Stamford Pride November 2022

This month there’s plenty happening as we move into autumn and get ready for Christmas. As the days shorten and the nights draw in, though, the area has a charm all of its own, which is why this month’s covers are dedicated to Rutland and Stamford by twilight. In this edition we’ll meet Nicola Sandall who is hosting her Spooky Tales tours around Stamford, and has just created a brand new tour along similar lines for Oakham, too.

Elsewhere Her Grace Emma Manners, the Duchess of Rutland has just published her autobiography. It’s impressively candid, warm, but tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about living in a castle.

A gilded life? Perhaps, but as the Duchess reveals, there’s more to life behind Belvoir’s stone walls than just polishing the silver.

Speaking of which we’ve lovely homeware this month courtesy of local independent businesses, and a beautiful off-grid home to look around in Morcott... quite handy, given utility bills right now.

We’ll also visit Barrowden’s Exeter

Arms for delicious dining, pay a visit to Uppingham to meet its Mayor, Liz Clarke and we’ll find out what role the area played in the gunpowder plot.

Our best wishes, for a great month!

This month’s covers show two views of Rutland and Stamford at night, Oakham Castle and Stamford’s Town Bridge from The Meadows. This month we’re joining Nicola Sandall for tours of both Stamford and Oakham which takes place around Halloween.

We’re always looking for scenes of Rutland and Stamford to feature on our covers and in the magazine.

If you’re a budding photographer, email your pictures to the address above!

Rutland

Exploring

NEWS & EVENTS

08 NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories from across the county, including the launch of a new book by Stamford author Dominique Allen.

34 WHAT’S ON Live events and music.

HIGHLIGHTS

17 NIGHT TIME TOURS Exploring Stamford and Rutland by night with local guide Nicola Sandall.

27 A VISIT TO UPPINGHAM There’s lots to see in Rutland’s second largest town this month.

40 THE DUCHESS OF RUTLAND

An honest account of an eccentric aristocratic life at Belvoir Castle, courtesy of Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland’s new autobiography.

48 A RUTLAND REBELLION

How the Rutland hamlet of Stoke Dry became the birthplace of the gunpowder plot.

FOOD & DRINK

54 DINING OUT Enjoying a visit to the Exeter Arms in Barrowden.

59 THE GOOD FOOD AWARDS

Cast your vote in our search for the best dining in Rutland & Stamford.

66 RECIPES AND WINE Seasonal deliciousness in the kitchen.

HOMES & GARDENS

72 WELCOME HOME A beautiful off-grid home in Morcott.

83 HOMES Beautiful weaves for your furnishings, white winter style, luxury kitchens and timber-framed structures.

106 GARDENS Helping nature over winter.

LIFESTYLE

110 MOTORS Range Rover’s new PHEV.

115 HIGH LIFE The launch of a new community hub in Stretton.

Pride Magazine is delivered free of charge, via Royal Mail, to high value homes in the area. Our circulation is to homes in the top three council tax bands, which are predominantly worth over £300,000. This guarantees the magazine has an affluent readership commensurate with our content.

The magazine is also sold in leading newsagents and supermarkets and we also deliver the magazine to local businesses including selected hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, doctors, dentists, executive motor dealerships and golf clubs. This helps to ensure we have a continued presence, right across our catchment area. Our titles also have more social media fans than any other local magazine. In addition we have over 45,000 online visitors viewing our magazines free of charge, online, on their tablet, computer, laptop or mobile phone via our website, our app, and via the Readly and Issuu platforms. If your business would benefit from being showcased to the wealthiest people in the area, please call our friendly sales team on 01529 469977.

Amazing new app out now: You can read our magazines on any device anywhere.

THE PRIDE TEAM

If you are self-employed, can you get a mortgage?

The short answer is yes. But there are some things to think about

Being self-employed can be very rewarding. Whether you decided to work for yourself after being made redundant, chose to be a freelancer and not beholden to one company, or wanted to pursue your dream of running your own business, it’s hard work, but rewarding.

You usually have more independence, more flexibility and more freedom. But some things can be a bit more challenging, such as getting a mortgage.

How do you get a self-employed mortgage?

Getting a mortgage when you are selfemployed can certainly be challenging, but with the right advice, it is definitely possible. Don’t think you will be rejected just because of your employment status.

It’s important to note that a self-employed mortgage isn’t a particular product. The same range of mortgages is accessible to all applicants. The main difference is that selfemployed applicants need to provide evidence of a steady income.

What will you have to provide?

As well as the things any mortgage applicant would have to provide, such as proof of identity, proof of address, bank statements, evidence of deposit, self-employed applicants will also need to provide other documents to prove their income. These can include: Two or more years of certified

accounts, preferably prepared by an accountant, proof of earnings from HMRC (also known as an SA302 form) or HMRC tax year overviews.

Contractors and freelancers may also need to provide evidence of future contracts and company directors may need to provide proof of dividend payments or any retained profits.

Will a self-employed mortgage cost more?

Your employment status shouldn’t make a difference to the amount you have to pay.

If you can provide evidence of your income and you can afford repayments, you should be eligible for the same mortgage rates as someone who is in permanent employment.

The amount of your deposit is likely to make a difference.

How can BCM Wealth Management help?

BCM Wealth Management in Stamford provides expert advice for all mortgage applicants. As director Oliver Smith says: “Here at BCM, we have helped scores of self-employed clients find the right mortgage. It doesn’t matter what line of business you are in, we can usually help. We also have access to mortgage deals you won’t find on the High Street.

“We take the time to get to know you and we’re always happy to have an initial chat without obligation.”

BCM is recognised for its friendly, helpful approach, client service and expertise, with nearly 50 five-star Google reviews.

If you’re self-employed and looking for a new, or better, mortgage, speak to a BCM adviser today. n

The home on which the mortgage is secured may be repossessed if repayments are not maintained. We offer a comprehensive range of first charge mortgages from a cross the market, which lenders make available to mortgage intermediaries, for which we will be paid a procuration fee by the lender. BCM Wealth Management Ltd is an appointed representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

Chat to our specialist mortgage team at BCM Wealth Management, based at 5 Ironmonger Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1PL www.bcmwealth.co.uk 01780 437500

Author’s new book follows Gertie’s Path

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES OF BOOKS FROM LOCAL AUTHOR IN SHOPS NOW

Joyful, heartwarming and designed to make the reader smile. That’s what sets a new trilogy of books from local author Dominique Allen apart, and makes them ideal as fireside reading this autumn.

All For Overalls is the first in a trilogy of books featuring the central character of Gerald, ‘Gertie’ to his friends, who wants to be called Gerry’ at the start of WWII! Set during the Dunkirk summer of 1940 in a rural area not dissimilar to Stamford and the surrounding countryside, the story follows Gertie and his friends as they adapt to wartime ways.

All for Overalls is available now from Walkers bookshops, whilst its sequel If the Sock Fits, set amid the Battle of Britain and the start of the London Blitz, is currently with the books’ publisher. A third vol ume, Raids, Rallies & Reserves,

has the backdrop of 1941 and the news of Pearl Harbour.

Dominique lives with her twin sister Kesriel and has had the stories in her mind for a number of years, but around five years ago she sat down to turn her characters and ideas into proper manuscripts.

The two sisters say that the stories are not designed to be ‘gritty’ or challenging to read, but warm, easy and very entertaining, allowing the reader to see life through the perspective of a trio of childhood chums, Gertie, Al and Walker as they commit to becoming ‘salvage scamps,’ and doing their bit for The Effort.

Dominique is currently working on further manuscripts so The Salvaged Summer Trilogy could be just the beginning of a longer series. n Buy from Walkers bookshop, Stamford and Oakham. See www.gertiespath.co.uk, or buy from purchases@gertiespath.co.uk.

Rutland’s unsung heroes

RCC LAUNCHES NEW COMMUNITY AWARDS TO RECOGNISE COUNTY’S UNSUNG HEROES

Rutland County Council is launching a brand-new awards scheme to recognise local people who make an invaluable contribution to their communities but often go unnoticed.

The ‘Multum Awards’ will take place next month and aim to celebrate people in Rutland who embody the county’s motto Multum in Parvo; ‘much in little.’

There are four ‘Future Rutland’ themes to the awards, each with two awards. Nominations close on 6th November in advance of a special ceremony at Rutland

County Museum to award the winners their titles on Saturday 3rd December.

n A Special Place: Event Organiser; The Creative.

n Sustainable Lives: Wildlife Warrior; Climate Change Hero.

n Healthy & Well: Unsung Sporting Hero; Good Samaritan.

n A County for Everyone: Inclusivity Champion; Public Servant.

For more details about the awards and how to give your nominations, call 01572722 577 or see www.rutland.gov.uk.

RUTLAND

Capturing Rutland

IMAGES OF RUTLAND SOUGHT FOR NEW WEBSITE TO GO LIVE NEXT MONTH...

Fun for the family at new adventure playground...

As preparations get underway to launch Rutland County Council’s new website, the authority is looking for residents to put their very own stamp on the site by capturing life in Rutland.

Rutland County Council is launching a competition for budding photographers of all ages to have their snaps featured on a new council website, which is due to go live at the end of the year.

The council is hoping to get a range of images that capture what life in Rutland means to local people across three categories; Age 14 and over, Age 14 or under, Professional.

A shortlisting panel will judge the photographs, with overall winners of each category receiving a £50 shop ping voucher. Runners up will each receive a £25 voucher. n Send up to three of your best images to photography@rutland.gov.uk.

Opposition to Solar Panels

RESERVATIONS OVER MALLARD PASS SOLAR PLANT RAISED IN PARLIAMENT BY MP ALICIA KEARNS...

GRANTHAM

Oh to be young again! If we were, we’d probably head to Belvoir Castle, which has just announced that its new adventure playground will open on 15th October, as Pride appears in shops.

The new attraction has cost £350,000 and is themed around the past and present custodians of the 16,000 acre estate.

Meanwhile the Duchess of Rutland has just published The Accidental Duchess, her new autobiography, featured in this month’s Pride. n

SOUTH KESTEVEN Daredevil leader of SKDC, Kelham Cooke, will take a leap of faith for charity as Pride goes to press. He’ll jump 13,000ft during a charity tandem skydive day for the charity Harry’s Pals, which provides emotional support to parents who have children with life-limiting conditions. n

Opposition to two solar panel developments have been expressed by concerned Rutland residents. Barnsdale Gardens has expressed opposition to an 200-acre field directly next to the gardens created by Geoff Hamilton which the owners say will generate ‘detrimental constant noise’ and become and ‘overbearing backdrop.’

Meanwhile, MP Alicia Kearns has said that she will fight against the proposed 2,175 acre Mallard Pass solar plant, in line with the views of residents of villages like Ryhall, Casterton, Essendine and Belmesthope on the Rutland-Lincolnshire border. n

LOCAL NEWS

In Brief

GRIMSBY Success for Uppingham & Stamford In Bloom...

13,000ft Jump

Uppingham and Stamford are both blooming happy with their top positions in this year’s East Midlands In Bloom competition. Uppingham earned itself a gold award in the small town category, whilst Stamford achieved a silver gilt and the judge’s award for its floral chairs project. The Elms community allotment in Uppingham, The Falcon Hotel’s gardens, Stamford’s Lord Burghley’s Hospital and the grounds of Kneads Pubs’ Crown were also praised. A little way down the road from Stamford, Bourne was also awarded a silver gilt, with the town’s Bill Pauley earning praise for his displays. n

RUTLAND

RUTLAND

Luxmuralis returns to the Cathedral

Following their acclaimed son et lumière performance at Peterborough Cathedral last November, Luxmuralis will be bringing their art projection

The Beginning to the Cathedral from Wednesday 23rd to Saturday 26th November 2022.

“This sequel to The Angels are Coming will once again transform the magnificent west front and nave of Peterborough Cathedral with light,” says Artistic Director of Luxmuralis, Peter Walker.

“The show is based around the Nativity story and timed to coincide with the start of the Advent season. It promises to be a stunning experience for all the family and the perfect start to the Christmas season.”

“The audience first of all sees a colourful light projection onto the outside of the Cathedral, accompanied by music

composed by David Harper, then they enter the medieval building to experience an immersive light and sound installation, this time inspired by the fragility and beauty of

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Visitors who saw The Angels are Coming by Luxmuralis at Peterborough last year described the show as ‘magnificent, beautiful and festive,’

The Angler, Mill Street

FORMER HOME OF ORBIS OAKHAM ON MILL STREET IS REINVENTED AS THE ANGLER PUB...

and ‘a very moving experience from start to finish.’

This year’s presentation will be just as unforgettable.”

n To book tickets for the shows, see www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk

OAKHAM

Restauranteur

Jonathan Spencer is reopening his Mill Street restaurant on 26th October. The Angler will be a new pub restaurant serving good food in a relaxed setting.

STAMFORD TOWN COUNCIL IS SPENDING A (HUNDRED) PENNIES...

