Growing Going Create a Herb Garden
Bring the joy of gardening indoors with a herb garden that not only livens up your home but also provides fresh produce yearround. Perfect for beginners or seasoned green thumbs, an indoor herb garden can be a charming and practical addition to your kitchen or windowsill.
Choose a sunny spot, ideally southfacing, where your plants can bask in at least 68 hours of sunlight daily. If natural light is limited, invest in a grow light to keep your garden thriving. For herbs, select versatile favourites like basil, parsley, coriander, and thyme. Use small pots with good drainage, filled with nutrientrich compost, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
Beavers’ evergrowing teeth are constantly gnawing on trees, which shapes the landscape and helps maintain forest health. Their return to the UK is a vital part of the ongoing effort to restore ecosystems to their natural state. Beavers improve the landscape by enriching wetland areas, preventing soil erosion, and allowing more wildlife to thrive. Their resurgence is a reminder of the power of nature’s engineers and how small creatures can make a big difference in preserving biodiversity.
To take your indoor garden further, why not sow compact varieties of tomatoes and peppers?
Bush tomatoes such as ‘Tiny Tim’ or dwarf pepper plants like ‘Sweet Bonnet’ are perfect for container growing indoors. Sow seeds in early spring, or use young plants for a quicker yield.
Feed your plants with a balanced liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks, and ensure good airflow to prevent pests and diseases. You’ll soon enjoy fresh herbs, juicy tomatoes, and crisp peppers straight from your own indoor oasis; a perfect way to brighten your home and meals.
The Veg Plot
March Tasks
March marks the start of spring and a busy time in the vegetable plot. Now is the moment to prepare for a fruitful growing season, so make sure to get these key tasks done:
Prepare the Soil: Clear any winter debris, then fork over your soil to improve aeration and drainage. Adding compost or wellrotted manure will enrich the soil for planting.
Plant Early Crops: March is the time to plant hardy vegetables such as early potatoes, peas, and onions.
Start Seeds Indoors: Sow tomatoes, peppers, and herbs indoors to get a head start for the warmer months.
Prune Fruit Trees: Remove any dead or damaged wood from fruit trees and bushes, encouraging healthy growth.
Weed Regularly: Keep on top of weeds to prevent them from gaining a foothold as the weather warms.
A journey of love, health, and discovery A SPRING OF SECOND CHANCES
Jessica Hardcastle stood at her garden gate, watching the early buds of spring emerge across the fields. The fenland breeze carried the scent of damp earth and fresh possibilities. At 57, she’d just stepped into early retirement, leaving behind the orderly spreadsheets of her NHS accounting career. For the first time in decades, her days stretched out with boundless potential.
Her husband, Peter, emerged from their stone-built cottage, his sturdy frame leaning slightly on the stick he’d taken to using after his health scare two years ago. He was ten years her senior, and his heart attack had been the wake-up call that shifted everything. They’d always planned for “someday”—that mythical time when they’d travel, take risks, and embrace life. Peter’s recovery reminded them that someday wasn’t promised.
“We said this was the year, didn’t we?” Jessica said, smiling at him as he approached.
Peter chuckled. “We did. Though I’m not quite sure zip-lining is what my cardiologist had in mind.”
It had started with a list, scribbled over a bottle of wine in front of their log burner last winter. They called it The Second Wind List— a collection of all the things they wanted to experience before time or health robbed them of the chance. From hot air ballooning over the Rutland countryside to walking the length of the Viking Way, they vowed to do it all.
Their first adventure was modest: a short cruise on the River Welland. The boat was nothing fancy, but the gentle lap of the water and the sight of Stamford’s ancient bridges slipping past soothed their nerves. It was on that boat that Jessica realised something profound: this wasn’t just about ticking off boxes. It was about rediscovering who they were as individuals and as a couple.
As March progressed, the pair embraced the local gems they’d always overlooked. A brisk walk along Baston Fen revealed skylarks rising in spirals, their songs a joyful hymn to the season. They indulged in leisurely lunches at The White Horse in Baston, laughing over shared memories and dreaming of their next steps. Then came the moment that truly mattered. They had signed up for a glider flight experience near Crowland—a last-minute addition to their list. As Jessica sat strapped into the sleek glider, the pilot beside her, she felt a flutter of fear. Peter, watching from the ground, gave her an encouraging wave.
As the tow plane released them into the sky, the world below fell away. The vast Fenlands stretched out like a patchwork quilt of greens and browns. The stillness was profound, broken only by the whistle of wind against the cockpit. Jessica’s breath caught as she realised what this symbolised: freedom, resilience, and the ability to rise above life’s challenges.
When her feet touched solid ground again, Peter enveloped her in a warm embrace. “How was it?” he asked, his eyes sparkling. “Liberating,” she said simply. “I didn’t realise how much I needed to prove to myself that I could still take risks.”
They drove home that evening, the sun dipping low over the Fenland horizon. As the cottage came into view, its windows glowing warmly, Jessica felt a deep sense of gratitude. Life had given them a second chance—a springtime not just in the year but in their lives.
Now, their list sits proudly on the kitchen table, peppered with new ideas. And while it’s fun to plan grand adventures, Jessica knows the real treasure lies in the moments that matter: a quiet walk together, a shared laugh, or the simple act of facing fears and emerging stronger on the other side.
For Jessica and Peter, Baston is more than a place to live; it’s the heart of their journey—a reminder that even amid the flatlands, life can rise to extraordinary heights.
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Our Little Quiz
A Celebrity Riddle: Freddie Flintoff. On This Day in History: The assassination of Julius Caesar. Walk on the Wild Side: The Alpacas. Where am I: Uppingham.