Stamford Town Council has spent a penny or rather a hundred purchasing the public toilets in Red Lion Square from South Kesteven District Council for a nominal amount of just £1. The town council says it’s looking forward to keeping them clean and in good condition for residents. n

“We had an Orbis restaurant in both Oakham and Stamford, which was diluting interest and meaning we were doing the same thing in two restaurants,” says Jonathan. “Establishing The Angler means we’re no longer tied to Orbis’s remit and we can offer our Sunday carvery, a range of burgers and steaks from Northfield Farm and much more besides. Orbis will, of course, continue to operate the same as ever in Stamford.”

See www.tastetheworld.uk.

Nest is one of the oldest properties in the historic market town of Oundle; a date inscribed on the gable end states 1637 but other parts are far older. This Grade II listed quaint stone cottage provides three bedrooms, one en suite, a family bathroom, three good-sized reception rooms and a farmhouse style kitchen. Automatic gates from the street open into a gravelled area with under cover parking and old flagstone steps lead down to the rear entrance and a little paved area for eating outside. As the property offers a great deal of living space on the ground floor, for anyone wishing to make substantial alterations and create a fourth bedroom, it is suggested that - with the necessary planning consents - the kitchen might be moved into the large drawing room with the old kitchen changed into a ground floor en suite bedroom.

EASTON ON THE HILL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Positioned in the desirable village of Easton on the Hill, this period stone cottage is an English classic comprising a porch, dining hall, reception room, kitchen, shower room, garden room, bedroom with en-suite, and laundry room on the ground floor, while a further two bedrooms, one with en-suite, await on the first floor. The home also adjoins a garage, and a separate garden store presents a useful space, but it is the peaceful and private mature garden, intricately designed, that makes this property stand out amongst others, a paradise for those who enjoy watching the hours pass by surrounded by nature. Set on the popular Church Street, the abode, whose sale is subject to probate, is just a couple of miles from Stamford, only a mile from the A1, and a 25 minute drive from Peterborough with its fast rail connection to London, making it highly convenient for commuters.

SOUTH LUFFENHAM

Substantial Grade II Listed stone-built house with south-facing garden set next to village church and overlooking village green with outstanding views beyond. Affording spacious accommodation over three floors, the layout of the interior is slightly unusual due to the historic use of the property, but offers immense potential for alteration and improvement, STPP. Sitting Room, Dining Kitchen, 5 Bedrooms, Bathroom, ample Ancillary Accommodation. EPC Exempt.

MARKET OVERTON NO ONWARD CHAIN GUIDE PRICE

A substantial, detached, individual property with private, mature, south-facing garden in a desirable village location. 2 Reception Rooms, open-plan Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility Room, Cloakroom/WC, 4 Bedrooms, Master Dressing Room & En-suite Bathroom, Family Bathroom; double Garage, ample off-road Parking. Energy Rating: C.

BARROWDEN Offers Over £595,000

Stone-built detached property occupying a privately screened, good-size plot at the end of a prestigious cul-de-sac in this desirable village. The property benefits from a larger-than-average attached double garage which can be easily converted to provide further ground-floor accommodation (STPP) and enjoys distant countryside views. Lounge/Diner, Dining Kitchen, Clkrm/WC, 4 Dbl Bedrooms, Bathroom; Dbl Garage, Parking for cars, Gardens. Energy Rating: C.

OAKHAM

BELTON-IN-RUTLAND

A detached bungalow with double garage and lovely garden enjoying glorious views over undulating countryside to the rear, situated in one of Rutland's most popular villages. The accommodation benefits from calor gas central heating system and briefly comprises Entrance Hall, Cloakroom/WC, Lounge/Diner, Conservatory, Inner Hall, three Bedrooms, refitted Kitchen and refitted Bath/Shower Room. Energy Rating: TBC.

Substantial, five-bedroom

detached house occupying a large plot with beautifully maintained gardens situated on the very edge of town, a short walk of amenities therein.

routine modernisation, this imposing property possesses immense potential to create

family home

Bedrooms,

a much sought-after location.

Bath/Shower Rooms, Tandem Garage.

Reception Rooms,

BARROWDEN

Beautifully presented and recently redecorated detached bungalow providing set at the end of a cul-de-sac within a desirable village. The property offers deceptively well-proportioned accommodation which features a Lounge, refitted Kitchen/Diner, a good-sized Conservatory, two double Bedrooms and refitted Bathroom. Single Garage, with driveway, low-maintenance Gardens with countryside views to the rear. Energy Rating:

Offers

Homelea Farm House, Tilton On The Hill

An attractive, four-bedroom

with

of

home

on

Offers

Charity House, Somerby

A substantial,

sitting

Lower Leesthorpe Farm, Leesthorpe

A

Wing Barn, Morcott

Night Time Tours

Things are going bump in the night in Stamford, as its town guides once again offer their twilight tours of the Georgian streets. And new this year is the chance to enjoy a spooky twilight tour of Oakham, too!

Words: Rob Davis.

STAMFORD & RUTLAND BY NIGHT

A TWILIGHT TOUR AROUND STAMFORD WITH NICOLA SANDALL

When the nights draw in and twilight descends, Stamford takes on a look and feel of its own... and who better to guide you around Stamford at night especially as Halloween approaches than Nicola Sandall, Jill Collinge the rest of the town’s blue badge guides...

AS THE NIGHTS DRAW IN and Halloween approaches, Nicola Sandall and her colleagues are putting on a thick jumper, a decent pair of walking boots and perhaps a pair of gloves. They’re gearing up to celebrate the third season offering walking tours through Stamford, albeit walking tours with a difference... after dusk!

“Stamford really is a fantastic town in which to live,” says Nicola. “I was born in the town and after leaving for drama school 20 years ago, I soon found myself missing the place and wishing I was back, so I returned and began working in theatre in the town!”

“One of the best things about living in Stamford is that just when you think you know it, inside out, it can still offer up a surprise, or a story, or an interesting historical footnote.”

Of course, if you really want the inside story on Stamford, the person to talk to is Jill Collinge. For over 30 years, Jill has served as the Blue Badge guide to Stamford, offering knowledgable tours that uncover all of its history, and offer even seasoned Stamfordians the chance to learn something new about the place.

“Jill is incredibly knowledgeable indeed!” says Nicola. “Everyone who meets her is in awe of the amount she knows about the town. About eight months prior to lockdown, Jill wanted to ensure that knowledge didn’t simply reside with one person. She also recognised that with just a single person conducting tours, the number of people that could learn about Stamford was limited.”

“She approached five of us and we were sort of apprenticed to her as guides around the town. With more of us able to offer tours, we were also able to devise new tours, like this month’s Spooky Tales Tours.”

“We had only just started working with Jill when Covid came along, and we were all locked down.”

“In a way it did us a favour as we the new guides used to meet over Zoom and finesse the content of the tours, and take the time to fact check our history.”

The group’s twilight tours will begin on Friday, 21st and will last for two weeks beginning at 7pm and 9pm, but with a child-friendly tour from 5.30pm too.

“When we created the Spooky Tales tour we were adamant that we didn’t want it to be a ghost walk but rather a tour that would reflect British history, local history too, and particularly things that actually happened in the town to real residents.”

“That meant not just telling stories which sound good, but making sure they were factually based, too. For that reason, we’ve checked records like newspaper reports from the time, police reports and town council records to make sure that our anecdotes are a true reflection of the history of the town, as far as records allow us to do.”

“This will be the third year we’ve run our Spooky Tales. The first year we hosted them was between the two lockdowns, when gatherings were limited to six people. The following year we attracted more people but we tended to limit them to about 12 people. We can arrange private tours for up to 20 people but we like to be able to interact with everyone.”

The Spooky Tales tours start at Stamford Town Hall and straight away audiences are introduced to some of the more in savoury locals and their fate, languishing in one of the town three gaols. The first was located in the bowels of the town hall, and by all accounts, it was one of the worst gaols in the country.

The place was extremely cramped and so a larger gaol was created on All Saints’ Place in the Victorian era. Finally, the town’s gaol was moved to the building now occupied by horologists Loomes of Stamford. >>

Nicola and colleague Jim Grant delivering a spooky Tales tour.

>> From the town hall, the group make their way over the town bridge to the Meadows, where Nicola and her fellow guides impart a few anecdotes about the Stamford Bull Run, a grizzly event by today’s standards, one which thankfully ceased in 1839.

Equally grizzly, though, was the fate of Benjamin Overton in 1801 who, in the course of baiting the bull, was thrown off the town bridge into the River Welland, only for the bull to follow him and land on him, killing the poor fellow... oof!

A similarly shocking fate befell another local man, George Waterfield, in 1811. Guiding his horse through the town, Waterfield stopped to have a snooze, with the horse’s reins tied securely to his ankle to prevent it wandering off. When the poor horse became spooked, Waterfield was dragged through the streets of the town and was decapitated.

“We’re always sensitive to the age of the children on our tours, but in fact, they usually begin hiding behind an adult at the start of the tour and then, halfway through, they’re at the front and centre, relishing the grizzly bits. Often they’re more enthralled by the scary bits than the adults!”

The Spooky Tales tour then takes in St Peters’ Churchyard, Barn Hill and the Corn Exchange, then Broad Street and St Michael’s Church. It’s at the final location from which Nicola took her inspiration for the character she occasionally dresses up as: Cassandra King was the last woman in Stamford to be hanged. Her crime was the theft of a loaf of bread... soon after it was thought she was innocent. By that time, though it was too late.

What isn’t too late, though, is the chance to book on a Spooky Tour of Stamford, and enjoy more anecdotes, grizzly facts and the of course, the look and feel of Stamford at night! n

guides,

Sandall,

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT AT BURGHLEY...

Fiendish fun comes to Burghley House in October, as torchlit tours return with more scary stories and haunting hidden history. Burghley’s Spooky Tours are led by ghostly expert Martin Tempest and take visitors on a guided tour through creepy cellars and centuries-old cloisters, revealing ghostly goings-on. Prepare yourself for an evening full of jump-scares and frights in the night! The tours are designed to be scary but fun, although not advised for under 12s. n Tours at 6.30pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm each night from Wednesday 19th October to Saturday 29th (excluding Sunday 23rd). Tickets are £24 per person; www.burghley.co.uk.

Taking Pictures at Night

If our night-time images of Stamford have whetted your appetite for taking evening shots, here are our tips...

n They’ve become better in recent years, but camera phones still don’t cut it, especially in low light. Use a proper camera, one which allows you to set your shutters speed.

n A tripod is a must. Mount your camera on a stable tripod, us manual or Tv (shutter speed mode) to dial in your exposure.

n For shake-free images, you need to keep an eye on shutter speed. This is shown on your camera as fractions of seconds. 1/200 means a twohundredth of a second, and is the speed of your camera when using a flash.

n You can usually hand-hold a camera down to 1/125sec, perhaps 1/40 if you’ve a steady hand or stabilisation in your lens or camera.

n Rather than a viewfinder, use your camera’s screen to preview your exposure and release the shutter using a two or ten second timer.

n Shoot in RAW, not JPEG to capture in the highest quality.

TWILIGHT TOURS IN OAKHAM

This month Oakham will enjoy a brand new twilight tour from guides Nicola Sandall and Jim Grant, taking visitors around the spookier parts of the town!

BRAND NEW to Oakham this month is a Spooky Tales tour from two of the guides who provide Stamford with its town tours too. The daytime tours take place throughout the year, but each November, the two guides host Stamford’s Spooky Tales tours and have now created a similar format for Oakham.

“We began hosting Oakham tours at the start of 2022 which will begin again in Spring and take place on Friday mornings at 11am.”

“The Spooky Tales tour, though, will take on 31st October from 7pm, beginning at Rutland County Museum, and lasting about an hour, finishing up at Oakham Castle.”

Rutland County Museum was the former riding school of the Rutland Fencible Cavalry and was became a museum, in 1967. One of its more gruesome antiquities suits the Spooky Tales tour very well.

“The museum counts among its exhibits a version of the New Drop gallows, they type of which counts among its past victims the Catholic martyr John Lyon. Found guilty of treason in 1599 by Queen Elizabeth I, he was taken to the uniquely mobile gallows when they were at Mount Pleasant, and put to death. Locals were so bereft that they took along handkerchiefs, and drenched them in

Right: Oakham Castle is the final destination on a new Spooky Takes walking tour from the same team of guides who take visitors on illuminating tours of Stamford, too.

his blood so that part of him would survive. It’s thought that the priest who performed the last rites was in such admiration of his piety that he too converted.”

Oakham Castle Guided Tours

Guides are on hand to help visitors learn about the history of the medieval manor house.

It’s open Mon/Wed/Thurs and Fridays & Saturdays from 10am-4pm.

The tour continues to Mill Street, where a plaque on the church dedicates it to John Lyon, then to Dean Street, and the home of Jeffrey Hudson, who enjoyed a colourful life as the court dwarf of the English queen Henrietta Maria of France.

“We finish up at Oakham Castle which gives visitors the chance to have a look at the building’s 200 horseshoes. We don’t touch too much on the history of Oakham Castle and the horseshoes, because we feel that the

castle already has really excellent guides who are very knowledgeable.”

“There’s lots of history beyond the Castle walls, too, and because the guides are so amazing we’re happy to recommend dedicating some time to let them show visitors around instead.”

“Oakham is a fantastic town with a rich history and lots going on, so to be able to bring our tours to the town is great. We hope they’ll be popular and that the Rutland debut of the Spooky Tales tour will be popular, too!”

n A walking tour of Oakham takes place from 7.30pm, Monday, 31st October, booking via www.rutland-heritage-shop.mybigcommerce.com

STAMFORD & RUTLAND BY NIGHT

NEW TWILIGHT TOURS AROUND OAKHAM, AND RUTLAND’S 10k RUN

RUTLAND NIGHT 10k: Exercise by Twilight...

If anywhere in Rutland looks magnificent at twilight it’s Rutland Water and specifically Normanton Church. But it’s not just inspiring to photographers. This month sees the Rutland Night 10k event taking place, organised by Pacesetter Events.

It’s a way to enjoy autumn fitness and to exercise somewhere safe, with great scenery and marshalls on hand.

“Our night event starts and finishes at one of Rutland's most recognisable landmarks, Normanton Church,” say Pacesetter.

“It will be beautifully illuminated making it visible throughout the whole course. The route is completely traffic

free, on well maintained footpaths. This event is open to all abilities. You don’t always need to race, you can come and enjoy the atmosphere.”

“The event is for everyone to come and enjoy a fantastic experience no matter what their ability.”

“Participants start and finish in Normanton near the fishing lodge. The lights and atmosphere will be incredible as we leave Normanton.”

“The course begins along the south shore before completing the length of the dam. We then pass through Sykes lane where views of the route already completed will be spectacular. Runners will continue along the tarmac track until they reach the end

of Whitwell creek. This is their turn point at 5km. Then we retrace our path home to Normanton. “

Thursday’s event is for walking participants, and dogs are welcome too, whilst the Friday and Saturday events are for runners. The average pace for walking it about three miles an hours which means a two-hour average finishing time, and you can complete the whole course, or just turn back whenever you decide to do so.

It’s a chance to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Rutland Water at twilight, to get some fresh air, but most of all, to enjoy some likeminded company and have a good time! n

Find Out More: The Rutland Night Event takes place from 10th November to 12th November 2022, with a walking event and two running events from 5.30pm. Entry £16/£22, including on course refreshments and medals. For more details, see www.therutlandmarathon.co.uk/night-run.

Culture & Community in UPPINGHAM

This month sees

taking place in the centre of this diminutive Rutland town.

there’s

the town’s

and do beyond the livestock, say two of its proudest

and local

owner Mike Goldmark...

Lead

Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Discover Rutland.

“FIFTY YEARS giving out free coffee!” says Mike Goldmark. “Doesn’t seem like a great business model!”

Don’t knock it... it’s worked! The owner of Goldmark Art this year celebrates 50 years in the town, arriving in Uppingham to set up a second hand book shop before making a deliberate segue into art in the mid-1980s. That was partly motivated by the pages falling out of the second hand book market with the advent of the internet. About 20 years ago, the pots arrived too, and now Goldmark’s oevre is artisan ceramics produced by about 12 of the world’s greatest ceramicists.

“I saw the business model for ceramics. Potters took the risk and shopkeepers took the profit. That was wrong, so we very deliberately did things differently. We pay a monthly retainer to some of the best artists in the business, and we provide galleries with complete exhibitions out of the box.”

“Because of that we’ve become one of the leading galleries in the country, certainly for ceramics,” says Mike. And elsewhere in Goldmark’s range of specialisms is the publishing of fine art books and artisan printing including lithography completed on its 19th century heritage press.

There’s a full-time camera operator and editor, with Mike’s son Jay serving as producer/director of the company’s films. Goldmark is also current in discussion with Netflix with a view to producing content for the streaming service.

Other plans for the future include the creation of a third floor, providing more exhibition space and a new rooftop terrace for hosting the gallery’s live music acts. Recently Goldmark hosted probably the world’s best Norwegian squeezebox jazz musician for a live set, and jazz saxophonist Iain Ballamy. >>

Left: When in Uppingham... look up! Original Uppingham Schoolhouse. Goldmark Gallery.

It’s home to around 4,500 people and has a thriving town centre. Uppingham may be relatively small, but it’s perfectly formed with plenty of art and soul...

The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul.

>> Otherwise, the gallery has over 60,000 items, including original prints by Matisse or Picasso, or one-off pots that are beautiful, yet functional enough to be used every day, from £100 or less. Everyone, Mike reckons, should be able to enjoy a bit of beauty in their life. And a free cup of coffee, too.

Speaking about spending money or, at least, spending a penny Uppingham Mayor Liz Clarke is eagerly anticipating feedback on the Market Place’s newly refurbished loos.

“The town clerk and I chose the colour scheme together. So we hope everyone approves. We’ve gone for a blue/grey theme on the exterior and a grey/teal colour scheme on the interior. Someone asked if, being as this is Uppingham, there would be a Jo Malone candle in there... which we thought was quite telling in terms of what people think of the town.”

Instead of cutting a ribbon for the official opening of the loos, and taking the inaugural tinkle, Liz is contemplating an opening ceremony, cutting some loo roll strung across

the door, with a big bow and the assistance, à la Andrex puppy, of her cockapoo, Daisy.

Arriving in Uppingham in 2012, and so celebrating her tenth anniversary in the town, Liz soon fell in love with the place and was elected to the town council in 2019 after raising an issue of parking on her road and becoming inspired by the direct relevance of local government to people’s lives, as opposed to national or party politics.

Liz and Daisy enjoy walks around Wardley Wood, and on The Ridge, but a new dog walking field has also been established on Seaton Road, too, which is totally safe and enclosed and can be booked by dog owners.

“I love Uppingham’s sense of community, the fact that people smile at each other and make conversation,” says Liz. “There’s a real sense that the town is cherished by its residents. When a coffee chain came into the town there was real concern for the indepen dent cafés and restaurants, and people really feel strongly about preserving Uppingham’s look and feel, and its character.”

Uppingham Mayor Liz Clarke is eagerly anticipating feedback on the Market Place’s newly refurbished loos... she chose the colours!

Within the churchyard is the original schoolroom of Uppingham School, founded in 1584 by Archdeadon Robert Johnson. The original building now carries a Grade I listed status...

>> “As a Town Council, we need to stay in control of the town’s growth to ensure it remains sympathetic to Uppingham’s look and feel. We’ve a Neighbourhood Plan which anticipates the community’s needs for the next 25 years, our aim being growth, but also the protection of what makes Uppingham unique, too.”

Liz and her husband Nick both run a PR & Communications agency, working with the Church of England as well as for a few other clients. They’re both involved with Uppingham Parish Church, too.

1815 saw Uppingham take on Oakham in the first recorded cricket match between the two, and they’ve remained friendly rivals ever since.

The 19th century also saw the music school established and the creation of the present School House and Victoria Block. The school has continued to develop right up to the opening of a new Science Centre in 2014. Today it’s home to over 800 pupils, and is alma mater to Stephen Fry, Donald Campbell and Rick Stein.

The town, like the school itself, is clearly inspiring, and is now home to a number of galleries on the A, B, C (Arts, Books, Crafts) trail, available online.

Above: Uppingham School.

The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul was built in the 14th century, heavily restored by Henry Parsons in 1861 and now carries a Grade II* listing. Within the churchyard is the original schoolroom of Uppingham School, founded in 1584 by Archdeadon Robert Johnson. The original building now carries the most precious Grade I listed status.

Highlights include Garners Fine Art, the Uppingham Antiques Centre, Peter Barker Fine Art, Rebecca Ivatts’ Queen Street Gallery, The Rutland Bookshop, Goldmark Gallery, and no fewer than nine crafts specialists. It’s a truly unique town in which to enjoy fine art, free coffee... or just... a quick tinkle. n

What’s On...

GRANTHAM

FROM 18th NOVEMBER CINDERELLA AT BELVOIR CASTLE

Step into the magic of Cinderella this Christmas. Marvel in the fairytale, brought to life by awardwinning Interior Designer, Charlotte Lloyd-Webber, before embarking on the trail to the Engine Yard for a day filled with festive fun for the whole family. You can also pre-book a full Christmas experience with a visit to Cinderella in the Castle; stop by the magical Grotto to meet Santa Claus and enjoy a Festive Afternoon Tea in the grandeur of the Regency-styled tearoom. n Pre-booking recommended, see www.belvoircastle.com. Belvoir Castle, NG32 1PE, or call 01476 871001.

Burghley Christmas Fair

SHOPPING, ENTERTAINMENT AND A FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE WITH OVER 130 STALLS PROVIDING GIFTS & DECORATIONS

STAMFORD

THURSDAY 24thSUNDAY 27th NOVEMBER BURGHLEY CHRISTMAS FAIR

The region’s largest Christmas Fair, with over 130 stalls offering everything from luxury gifts, artisan food and drink to Christmas decorations and winter clothing. A wonderful festive day out with carol singers, a Victorian carousel and much more to enjoy. n Tickets £6/adult, £3/child, 9.30am - 4.30pm each day with late night shopping until 9pm on Friday night. Burghley House, PE9 3JY. Call 01780 752 451 or see www.burghley.co.uk.

STAMFORD FRIDAY 25th - SATURDAY 26th NOVEMBER MATILDA THE

MUSICAL JUNIOR

Stamford Arts Centre presents a musical version of Roald Dahl’s gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination as Matilda takes on Trunchball and her parents to protect her beloved Miss Honey.

n 11am, 2.30pm, 6pm, 7pm. Tickets £13.50/ad, £9/child. Stamford Arts Centre, PE9 2DL. Call 01780 763 203 or see www.stamfordartscentre.com.

LEICESTER

WEDNESDAY 30th NOV AN EVENING WITH NOEL FITZPATRICK

TV’s Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick, presents a brand-new show which will delight animal lovers of all ages and anyone who feels like they need some love, hope and healing in their lives. Tickets £37.50.

n DeMontfort Hall, Leicester LE1 7RU, call 0116 2333111,

Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

SANDRINGHAM

FRIDAY 18th - SUNDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2022

LIVING HERITAGE’S SANDRINGHAM

CHRISTMAS CRAFT, FOOD & GIFT FAIR

The Sandringham Christmas Craft, Food & Gift Fair is back providing 2022’s visitors with a fabulous weekend of Christmas Cheer! Synonymous with Christmas are the beautifully hand-crafted items and

gifts presented by well over a hundred craftsmen, artists and designers, many of whom will be working at the event.

Equally the food hall provides a fabulous array of food and drink from both regional and national producers and retailers, and last but not least is Chris Nichol the Opera Singing Santa – all to ease you into the Christmas Mood!

n Sandringham Estate, PE35 6EN. www.livingheritagecountryshows.com.

The Wizard of Oz at Curve

FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD THIS SEASON WITH A COLOURFUL LIVE PERFORMANCE IN OZ!

HAMBLETON

TUESDAY 8th NOVEMBER GILLES DUDOGNON

FROM LA CHAPELLE SAINT MARTIN AT HAMBLETON HALL

Hambleton Hall welcomes chef Gilles Dudognon from La Chapelle Saint Martin, Limoges to cook alongside chef Aaron Patterson. Gilles brings his classic French cuisine with a modern twist to Rutland, cooking alongside Aaron Patterson. Both chefs have Michelin stars – and their shared menu is a sublime journey through classic French and modern British gastronomy!

n Pre-booking essential, dinner only £165/person, apéritifs from 7.30pm, overnight stay available. Four courses, canapés and Champagne reception, see menu online at hambletonhall.com or call 01572 756 991.

LEICESTER FROM 19th NOVEMBER TO 8th JANUARY 2023 THE WIZARD OF OZ AT CURVE THEATRE

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Leicester this month for a live stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Join Dorothy and Toto as they are swept up from sepia-soaked Kansas and transported over the rainbow to the technicolour wonderland of Oz. On her adventure down the Yellow Brick Road Dorothy meets new friends Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion who help her on her way, but the villain

STAMFORD

FRIDAY 11th NOVEMBER ROY G HEMMINGS’ HITS OF MOTOWN

The longest serving member of The Drifters, Roy presents classic hits of Motown, by The Supremes, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. n Stamford Corn Exchange, 7.30pm, tickets £25, call 01780 766455 or see www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk.

ous and frightfully glamourous Wicked Witch has other plans for Dorothy. Directed by Nikolai Foster and featuring a 15-piece or chestra playing music and songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as well as the iconic originals from the MGM film, The Wizard of Oz is a spectacular Christmas at Curve adventure!

‘Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Leicester anymore...’ n Tickets from £10-£45, from 2pm, 2.15pm, 7.30pm, at Curve Theatre, Leicester LE1 1SB. Call 0116 242 3595 or see www.curveonline.co.uk.

Celebrate Christmas at GATES GARDEN CENTRE

Established by Fred & Ivy Gates in 1948, and still a family run business 74 years on, it’s no wonder that Cold Overton’s Gates Garden Centre is right at the heart of your Rutland Christmas celebrations. And this year, there’s more to enjoy than ever before!

WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT than family?

Nothing. Which is why Gates Garden Centre is right at the heart of your own Christmas celebrations. As a family owned and run business since 1948, nobody understands family or festivities like Gates, with the area’s largest Christmas displays, totalling around 14,000sq ft of decorations and ten themes for your festive home.

Christmas Decorations...

Gates has opened its festive displays as Pride goes to press, and as usual its bows, baubles, Christmas trees and festive lights are all arranged thematically making it easy for you to achieve a cohesive look for your festive celebrations.

The Best Christmas Trees...

And of course, you’ll want somewhere to hang your baubles. So whether you’re seeking a standard or premium-cut tree, Gates Garden Centre provides sustainably sourced, freshly cut trees to last all season.

The centre has a range of artificial trees, too, realistically emulating the look and feel of fir, spruce or pine, including pre-lit trees in white or multi-coloured designs, with no more untangling wires or hunting for elusive faulty bulbs.

Thoughtful Festive Gifts...

Christmas shopping, all under one roof. With a range of premium gifts, you’ll find toys and games for children, giftware for gents and ladies, from candles, diffusers and fragrance to bath and body products, scarves, handbags and cosy gloves, hats and socks for winter.

With a range of books and stocking fillers, cards and gift wrapping too, all under one roof, with everything indoors and with 800 free parking spaces, finding a thoughtful gift is easier at Gates.

Gates Farm Shop...

With festive decoration and shopping made easier, the Cold Overton-based retailer set about thinking how it could make things easier in the kitchen, too.

In 2019, Gates Garden Centre created a purpose-built farm shop with 12,000sq ft space and over 4,000 products. From Hambleton Bakery bread to high-welfare butchery including beef reared on the family’s own farm, all of the fresh meat, dairy, bakery, and grocery goods plus a range of wines and spirits are under one roof.

You can reserve your turkey, goose or a sirloin of beef for Christmas day now or shop online at www.gatesfarmshop.co.uk and have a complete order ready for collection or home delivery.

Lakeland, for your home...

With a new Lakeland store on site, too, you can equip yourself with new roasting trays, cookware, knives and practical products for cleaning and storage right around the home.

Time to enjoy Christmas...

And so, with festive preparations in hand, it’s time to enjoy a festive afternoon tea, homemade cake, brunch or Christmas dinner in the 360 seater Garden Restaurant.

This year, Santa will be inviting small groups of children to sit and enjoy a story with his elves in a dedicated area of the restaurant. The new format for this year’s celebrations is designed to reduce waiting times and give children more quality time with the man in red.

Of course, they’ll still receive a gift, ensuring that whatever age you are, Christmas is still a magical time at Gates Garden Centre, on hand to ensure you spend less time prepar ing, and more time enjoying the season with friends and family. n

THE DETAILS Gates Garden Centre, at Cold Overton...

Festive Decorations: This year, the centre’s 14,000ft2 of festive decorations are arranged across 10 themes from Candy Cane Land, Cocktail Glamour and Woodland Creatures to Frosty Morning and Home Opulence, to name a few.

Restaurant & Santa: Children can see Santa Claus for breakfast or dinner and enjoy listening to a story. Pre-booking is essential.

Farm Shop: Visit in person or shop online for collection or home delivery.

Contact Details: Gates Garden Centre, Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham LE15 7QB. Telephone: 01664 454309. www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk. www.gatesfarmshop.co.uk. n

An Accidental DUCHESS

In a brand new autobiography, Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland, Emma Manners, reveals why becoming an accidental Duchess wasn’t always an easy path to take. However, her love of family, her desire to care of her five children and the respect she and the 11th Duke have for preserving the Belvoir Estate for future generations all add up to a story that’s a fascinating insight into aristocracy...

UPON WALKING INTO THE GUARDROOM of Belvoir Castle, your shoes clack against the flagstones on the floor. It’s not an echo, per se, nor is it an especially loud sound. More of a small sound, close to you. It’s noticeable against the vast environment of the castle’s large rooms and soaring ceilings. Noticeable, too, against what is otherwise silence given the acoustically insulatory thick stone walls of a castle which is also located in an elevated position, surrounded by vast swathes of countryside in the Vale of Belvoir.

It makes you feel comparatively small, and quite isolated. More so, I imagine, if you’re walking in knowing that from now on, the preservation, the future of the building, is down to you and you alone.

That’s what happened when Welsh farmer’s daughter Emma Manners, the current Duchess of Rutland, moved into Belvoir Castle in 2001 with her husband David His Grace, the Duke of Rutland and three of their five children, including the Marquess of Granby heir apparent of the Duke of Rutland peerage.

Emma – Her Grace is now separated from The Duke, maritally, but maintains a good relationship, one which has evolved really well, she says. Describing herself as an accidental Duchess, in her new book she describes the journey from Powys to Duchess... and it’s a fascinating story.

It’s little wonder that Emma wanted to fill the vastness of the castle with the noise, chaos and joy that only a family can bring to a house, turning it into a home.

The future Duchess grew up in the Welsh Marches, in a farmhouse in the former soke of Radnorshire, now incorporated into Powys. She was the only daughter of John and Roma Watkins, until her two younger brothers, William and Roger, arrived.

The family were farmers by profession and so Emma’s childhood was a coalescence of trees, grass, cows, shooting, horses, a few more horses and perhaps the odd additional horse or two.

After Croftdown and Ellerslie schools, the budding – and evidently talented 16-year old future Duchess obtained a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Dance in London, deferring her placement until 18 as John was adamant that 16 was too young for his only daughter to live alone in London. Moving in with her childhood friend Louise the two shared a flat on the Brompton Road, between Harrods and the Natural History Museum.

After music and drama college, a stint work ing as a nanny for a wealthy Argentinian family, acceptance into Southampton College of Higher Education to study land manage ment, and a few ski seasons working as a

Words: Rob Davis.

The first Belvoir Castle was located in what was known as the wapentake of Framland, spanning about a quarter of Leicestershire.

A Norman fortification was created by Robert de Todeni, and when the subsequent de Ros line died out, the estate and its manor passed to George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros. Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland started construction of a new

castle. It was completed in 1555 from stone which came from Croxton Abbey and Belvoir Priory following their dissolution.

In 1649, the castle was destroyed by Parliamentarians and a new building was started in 1654, created by the architect John Webb. Work was completed by 1668 and the castle cost £11,730 (£2.14 million today).

In 1799 the 5th Duke’s new wife, Lady Elizabeth

Howard, chose architect James Wyatt to rebuild the castle in the romantic Gothic Revival style. Its most recent incarnation was completed in 1832, after a further investment of £82,000 (£8.11 million today). It’s claimed that in 1840, Anna, Duchess of Bedford invented afternoon tea whilst staying at the Castle.

More recently the estate is renowned for its game shooting and events. n

guide and chalet girl, Emma established an interior design consultancy with a friend, Janet Baker.

It was whilst working in the grand houses of London’s smarter areas like Chelsea that Emma was introduced to her future husband at a dinner party. His card simply read David Manners, Marquis of Granby, registered firearms dealer.

“My brother William was highly suspicious of him,” recalls Emma. “From the business card he thought he owned a pub, and the idea of a pub-owning firearms dealer sounded a little iffy to say the least.”

Nevertheless, the two began to speak on the phone each day and David invited Emma to ‘drop in and have lunch on your way back.’

“His instructions on how to get there were, as usual with David, very precise, and I followed them to the letter. Suddenly, at a break in the

trees, I saw this enormous citadel rising out of the otherwise flat landscape.”

Emma reveals in her new book how soon the realisation dawned that her beau, David was the heir apparent to the title Duke of Rutland.

Cinderella at Christmas

As Pride goes to press, Belvoir Castle’s interiors will be transformed by theatre designer Charlotte Lloyd Webber and team for the festive season. The crafted displays will open for Christmas from 18th November, tickets available now.

the Duchess headed up onto the roof and in a somewhat less than glamorous excerpt from her life, began pulling a couple of dead pigeons out of the lead guttering, 450 feet up in the air, wearing a nightdress and some Barbour wellies.

The couple married in 1992 and moved from their Regency cottage on the estate into the castle in 2001.

A Cinderella story, is how The Duchess recalls being awoken, in March 2002, by the children running into the couple’s bedroom by her older girls Violet, Alice and Eliza then eight, six and four, shouting “Mummy! Daddy! Water’s coming in, the castle is flooding!”

Belvoir Castle comprises six towers and well over 200 rooms. Surmising that the water was pouring in from the Bellhangers’ Tower,

“My husband had inherited a castle, but behind the fairy-tale façade we were faced with jaw-dropping levels of debt, as well as battalions of rats, and staff who clearly preferred the former incumbents to us and our unruly brood of little people with their high-pitched voices and water pistols,” she acknowledges.

“As I lay there in bed, willing myself back to sleep again, the mantle of responsibility that now hung across my shoulders felt only too real.”

>> “Over the following twenty years there would be highs and there would be crushing lows, none of which I could anticipate.”

“Soon after the death of the Charles [10th Duke], grey-suited advisers arrived from London with bad news tucked inside their briefcases. Yes, David had inherited Belvoir Castle, but he’d also inherited £11 million worth of inheritance tax.”

“It was only a few weeks after Charles’ death that David and I attended our first trustees meeting. At that stage I didn’t even know what a trust was. I remember sitting there in disbelief, thinking, How am I ever going to get my head around this?”

“From the little information we had been able to glean, it appeared that the castle’s running costs amounted to roughly half a million pounds a year, and income was now limited to the profits from the home farm, the tenant farm and rents from houses on the estate that were let out. Nonetheless, it was now our responsibility – debts and all.”

“What we hadn’t realised was that visitor numbers had been steadily dwindling for years. David and I would lay awake at night worrying.”

In 1999, The Duke and Duchess gave birth to their first boy, Charles now the heir apparent to the Dukedom and to the Castle but with the pressure of the estate, parent hood and grief over the loss of the 10th Duke taking their toll, The Duchess was forced to confront some painful truths.

“Over the next few months the future of our marriage was up in the air. We tried to work out a way to mend things. I felt utterly help less and lost. I’d go from hurt to guilt. The word that sums it all up is heartbreak.”

“I loved him and I knew that deep down he loved me. I think I had underestimated the strain that David had been under.”

In May 2009 when the Duke was turning 50, The Duchess organised a grand party for 320 guests, stretching the length of both the State Drawing Room and the Regent’s

Gallery, but three years later the couple legally separated.

“Slowly our relationship has evolved into one of acceptance, pragmatism and... yes, real friendship,” she says.

“All I asked in return was to continue to run the castle and the estate until I retired at sixty-five [in 2028]. David agreed and I was officially appointed CEO. But we carried on living in the castle together.”

“I stayed in the nursery wing with the children while David moved into the Shepherd’s Tower, which I had been in the midst of renovating.”

Amid the détente The Duchess was desperate to secure Belvoir’s future for her family.

Of the 17,000 acres surrounding of the estate, 1,200 acres of it is home farm, and it was losing £350,000 a year.

Partnering with Phil Burtt, The Duchess turned around the estate through shooting, tourism, farming and through the Duchess daring to create developments like Belvoir Castle’s Engine Yard which opened in 2018.

“There was no acknowledgement, no words spoken between us. But in my head, I realised I was falling in love with Phil. Little by little our feelings for each other deepened.”

“If not in the respect of rainwater in lead guttering, then at least in terms of privacy, The Belvoir estate proved surprisingly leakproof, and it was a good ten months on that the Duke and Duchess of Rutland’s living arrangements were first spoken about publicly, whereupon the tabloids sent in their hounds.”

The Duchess addressed the rumours by brokering a deal with the Daily Mail in September 2012 clarifying the couple’s personal lives, but then in 2015 the same newspaper ran another story following a party at the Castle for the launch of the Duchess’s Capability Brown landscape restoration claiming ‘uncanny parallels’ to DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley and Mellors.

Titles, grand country houses, publicity (good and bad) and castle roofs (mostly bad) remain a source of fascination for anyone unfamiliar with the life of aristocracy, but for the Duchess, there’s a rather strong justification for the life that everyone can relate to; looking after family and preserving Belvoir for the next generation.

“My five are now grown up, but I know that at some point they too will have children and the cycle will continue. I have always been someone’s daughter, someone’s wife, someone’s mother. Now, I am looking forward to being someone’s grandmother.” n

READ MORE: The Duchess’s Autobiography...

Emma Manners, Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland has co-written her autobiography with Pepsy Dening.

“I didn’t realise there was a story but working with Pepsy made me realise that my life has been an exciting journey, one with tremendous high points, but low points too.”

“The Duke and I have a wonderful friendship now, and at times the story has been tough to tell, but it has been very cathartic.”

“There’s no point writing an autobiography unless it’s honest.

It’s been a great process, and everyone that has read it pre-release has supported it, especially The Duke himself.”

“I want it to shine a light on women in private heritage and to give an insight into how relationships can evolve and change throughout your life.”

The Accidental Duchess by Emma Manners Duchess of Rutland is published by Pan Macmillan, 340 pages, £12.99, available from all good bookshops. n

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Catesby as he appeared in the 2017 BBC adaptation of the plot, Gunpowder.

A RUTLAND REBELLION

The little hamlet of Stoke Dry, covers about one and a half square miles. It has a population of fewer than 50 people, just 14 homes and the village’s Eyebrook Reservoir was used as a training ground for the Dambusters as they learned how to drop their famous bouncing bombs… but that not the only explosive bit of history that the village is known for!

NOVEMBER brings to mind huddling in front of a bonfire and lighting fireworks, but never far from our minds is the fact that the event commemorates a daring and thankfully unsuccessful plot to destroy the British parliament and its monarchy.

It’s hard to believe but this violent and anarchic plot actually originated in what is today a peaceful, tiny and idyllic rural hamlet, right here in Rutland.

On 5th November 1605, Guy Fawkes was discovered with 36 barrels of gunpowder un derneath the House of Lords. The plot to kill King James I had been foiled, and the House of Lords along with the King, had been saved.

In January 1606, during the first sitting of parliament since the plot, the Observance of 5th November Act 1605 was passed, making services commemorating the event an annual feature of English life. Effigies or ‘Guys’ are made obviously relating to Guy Fawkes out of clothes stuffed with newspaper and then thrown on bonfires.

Interestingly, a man local to Rutland was part of the Plot, but he was also the man that some believe stopped the regicide too.

Born in 1567, Frances Tresham would live a life that lead him to playing a notorious role in the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Son of Thomas Tresham, his actions should have come as no surprise considering his background.

His father was a widely disliked, rebellious and stubborn landowner known for executing those who did not follow his opinions.

A fusion of poor life choices and a lack of parenting led his son down a doomed path.

Frances Tresham was renowned for having a hot-headed nature. He landed himself time in prison for various crimes ranging from assaulting a gentleman and his pregnant daughter to the bolder act of joining open revolts including the Essex Rebellion.

Only his family’s status and riches could save him from the consequences of his actions, however he was not deterred from involving himself in more conspiracies. He became an increasingly unstable character and was not to be trusted with his family’s money as he plunged them into financial worries with his hedonistic London lifestyle. Catholicism had always played a pinnacle role in Frances’s life and drove most of his criminal activity.

He had grown up in a time where his faith had faced so much persecution from the long train of protestant rulers that England had crowned.

Queen Elizabeth I was the main ruler who challenged the Christian faith, and she became the greatest Protestant power in Europe during her rein which lasted until 1603. She provoked the crisis and pushed the situation to breaking point when she executed 100 Catholic priests in order to provide herself with a sense of security.

Words: Rob Davis.

Her death in 1603, celebrated by many, gave hope for those of the Catholic faith; this could be their chance to put an end to all the religious conflict. England’s new monarch, King James I, was known to be more tolerant and peaceful than his predecessor with a de sire to restore harmony. However, this was not to be and tensions between the Protes tants and Catholics became higher than ever.

There was only one solution; to kill the king. An extravagant plot to blow up the House of Lords, kill the King and all other members of parliament was formed at Stoke Dry Church, in Rutland, by Robert Catesby. Catesby had recruited 11 fellow Catholics to his cause but was running out of money.

With an annual income of over £3,000, Tresham was one of the wealthiest people known to the plotters, despite his huge debts.

Catesby’s mother was Anne Throckmorton, an aunt of Tresham’s. The two cousins had been raised together and shared a close relationship.

Therefore, Frances Tresham was admitted to the group. Catesby wanted two things from him; £2,000, and the use of Rushton Hall. Catesby received neither. Following the meeting, he hurried back to Rushton Hall and closed his household, taking care to hide family papers. He then returned to London with his mother and sisters.

However, Tresham’s role in the plot became more curious and complicated than simply acting as a rather useless accomplice. >>

>> Later in October, during a meeting at which Tresham was present, the conspirators discussed the fates of several notable Catholic peers. Foremost in Tresham’s thoughts were the lives of his two brothersin-law, William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, and Edward Stourton, 10th Baron Stourton, but Catesby proclaimed that ‘the innocent must perish with the guilty, sooner than ruin the chances of success.’

As the last few details were being finalised that month, on 26th October Monteagle received an anonymous letter while at his house in Hoxton. Although he was already aware of certain stirrings even before he received news of the letter from Monteagle, Robert Cecil, Secretary of State, who lived at Burghley, did not yet know the exact nature of the plot or who was involved and had elected to watch to see what would happen.

When Monteagle’s letter was shown to the King on 1st November, James felt that it hinted at ‘some strategem of fire and powder,’ at the part where the anonymous author had stated ‘they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament.’

King James perhaps felt it was an explosion exceeding in violence the one that killed his father, Lord Darnley, in 1567. The following day, members of the Privy Council visited James to inform him that a search would be made of the Houses of Parliament, both above and below.

Tresham persuaded his accomplices that he had no part in the Monteagle letter, however many are certain that he played a more overt role in the betrayal of the plot.

When Fawkes was caught and arrested on 5th November, he called himself John Johnson, and was interrogated by members of the King’s Privy Chamber, but on 6th November James ordered that John Johnson be tortured.

He was finally broken and revealed his true identity on 7th November, and on 8th November he began to name some of those with whom he was associated. Tresham’s involvement was attributed with only a minor role, but while his compatriots had fled London the moment they discovered Fawkes had been caught, Tresham stayed in the city.

On 12th November 1605 he was arrested, thrown into the Tower of London and confessed. He admitted to concealment but denied active involvement in the conspiracy.

He quickly became ill and contracted a stran gury in his urinary tract. Despite treatment from doctors his condition only became worse and he died on 23rd December.

His last moments on his deathbed were spent contesting his innocence. Following his passing, his head joined those of his fellow conspirators Thomas Percy and Robert Catesby on display in Northampton while his body was thrown into a hole at Tower Hill; a gruesome ending to an eventful life. n

THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING: Timeline of Terror

n 1601 - 1603 The Plotters Meet:

A circle of Catholic men meet regularly to discuss the future of England.

n March 1603A New Monarch: Elizabeth I dies and James I becomes king, also a protestant and against Catholicism.

n January 1604 Catesby’s Plan:

When James I continues to fine Catholics and order them to leave England, Robert Catesby, Thomas Wintour and John Wright start plans.

n April 1604 Fawkes Recruited: Guy Fawkes is recruited as an explosives expert.

n May 1604 Sworn to Secrecy: The conspirators take an

oath that swears them to secrecy on a religious primer.

n February 1605 Gunpowder In:

The plotters tunnel from a house near Westminster to Parliament and smuggle the Gunpowder in.

n March 1605 Rented Vault: They rent a vault under Parliament to store the gunpowder.

n Summer 1605 Money Men: Francis Tresham and other rich men join the conspirators.

n October 1605 Monteagle Letter: Lord Monteagle receives a warning letter and hands it to Robert Cecil. The plotters continue despite the risk and Tresham is accused of writing the letter.

n 1st - 5th Nov 1605 Investigations:

King James sees the letter and orders an investigation immediately. The vaults are searched and Guido Fawkes is found. He hides his identity by calling himself John Johnson but he is arrested, questioned and soon tortured.

n 6th - 8th Nov 1605 Plotters Flee: The rest of the plotters flee and die in a shootout with sheriffs or are arrested and brought to the Tower of London. Catesby, Percy and the Wright brothers die here.

n Nov 1605 - Jan 1606 Prosecution: Some of the remaining plotters make their confessions, they’re found guilty of high treason and are hanged, drawn and quartered.

Stoke Dry St Andrew’s Church.

King James (seated) in the BBC’s 2017 adaptation Gunpowder. Burghley House’s William Cecil is shown second left, played by Mark Gatiss.

THE CONTENTS OF THE MONTEAGLE LETTER IN FULL...

“My Lord, out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation. Therefore I would advise you, as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift your attendance at this parliament; for God and man hath concurred to punish the wickedness of this time.

And think not slightly of this advertisement, but retire yourself into your country where you may expect the event in safety.

For though there be no appearance of any stir, yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament; and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This counsel is not to be condemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm; for the danger is passed as soon as you have burnt the letter. And I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it, to whose holy protection I commend you.” n

THE LETTER THAT FOILED THE PLOT... GUNPOWER PLOT FACTS

n Hanging, drawing and quartering was the expected fate for a traitor. But in fact Guy Fawkes threw himself to his death, breaking his neck, before he could have his genitals cut off and his stomach cut open. His remains were sent to ‘four quarters of the kingdom’ as a warning to other would-be conspirators.

n Fawkes won the begrudging admiration of King James, who declared him to have a ‘Roman resolution’ in sticking to his convictions even amid torture.

n Experts believe the gunpowder would have decayed before being lit and probably wouldn’t have yielded the desired effect to raze parliament to the ground.

n Once a year, before the State opening of Parliament, the Yeoman of the Guard still search the cellars of the houses of Parliament as instructed by King James and subsequent monarchs.

Guy Fawkes as played by Tom Cullen.

Co-Educational Teaching means an exciting time for STAMFORD ENDOWED SCHOOLS

Stamford Endowed Schools has been educating students for some 490 years. In that time, the school has evolved organically from a small school room in the Chapel to the vibrant and exciting place of education it now offers for children. They are continuing that evolution by becoming fully co-educational from September 2023, offering learning from 2-18 years across a large campus in the heart of Stamford. Pride spoke to Will Phelan, Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, to discuss the exciting plans for the future of this historic institution...

Why the move to co-educational teaching across all the Stamford Schools?

First and foremost, the central focus for every one at Stamford is the Stamfordian student.

The benefits of being together will offer even more pastoral support and spaces for our students, more contact time with teachers and more subject options in the future, as well as all of the benefits of being in a co-educational environment.

93% of all children in the UK are already in co-educational schools and most children have a mixed primary education.

The diamond structure has served us well but I cannot think of many other environments where segregation by gender still takes place, apart from a rapidly dwindling number of educational establishments.

The world all of our Stamfordians will enter is even now very different from five years ago, and for those starting with us in Year 1 will be different again. Preparing our children in a co-educational environment, in addition to providing a brilliant Stamfordian education, will enhance our students even further and prepare them for this challenge.

What are your aims for your students?

Giving our students opportunities to thrive, to be the best version of themselves and unlock their full potential, is what we have always done at Stamford, and we will continue to do.

We don’t want to change who we are, the Stamfordian is both rounded and grounded, but we do want to exponentially enhance what we do and how we do it.

We want them to be respectful and inclusive, fulfilled through their friendships, families and relationships, to think for themselves, to be aspirational, to embrace innovation and simply put to thrive, now and in the future.

How will you fit all your students onto one site?

The simple answer is that we just won’t!

Currently the students are split by gender at both of our senior school sites, with the Sixth Form predominately at the larger campus at Stamford School.

From 2023, we will make our St Martin’s site a dedicated Sixth Form Centre just for Years 12 and 13, creating an unique campus for Sixth Form learning.

We will give them an independent space that prepares them for Further Education once they leave us.

Our St Paul’s site and its wide-open spaces will become home to a combined Senior School, which will increase numbers by approximately 30 on this site from September 2023.

The Senior School could take up to an additional 80 children in the future, but this is predicted numbers for entry years beyond 2024.

What new facilities will there be?

We are very excited to shortly be opening our new sports facility, the Wothorpe Sports Centre at Kettering Road. We have transformed the Astroturf pitches to provide a first class provision for our schools and the town.

The new facility will be home to a fitness suite, two new studio rooms for classes in Pilates, and Spinning to name a few, exten sive changing facilities as well as spectating facilities.

At the same time we are reviewing all elements of our estates plan to make sure it meets our new needs. We will be investing in science, pastoral spaces, academic spaces, sports, parking and of course our new Sixth Form.

When will the transition begin?

We have a very robust and exciting transition plan which is already underway this year, so we are ready for September 2023.

All our current pupils in years 7 – 10 are included and will follow a programme of activities to help them integrate and get to know each other.

There will be a focus on adventure, community, and academic work, as well as time in new house groups and tutor groups. We have six transition events throughout this academic year to prepare pupils. It is an exciting time for our school. n

Find Out More: Stamford Endowed Schools provides education for pupils from 2-18 years with nursery school, junior, senior and sixth form schools. It is now a co-educational institution. For a personal tour or a prospectus, call 01780 668000 or see www.stamfordschools.org.uk.

Pil pil prawns with pan con tomate, baked sourdough and garlic oil. Nigel experienced the dish whilst working at Barcelona’s

Raco

Dining Out in Barrowden at THE EXETER ARMS

It’s very much a dining room for all seasons. With a log burner, and a warm welcome, this month’s restaurant recommendation is the excellent Exeter Arms in Barrowden...

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

Oh, not again. My computer has updated itself automatically. My phone too. Suddenly everything that was working fine looks different. Nothing works the same as it did. If I wore a younger man’s trousers, a new software update would probably excite me but these days I just want it all to work as well as it did, before. Why do people have to meddle with things that were working just fine before? It’s a philosophy that rings true for the owners of this month’s featured restaurant too.

“The wheel was working very well, and so why would we try to reinvent it?” say Mark & Kate Symes. They’ve got a point. “We wanted to create a really good country pub. Not a gastro pub or a fine dining pub, just a pub. A really good pub, but a pub, nonetheless.”

Mark & Kate moved to Rutland after search ing for seven years seven years for the right place to pull pints and serve great food. Still, the best things do come to those who wait.

Upon moving to The Exeter Arms in March 2020 the couple refurbished the 300 year old Grade II listed pub, with new flagstone floors, leather and tweed furniture, better lighting, chunky rough-sawn tables, and a huge map of 18th century Rutland on the wall of the bar.

“We instantly saw the potential in the place but it was unloved,” says Mark. “It had a fantastic location and great kerbside appeal, but it was tired and its provision of food needed bringing up to date.”

Happily, the couple enlisted chef Nigel Fish who works alongside Sam Rossel in what they reckon is the smallest pub or restaurant kitchen in Rutland. The size of their kitchen clearly doesn’t hinder their ability to create great dishes though, which are offered via a single blackboard menu available during day and evening service.

How often do the options change? As often as Nigel and the team deems possible. How many dishes are there? Between nine and 12 main courses, depending on which ingredients Nigel reckons are up to scratch.

The idea of the menus, the team says, is to offer the best of what’s available each day, and to allow suppliers to recommend their best produce, rather than having to stick unyieldingly to a pre-determined menu.

MEET THE CHEF

HEAD CHEF NIGEL FISH

Provenance: Previously employed at Hambleton Hall before running pubs in Nassington and Elton.

Food Heaven:

My guilty pleasure is a takeaway from my local kebab shop!

Food Hell:

Food that lacks fundamental cooking skills. n

Mushrooms on toast with fresh Parmesan and toasted sourdough.

on the

MENU

Smalls

Carpaccio of beef with Stilton and walnut bruschetta £12.

Mushrooms on toasted sourdough £8.

Pil pil prawns with ‘pan con tomate’ £12.

Pub Grub

Fish ‘n’ chips £18.

Ham and potato hash with hen’s egg £12.

Steak ‘n’ ale pie, chips £18.

Baguettes

Roast pork, apple, stuffing £10

Roast beef, horseradish £10.

Main Courses

Lamb loin chops with fine green beans, tomato, salsa verde, burnt lemon, anchovy fritters and cress £26.

Pork loin with chorizo sausage and butter bean cassoulet, garlic mayo £22.

Mature sirloin steak, field mushroom and grilled tomato, salted chips, garlic & thyme butter £26.

Fish

Sea bass fillets with mussel, white wine and cream sauce plus peas à la Française and chips £23.

Puddings

Sticky toffee pudding £8. Apple & blackberry crumble £9.

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

The restaurant provides what Nigel promises is a ‘really good’ Sunday lunch.

>> This also has the benefit of providing regular diners with variety and ensuring every visit is a fresh experience.

During our visit there were a range of ‘smalls’ hardly meagre portions though, they’d do me for lunch four options under the heading ‘pub grub,’ lunchtime baguettes, seven main course options including a fish special and steak option with three sauces, plus five puddings to round off your meal.

Local suppliers are favoured wherever it’s possible but The Exeter Arms uses Derbyshire-based Price & Fretwell for its butchery, acknowledging the quality of 30day dry-aged beef and Belvoir Estate lamb. A few small artisan fish merchants provide fresh fish, and Northampton’s Collins Fresh Produce provides fruit and veg.

Dining takes place in the rather beautifully refurbished bar which is a nice mix of country pub, brought just up to date enough to modernise it but without sacrificing the character of the place.

However, during the summer months, Mark & Kate have created an outside bar and kitchen with a whole new cellar created for proper ale storage. It’s here among the acre of grounds that Nigel also creates special dishes cooked over real fire in the summer months, using a sort of Argentinian asado approach, cooking low and slow.

Signature dishes outdoors and indeed back in the pub kitchen include its Dover sole and côte de boeuf. Puddings, sauces and speciality breads like the ciabatta served with pil pil prawns are all made in house.

“As we go into winter months though, you’ll doubtless appreciate The Exeter Arms’ log burner and the excellent stewardship of a range of real ales for which the place is justly renowned...”

As we go into winter months though, you’ll doubtless appreciate The Exeter Arms’ log burner and the excellent stewardship of a range of real ales for which the place is justly renowned.

“We wanted to ensure that as well as attracting diners from Stamford, Oakham, Uppingham and Leicester, this could still be a place where the community could gather, where locals would be welcome,” says Mark.

refurbished the place from January 2020 we reopened on 20th March, and were forced to close again that night! It was really frustrating, but the whole industry has faced a titanic struggle over the past few year, which is culminating in a cost of living crisis that is now making people more cautious with their money.”

“That’s why it’s more important than ever that we create somewhere that represents great food, fairly priced and somewhere the community can spend time together. In two and a half years we’ve been delighted by the way the community supports us, delighted by the feedback we’ve received and we’ve been happy to welcome in local

Pan seared duck with warm plum chutney, root vegetable purée, cavolo nero cale and hasselback potatoes.

DINING OUT AT... The Exeter Arms in Barrowden

The Pitch: “A beautiful pub set in an area of outstanding natural beauty. New stone floor, redecoration and furniture finished with genuine Harris tweed and leather. During the winter months, a log fire awaits!”

Opening Times: Wednesday to Saturday from 12 noon & 5.30pm. Sunday 12 noon - 4pm for food.

Booking Recommended: The Exeter Arms, 28 Main Street, Barrowden, Oakham LE15 8EQ.

01572 747 365.

HHHHH

A reminder that voting is currently underway for our Good Food Awards for 2022. Vote for your favourite restaurants and food & drink producers from right across Rutland & Stamford and we’ll ensure they get the recognition they deserve...

Words: Rob Davis.

Vote for your best restaurant, coffee shop and food producers at pridemagazines.co.uk or use our voting form; just turn over the page

THANK YOU SO MUCH if you’ve already given us your nominations for this year’s Pride Magazines Good Food Awards... and if you’ve yet to vote, don’t worry; there’s still plenty of time to tell us who you think should win in each of our six categories, designed to celebrate the area’s best restaurants, food and drink producers.

Our awards are not biased by advertising spend, and are determined solely by our readers’ votes, making them objective, but also ensuring nominations come in from right across Rutland & Stamford.

We’re asking for you to name your favourite restaurant for evening dining a pub or restaurant as well as a place for daytime dining, coffee and cake or afternoon tea,

Editor of Pride Magazines, Rob Davis, says: “It’s always a pleasure to watch the votes coming in and to congratulate our winners, presenting them with our plaques. But there’s a serious point to our awards, too. Restaurants and pubs work so hard and they have had to firstly endure closures due to Covid, and then

Wood pigeon with blackberry sauce, chestnut and winter slaw at The George of Stamford.

difficulty in recruiting staff, and now a huge rise in their energy bills plus a public which is also cautious about how frequently they dine out too, given a rise in the cost of living for private households.”

“The hospitality sector employs 3.2m people. it has a collective turnover of £130bn and generates £39bn tax revenues for the country. Its economic importance to the county can’t be overstated, but restaurants and pubs are also the heart and soul of our villages and our High Streets. They’re independent businesses supporting families and communities.”

“Supporting pubs and restaurants, is more important than ever if we’re to continue to enjoy dining out and meeting up for coffee with friends in Rutland & Stamford.”

Top: Restaurant Manager Graeme Matheson (third from right), sommelier Dominique Baduel (second from left) and some of the Hambleton Hall restaurant team.

Crème Brûlée at Orbis Oakham and Stamford; The Olive Branch at Clipsham.

OUR SIX GOOD FOOD AWARD CATEGORIES

n Restaurant of the Year

Our flagship award looks to celebrate a restaurant that creates great food,with local ingredients and stunning presentation.

n Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year

This category is designed to recognise places providing really good lunches, lighter dishes and afternoon teas.

n Best for International Cuisine

In this category, we’re looking to recognise a restaurant which provides great dishes from around the world.

n Best ‘Restaurant with Rooms’

Often, great dining and lovely bedrooms go hand in hand. Name your favourite local B&B, hotel or country inn with rooms.

n Local Food Producer 2022

The county has plenty of great food producers. Here, we’d like to name a butcher, baker, farmer or food producer.

n Local Drink Producer 2022

And finally, from wine and spirits to tea and coffee or local soft drinks, nominate your favourite local drink, too!

Last Year’s Winners...

n Restaurant of the Year: Hambleton Hall, Rutland Welcoming and friendly, with enjoyable dining, comfortable rooms and lovely grounds. Call 01572 756991, or see www.hambletonhall.com.

n Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year 2022: Central Café, Stamford Traditional daytime dining, homemade cakes and afternoon teas in a lovely 15th century setting in Red Lion Square. Call 01780 763217, or see www.centraltearoom.co.uk.

n Best International Dining Restaurant 2022: Orbis, Stamford Pan-Asian dining in Stamford, incorporating ‘HD Sushi.’ Call 01780 669950, or see www.orbisstamford.co.uk.

n Best ‘Restaurant with Rooms’ 2022: The George of Stamford Grand coaching inn with its superb Oak Room dining room as well as 45 traditional and comfortable bedrooms. Call 01780 750750, or see www.georgehotelofstamford.com.

n Best Lincolnshire Food Producer or Retailer 2022: Gates Farm Shop, Cold Overton Exceptional farm shop with 4,000 products and 12,000sq ft space, plus Christmas shop, new Lakeland store and much more. Call 01664 454309 or see www.gatesfarmshop.co.uk.

n Best Local Drinks

Producer 2022: Multum Gin Parvo

Superb local gins with flavours like Strawberry & Lavender or Earl Gray & Rutland Honey. Call 01780 720217, or see www.multumginparvo.com.

Local Food

Vote for Your Favourite Restaurants and Rutland & Stamford Businesses...

You’re free to vote for whichever local businesses you choose; they don’t have to be mentioned in this edition. You can also vote online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

the

the

producer

local artisan

a butcher, baker or cheesemaker.

Local Drink Producer: This could be a wine or spirit, locally roasted coffee, local tea or soft drink.

In the KITCHEN

Teaching an old dog new tricks this season as a familiar favourite receives a fresh twist... cottage pie, but with sweet potato, for extra colour and flavour!

COTTAGE PIE with SWEET POTATO

Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus standing. Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes. Serves: 4. • 1 tbsp olive oil • 500g British beef mince • 1 onion, diced • 1 stalk celery, diced • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 1 Oxo beef stock cube • 1 tbsp tomato purée • 11⁄2 tbsp plain flour • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 3 thyme sprigs • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Heat 1⁄2 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan or casserole dish over a high heat. Add the beef and fry, breaking it up, for 4-5 minutes, until browned. Remove from the pan, add the remaining 1⁄2 tbsp oil, lower the heat to medium and fry the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, dissolve the beef stock cube in 500ml just-boiled water. Return the beef to the pan, add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the flour and fry for 1 minute more. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce and 2 thyme sprigs and simmer for 2530 minutes, until the beef is coated in a thick gravy. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes as thinly as you can and put in a bowl. Cover with just-boiled water from the kettle; set aside for 10 minutes. Drain and use kitchen paper to pat dry thoroughly, then lay out on more kitchen paper to finish drying. Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6. Melt the butter. Tip the beef and gravy into a medium ovenproof dish. Toss the potatoes with the butter and leaves from the remaining thyme sprig. Season and arrange in circles over the beef. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling hot and the potatoes are cooked through. Stand for 10 minutes before serving. n

Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

In the KITCHEN

Rich, gooey and definitely not for sharing... with a frosted topping, make a batch of these, sit by the fire and devour a few of these whilst watching your favourite film!

STOUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling. Cooking Time: 35 minutes. Makes: 16.

• 440g can Guinness Irish stout • 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

• 200g unsalted butter, roughly chopped • 3 medium free range eggs • 225g caster sugar • 110g plain flour

• 30g cocoa powder • 1⁄2 tsp fine salt • 100g white chocolate, finely chopped • 8 tbsp double cream

Preheat the oven to 180oc, gas mark 4; line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with parchment. Put the stout in a large saucepan and set over a high heat. Simmer briskly for 15-20 minutes until reduced to about 100ml. Tip into a bowl and set aside to cool. Return the pan to a low heat with the chocolate and butter; allow to melt together gently, stirring to combine. Take the pan off the heat and use a balloon whisk to whisk in the eggs and sugar until combined. Next whisk in the reduced stout, then the flour, cocoa and salt. Tip into the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes; set aside to cool completely.

For the topping, put the white chocolate and 4 tbsp double cream in a microwaveable mixing bowl or mug and microwave on low for 30-60 seconds until just warm. Stir to combine (microwave again briefly if the white chocolate has not fully melted). Scrape into a mixing bowl and chill for 30 minutes. (You can also melt the chocolate and cream together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until combined.)

Remove the white chocolate mixture from the fridge and add the remaining 4 tbsp cream. Use a balloon whisk to whisk until the mixture is holding its shape. Spread over the cooled brownies and cut into 16 pieces to serve. n

Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

A whisky fit for a (brand new) King...

Rumour has it that King Charles III’s favourite whisky is Laphroaig, and this 10 year old example is an excellent expression of the distillery’s talent!

It’s apparently the preferred choice of whisky for our new monarch, and this 10 year old Laphroaig should prove unforgettable.

Notes of Manuka honey, grilled bacon and maple syrup meet the classic peat smoke and seaweed that Laphroaig is famous for. Of course, all present and correct is that antiseptic nose whiskies from the isles are all famous for! n £64.99 / 70cl / 48% ABV, from www.laphroaig.com.

The Wine Cellar

A NEW RELEASE FOR AN ENGLISH SUCCESS STORY, A FAVOURITE TIPPLE FOR THE NEWLY CROWNED KING CHARLES III AND A TRIO OF BRILLIANT BEAUJOLAIS, ALL TO ENJOY THIS MONTH...

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY: On November 17th, 2022...

1. A budget Beaujolais to take the edge off Monday, Jadot’s offering provides plum and berry flavours, pairing well with salmon, chicken and tapas... it’s good chilled, too! £11 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

2. Our second offering is Henry Fessy’s Beaujolais, with its expressive notes of rose, raspberry and redcurrant. This one’s from Waitrose, and it’s a beautiful pairing for Mediterranean dishes, charcuterie and roast lamb, £15.49 / 75cl / 12.5% ABV.

3. And finally, the ultimate expression of Beaujolais, with pinot noir grapes for fine tannins and a long finish. Medium-bodied, full of fruit and a floral character, £19.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

Wine of the Month

Chapel Down Bacchus

£90 x 6 bottle case

75cl / 11.5% ABV

A brand new release for Bacchus, which is widely known as England’s leading still wine variety and is our best selling white wine.

This highly aromatic wine is crisp and refreshing with an abundance of gooseberry and elderflower on the nose.

A delicate white wine with aromas of elderflower, melon and peardrops.

One of the best releases yet for the vineyard from Kent.n

Buy from, www.chapel down.com.

No alcohol, but packed with flavour!

Full of body and all natural, but with no alcohol, this is the perfect guilt-free tipple to warm up your autumn evenings. It’s taken a huge amount of experimenting for Leicestershire distillers Warner’s to perfect the combination of 53 different ingredients from bursts of raspberry, blackcurrant, sage, pepper and ginger to create this refreshingly bold autumn drink. Pour over ice with a good Mediterranean tonic and chuck in a handful of berries. £18 / 70cl / 0% ABV, www.warners distillery.com.

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

A Property You’ll Really Warm to...

WING BARN, MORCOTT

If ever there was a time to consider going off-grid, this is it. Happily, this month’s property generates a surplus of energy for eight months of the year. It’s also spacious, with an open-plan layout, and it enjoys 360-degree views of the local countryside including some stunning sunsets!

Words: Rob Davis.

Wing Barn, Morcott Oakham, Rutland

Location: Uppingham eight minutes; Oakham 13 minutes; Stamford 15 minutes.

Provenance: Beautifully converted off-grid rural home set in 3.5 acres.

Rooms: L-shaped open-plan living space with living and dining rooms, kitchen and entrance hall. Four bedrooms, with two en suites plus ‘Jack ‘n’ Jill’ en suite bathroom.

OIEO: £1,600,000.

Find Out More: James Sellicks, Market Place Oakham Rutland LE15 6DT. Call 01572 724437 or see www.jamessellicks.com.

THE BEAUTIFULLY CONVERTED BARN of Stephen and Caroline Swarbrick is toasty warm right now. But it wasn’t always so. Back in 2018 Stephen was project managing its conversion from a redundant agricultural building and living in a mobile home on site just as the ‘Beast from the East’ was raging, rendering the couple snowed in, with icicles hanging off their noses.

The place was originally built as a field barn in 1857, but happily it has escaped a Grade II listing. That made getting planning permission for its back-to-brick conversion significantly easier as Stephen and Caroline worked with Grantham architect David Todd to create their new home.

As part of the conversion project, the place underwent all of necessary work to turn it from an agricultural building into the fully functioning modern home that exists today. Nothing too unusual there, but what is rather more unconventional is the fact that the property has been created off-grid. Water for the barn, for instance, comes via a 100 metre deep borehole with water pumped out and filtered from an underground aquifer.

Top/Main: The property was subject to a complete conversion from agricultural building to an off-grid family home.

Electricity, meanwhile, is generated from a bank of solar panels totalling 6kW connected to a bank of batteries which stores it ready for use. Heating comes from a combination of LPG and biomass fuelled mainly by wood... and courtesy of a 16kW Bronpi wood burner in the property’s main reception room, hence why it’s now toasty warm.

“Part of my brief to our renewable energy consultant was that, as far as possible, we wanted to be off-grid,” says Stephen. “It makes you much more conscious of how much energy you use, and for eight months of the year we were generating a surplus of energy.”

“In fact, we’ve recently changed our car for an all-electric Mini to give us a way to make the most of the electricity we were generating. There’s no such thing as free energy, but when you factor in the cost of

electricity, heating and water we reckon the place costs about a third of a conventionally fuelled house of the equivalent size to run.”

At the heart of the property is its open-plan living space, which wraps around the court yard and terrace. It comprises a kitchen and breakfast room, an entrance hall, dining room and a living room.

The kitchen was created by Handmade Kitchens and is painted in two Farrow & Ball tones, Stiffkey Blue and Lamp Room

Grey. There are white carerra quartz solid work surfaces and Smeg appliances including dishwasher, two fridge freezers, microwave and oven in addition to a Rayburn range cooker. There’s a separate utility room as well to keep family clutter like laundry and muddy boots out of the way.

Also on the ground floor is two bedrooms with a Jack ‘n’ Jill en suite. There are two

further bedrooms on the first floor, each with an en suite bathroom, and a total of 2,666ft2 of space over the two floors. Speaking of floors: downstairs, there’s beautiful Indian sandstone, and on the first floor, engineered oak floor boards.

“There are really stunning sunrises over the village of Morcott and sunsets over Preston, with panoramic views through 360 degrees,” says Stephen. “The house is set within three and a half acres, and we’ve planted hornbeams, silver birches, walnut trees, poplars and willows. There’s a terrific variety of wildlife in the area too, like muntjacs, rabbits, pheasants and hares. The number of red kites we see is impressive, too... it’s a birdwatcher’s paradise.”

“Having never project managed a conversion before I was probably quite ambitious especially incorporating the technology to enable us to facilitate off-grid living. But alongside a really good team I think we’ve got it right, it’s been a fantastic place to live. We’d like to travel more, and it’s a large house, so we’re looking to downsize and have put the property on the market. It’s a splendid home though: isolated but still just 10 minutes from Uppingham, Oakham and Stamford. We’ll really miss it, but it’s definitely the kind of property that needs to be lived in.” n

n Hambleton Close, Oakham Guide Pride: £675,000

A substantial detached family home with double garage, ample parking and enclosed rear garden set on a good size plot within a desirable cul-de-sac and offering spacious accommodation with four double bedrooms and three receptions. www.murrayestateagents.co.uk

n St Peter’s Street, Stamford OIEO: £950,000

An attractive, quite substantial home with five bedrooms, two en suites, three large reception rooms and double garage adjacent to manageable rear garden with patio terrace. Open plan living kitchen and study. www.fineandcountry.com

n Great Lane, Greetham Guide Price: £500,000

A gorgeous double-fronted stone cottage with oak-framed porch and exposed whitewashed stone walls plus timber beams. Two reception rooms, master bedroom with en suite, plus two further bedrooms, front and rear gardens. www.jamessellicks.com

Green living at home

Whether motivated by saving money or environmental issues, more homeowners are attracted by the benefits of green living. Kate Vincent from Garrington Property Finders discusses how this is impacting property buying decisions in the local market.

With the cost-of-living skyrocketing and the need to become more eco-friendly ever greater, an increasing number of buyers are showing interest in a property’s eco-credentials when choosing a place to buy.

Looking for a property is seldom a buyer’s full-time job, which means juggling a home search along with the usual day to day responsibilities. Fully understanding a property’s energy efficiency, what this information means for outgoings, and if the efficiency can be improved is an increasingly necessary layer of scrutiny to build into a home search.

Scaling down

The upward shift in outgoings has led many to a reassessment of necessities and a reduction in the scale of their home. For example, those paying to heat a family sized house when they only regularly use one of the bedrooms are increasingly exploring downsizing to a property with more manageable outgoings.

This downsizing trend is also occurring in tandem with the rising appeal for recently built homes or older properties with much improved efficiency.

So, in an incredibly localised marketplace where availability and activity varies between postcodes, how can a house hunter ensure they make a well-informed purchasing decision surrounding a property’s green credentials?

Assessing a property’s efficiency

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will help a buyer assess the efficiency of a property and the potential running costs. Admittedly a rather ‘blunt tool’ with price estimations that do not always match reality, they are a helpful gauge when comparing properties.

As it stands, unless a property is a listed building, all properties for rent and sale need to have an EPC. Most estate agents only include the bar chart on their sales particulars showing the score from A to F. For those seriously considering a property, it is prudent to find the full version of the report on the UK Government website. The most efficient properties are categorised as A or B, although recent analysis of Land Registry data suggests only about 20% of properties sold nationwide achieved this rating in the past year.

The full EPC report will include suggestions how a property’s efficiency may be improved, thus potentially reduce running costs and the carbon footprint.

Location is significant

One of the easiest ways to potentially reduce your carbon footprint and reduce outgoings is to choose a location that requires less use of the car. Buying a home within walking distance of schools, work, or close to good public transport or cycle routes means the daily reliance on the car can be reduced significantly.

A local expert’s area knowledge is of great benefit to those relocating who are less familiar with a property’s surroundings. Travel is one of the most significant contributing factors and those wishing to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle should prioritise finding a property in the right location.

Get help

Whether you are downsizing to reduce outgoings or making a move and are conscious of choosing a property that lends itself to efficiency, there are multiple factors involved and the information to consider can be overwhelming. An experienced property finder supports clients in their assessment of a property in the context of their current and future needs, and if needed suggest local specialists to advise on the options to improve a property’s eco-credentials.

If you are considering moving and would like more information about how to better navigate your local property market, contact Kate Vincent to arrange a no-obligation discussion.

Kate Vincent Garrington

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

WEAVES for AUTUMN Clarke & Clarke presents

As autumn approaches, now’s the time to consider heavier weaves and marls to create cosy bespoke soft furnishings to ensure you’ve a warm and stylish home this season...

This Page: Clarke & Clarke’s Burlington takes its inspiration from the historic street in London, with staple plains, stripes and weaves with a distinctive wool feel for your home, shown here is Bowmont in charcoal (duvet), £40/m; Thornton (curtains, cushions), £40/m; Malone charcoal (headboard), £40/m.

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

Top: Clarke & Clarke Thornton in Denim £42.50/m; Rowland in Denim £22.50/m; Malone in silver £42.50/m.

Above/Right: Rowland fabrics £42.50/m.

Right: Malone and Thornton in silver, £42.55/m.

Sofar in Malone, denim £42.50/m; cushions in Rowland and Thornton.

Chairs

Stamford

Malone

An example of the interior design specialists’ talents.

COMPANY

Luxury At Home with COOKS & COMPANY

From living kitchens with beautiful bespoke cabinetry to bars and libraries, reception rooms and bedrooms with dressing suites. Luxury and functionality each combine to best effect with the design flair and expertise of Newark-based Cooks & Company...

Words: Rob Davis.

At the very pinnacle of where luxury meets design, and functionality meets style, is the newly opened Cooks & Company kitchen design studio.Specialists in creating luxury at home, the 50-year old family-owned busi ness recently enjoyed the official opening of its new design studio with over 6,000sq ft dedicated to showcasing beautiful designs. The firm is already renowned as the UK’s largest retailer of premium appliances with 15,000sq ft dedicated to luxury brands like Sub-Zero, Wolf, Aga, Lacanche, Gaggenau & Miele. Back in 2020, the team also set about creating a premium interiors studio designing and installing kitchens, pantries, bootrooms, studies, bedrooms, dressing rooms and reception rooms such as media rooms, libraries or bars.

“The studio opened officially last month, and is aimed at providing a single point of contact

and meticulous project management from the design and planning of your room through to its installation,” says Cooks & Company’s senior designer, Chris Wilburn.

“Our preferred building, plumbing, electrical, gas and interior design specialists can complete every element of your new kitchen, for example, and with our appliance studio next door, we can fit the very best quality cooking, cooling, and extraction appliances, as well as boiling water taps, dishwashers and so on.”

“Popular with our clients are solid worktops, and we supply heritage sinks from British firm Shaws, established 1897.”

“Our partnership with cabinet makers Charles Yorke and Bauformat enables us to create bespoke door designs, tailored to a customer’s wishes, right down to the millimetre.”

>> We work with Bauformat for truly contemporary kitchens, and we can colour match furniture to any paint shade or even an object. Our 3D photorealistic renders will also give a precise idea of how your new room will look.”

“Cooks & Company’s showroom is unlike any other, and features living kitchens, pantries, bootrooms, and bedrooms dressing rooms, and a gin bar to inspire clients for their own homes.”

“The ultimate aim is to provide clients with an individually tailored service and bespoke product that is unmatched, with every individual requirement addressed, meticulous planning, and with only the very best customer service.”

Find Out More: Cooks & Company is based at Cook House, Brunel Drive, Newark NG24 2FB. Tel: 01636 593910, www.cooksandcompany.co.uk. Call to organise a home visit or showroom consultation today. n

Cooks & Company’s Showroom

All of the images pictured here are taken in Cooks & Company’s impressive 6,000sq ft showroom.

Stunning rooms plus high-end appliances too, from Cooks & Company

APPLIANCES FROM WOLF, SUB-ZERO, LACANCHE, AGA, QUOOKER, GAGGENAU, MIELE AND FISHER & PAYKEL

At the heart of your new kitchen are the latest appliances designed to extend the breadth of your cooking and make life easier. As well as providing bespoke kitchens, bedrooms, media rooms, gin bars and other reception rooms, Cooks & Company can also supply premium-brand appliances.

Cooks & Company has chosen selected brands from premium cooking and cooling appliance brands like Wolf & Sub-Zero, as well as Lacanche and Aga. As well as these larger appliances, the firm is a stockist of Quooker taps for boiling, sparkling or chilled water on demand, plus integrated ovens, coffee machines, under-counter refrigerators, wine coolers, dishwashers and laundry appliances, from names like Gaggenau, Miele and Fisher & Paykel.

Cooks & Company has partnered with Charles Yorke and Bauformat to provide bespoke cabinetry, and its in-house design studio in Newark allows you to visit in person to see the company’s ranges first, then design a room that’s completely tailored to your needs. With 3D visualisation, you’ll be able to see your room evolve throughout a collaborative design process, and once work begins, there’s full project management which means all trades are fully co-ordinated, and all you have to do is await the completion of a stunning new space in your home. n

HOMES & KITCHENS

HELPING AROUND THE HOME FOR AUTUMN & WINTER

WOODLAND WALK, NEW FROM SOPHIE ALLPORT...

Bourne and Stamford-based homeware designer launches new Woodland Walks collection to generate funds for the National Trust...

INSPIRED by local designer Sophie Allport’s love for nature and long woodland walks with her three dogs, this charming design features dog walkers and hikers adventuring out on an expedition, exploring everything the great outdoors has to offer.

Perfect for country dwellers and dog lovers, the teal blue colourway is excellent for adding a splash of colour throughout the home... and best of all, the collection will benefit The National Trust too, with a minimum donation of £20,000.

“We are so pleased to be working with the National Trust on our Woodland Walks collection,” says Sophie. “Through sales generated from our National Trust collections, 10% of net sales, with a minimum of £20,000, will be given to the National Trust for Parks and Woodland conservation. You will be directly contributing to the National Trusts commitment to the environment.” n www.sophieallport.com

Lakeland has a new store based at Gates Garden Centre for all your cooking, cleaning, laundry and home organisation needs.

An ideal place to visit to replace aged cookware pre-Christmas!

CLEVER PANS IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS...

THERMOMIX. What does it do?

What doesn’t it do! It’s a slow cooker, it sautés, sous vides, weighs, stirs, mixes, kneads and chops... think of it as a cooker, steamer and food processor all in one. It’s WiFi connected, too! n £1,189, www.vorwerk.co.uk

TEFAL reinvented the saucepan with Ingenio and this is the latest incarnation. The handles clip on securely, then detach, which means they don’t get in the way and they remain cool. Everything nests into each other for easy storage. The induction compatible stainless-steel pans and non-stick frying and sauté pans are easy-clean, and red felt pan protectors prevent scratching when stacked for storage. n

£350/22 piece set from www.johnlewis.com.

Lakeland at Gates Garden Centre

DAMP washing hanging around on airers looks untidy, but tumble driers are costly to run. Lakeland has the answer with its heated airers. They dry gently, reducing creasing, they cost pennies to run and fold down to 8cm deep.

The deluxe three-tier version here holds 15kg of washing two washer loads with 21m of drying space, and there’s a timer too. n £179.99, from Lakeland at Gates Garden Centre.

THE BEST HARD FLOOR CLEANER ON THE MARKET...

If you’ve hard floors, or kids, or dogs, or horses... or if you just enjoy the simple pleasure of a spotlessly clean floor, stop whatever you’re doing and buy this ingenious machine.

It’s BISSELL’S CrossWave Cordless Max. We’ve road-tested a loan machine from BISSELL for a month and having tried it on wood, tiled and LVT floors, we declare it nothing short of brilliant.

Mopping a floor is a rubbish way to clean. You have to vacuum first, for starters, and as your mop becomes dirty you end up trying to clean a floor using increasingly filthy water.

The BISSELL dispenses only fresh cleaning solution when you hold down the trigger. It wets a rotating microfibre roller, scrubs your floor – using, I have to say, very little water – then vacuums up the dirty water. All in a single pass!

It’s cordless and charges in its own stand, giving 30 mins of cleaning time, it’s quiet, light and manoeuvrable thanks to an articulated head. There’s a selfcleaning function too, ensuring its roller doesn’t become dirty over time.

Most of all, it’s just brilliantly effective either for a thorough clean or a quick five-minute whizz round when the dog comes in with dirty paws. At £429 it might seem a bit on the expensive side, but measure its worth in time saved, not on purchase price. And trust us, it works beautifully on muddy footprints and kitchen floors. n

£429 inc delivery, from John Lewis or buy direct at www.bisselldirect.co.uk.

We road-tested BISSELL’s CrossWave Cordless Max for a month... and it’s brilliant!

SPACE & STYLE with NATURAL STRUCTURES

From concept to completion with whole project management, Natural Structures designs, creates and installs buildings with space and style, helping with everything from planning permission to the completion of simple, functional, beautiful design...

Even the most beautiful period property might not translate well to modern living.

The way we use our homes has changed over the past century or two, and so rooms like the kitchen have undergone a dramatic transformation from places of domestic drudge to enjoyment.

Reception rooms, too, have a dramatically different remit, and modern families are al ways keen to gain useful space in their home, particularly if that home is a period building.

Happily, you can extend your older home, or create a totally new property with compelling

style and lots of space as well as lots of natural light thanks to traditional oak framed buildings such as those created by Natural Structures’ Simon Lewington and his team.

Based at Tur Langton, Simon’s unique selling point is providing turnkey structures created in oak which can incorporate living kitchens, reception rooms, swimming pools or spaces for those working from home. Independent structures, extensions to existing buildings, structures for storing prestige cars or creating outdoor kitchens... nothing is beyond the remit of Natural Structures. >>

Images: Simon Lewington.

>> The most compelling aspect of a Natural Structures design is a unique aesthetic which somehow suits both modern and period properties equally well and sits beautifully adjacent to listed buildings or those located in a conservation area.

The use of heritage materials also provides the benefits of sustainability and enables the structures to age gracefully, blending in further and further with adjacent buildings as they age.

But there’s another advantage to a Natural Structures building in the respect that they’re mostly fabricated off-site in the firm’s workshops using a combination of traditional heritage joinery techniques like mortice and tenon or scarf joints, but the latest millimetre-accurate machinery too.

Find

This means much of the construction work is completed before installation on-site. In turn, that means less disruption, and less time is spent on site with a more rapid installation.

“Because we specialise in this specific style of building and in the techniques required for timber-framed buildings, we’ve become extremely adept at understanding the potential of the building method and in the planning and design involved.”

“That means you’re dealing with experts right from the outset, from the creation of 3D concepts with accurate costings to expert project management throughout.”

“Some people are torn between a fondness for their period property and the need for a space that can accommodate modern family life.”

“Using natural timber-framed building techniques could be the difference between moving out of a property you love or staying in your home but creating a brand new space that’s purpose-built, light and modern.”

“Every single one of our commissions is unique, so as much as our portfolio is a reflection of our skill, we’re always happy to offer a free, no-obligation chat about your own home and your ambitions for it.” n

about your project, call

see www.natural-structures.co.uk.

Create a Welcoming Home for NATURE

From scattering wildflower seed to installing bird boxes, there are lots of simple ways for gardeners to help out local friendly visitors by providing plenty of food and shelter in their outdoor spaces...

INVITING WILDLIFEINto gardens has many benefits: these visitors will create a stable ecosystem in the garden, meaning there will be fewer outbreaks of disease. Also, bugs and birds will help in pollinating the plants and eating away any pests which are damaging shrub growth.

It can be really hard for birds and bugs to find enough food and shelter for themselves, especially during the cooler months. But luckily, it’s really easy for us greenfingered lot to help create a perfect haven for lots of friendly visitors in our own gardens. Many of us want to attract bugs and birds but are not sure on the best ways to do so and worry that we will instead attract unwanted visitors such as rats.

The following tips are really easy and quick to implement, but will provide your garden with the long term benefits of having wildlife buzzing and crawling about.

Bird boxes: Bird boxes make great havens for flying visitors, but it is important to install them high up in a sheltered area. Putting out food such as fat balls and seeds, also encour ages birds to the gardens. Place feeders close to a covered bush to discourage unwanted cats and to provide the birds with cover.

Bug hotels: Bug hotels are a great activity to do with children, and can really encourage all kinds of insects into outside spaces. Simply organise a selection of twigs, rocks and rotting wood in piles around the garden. Soon enough, bugs such as beetles and spiders will be settling in!

Grow native flowers: Flowers add a beautiful scent and colourful landscape to gardens, but they also importantly provide food for insects. Grow lots of varieties of

flowers to ensure that bugs are provided with food all year round. Pick out native flower seed mixes specifically, as insects and bugs have already evolved to feed off these.

Leave the weeds: In a patch in the garden, have a break from weeding. Weeds such as nettles, buttercups and daisies may be unwanted in some gardens, but will really attract wildlife. Insects rely on weeds as important sources of food because they flower throughout the year when other food sources may be scarce.

Compost: Using homemade compost will not only heavily enrich the soil of gardens, but also provide habitat for insects. Worms, woodlice, frogs and worms will all make home in composts, and will speed up the decomposition process too. To avoid any rats, ensure to only add raw foods into the compost.

Hedgehog highways: With rapidly declining levels of hedgehog populations throughout the UK, clear a ‘hedgehog highway’ in the garden to help the animals. Leave gaps in the fence for hedgehogs to move through, and ask neighbours to do the same. This way, during their nighttime travels, hedgehogs can stick to the safety of gardens and avoid any urban dangers.

Plant climbers: Plant climbers up garden walls and fences to encourage a wealth of bugs, insects and birds. Flowers and seeds from ivy provide a great source of pollen and food, as well as long term cover for visitors such as caterpillars. Pyracantha is also a great climber for wildlife as its spring flowers and autumn berries give seasonal food for garden visitors.

Herbs: Herbs can be grown in the garden for not only culinary purposes, but to also attract wildlife. The flowering thyme will encourage butterflies and bees, as well as the nectar and pollen from flowering sage plants. Angelica gives food for insects too, and birds will eat the seeds.

Wildflowers: Grow a garden sized meadow to encourage a wildlife haven. Scatter seeds of poppies, cornflowers, cowslip, nigella and varieties of grass. Wildflowers are fantastically low maintenance, look wonderful, and insects love them for food and shelter purposes.

n Tips courtesy of Issy Wood of www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk

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Left:

Above:

A Plug-In hybrid option for the New Range Rover

It’s definitely not an inexpensive car, so can you make a sound case for choosing a frugal plug-in hybrid drivetrain in your new Range Rover? Well actually, it’s probably the best fit for the Range Rover yet...

THE RANGE ROVER remains über desirable. It’s the epitome of luxury, it provides acres of passenger and luggage space, and it’s fitted with every conceivable creature comfort, especially in top spec.

But with the Evoque, Velar, and brand new Sport models in Range Rover’s lineup, the ‘proper’ Range Rover’s prices have been nudged up and up. An all-new Range Rover released in October last year saw the price tag begin at a sniff under six figures, but realistically you’re looking at anywhere up to £150,000 for a new version, especially if you opt for a longer wheelbase, a new seven-seat configuration or one of the more powerful engines.

So if the car is the antithesis of frugal motoring, can it really justify a plug-in hybrid powertrain, aimed lets face it, at

reducing fuel costs? Actually... yes. In fact this new powertrain is probably the best one the car has ever had. For a start, global oil and gas supplies are strained, so having a choice of both electrical and combustion power gives more flexibility and security.

Secondly, the car starts up in silence and moves off just as quietly and smoothly. It provides a refinement that befits the car’s imperious character, eliminating diesel clatter or roar from the driving experience.

The powertrain also makes it slightly more viable to run the car as a company vehicle, with the tax savings of a plug-in hybrid.

In addition, the new Range Rover was designed from the ground up for full electrification this will happen in 2024 but some motorists are still wary of full-electric vehicles, so a plug-in hybrid version gives a little more reassurance for nervous motorists or those who still rack up many long-distance motorway miles.

Penultimately, with a (very optimistic) electric range of 70 miles, you’ll make the most of electrification for day-to-day running about. And finally, if you’re one of the few Range Rover owners who actually venture off-road, the powertrain provides lots of torque with no lag and no need to work the engine hard.

The best news? It’s remains very much a Range Rover; spacious, luxurious, imperi ous,and very, very desirable. n

THE DETAILS Range Rover Plug-In Hybrid

Price: £108,385 (SE P440e).

Powertrains: 3.0V6 PHEV, 440hp, eight-speed automatic gearbox, full-time 4x4 with switchable low range gearing.

Performance: Top speed 140mph, 0-60mph 5.7secs. Electric range 70 miles; WLTM 334mpg.

Equipment: 20-way electric seats, heated front/rear, power tailgate, 3D surround camera, adaptive cruise, heated front screen/steering wheel, 13” screen with navigation, remote climate control for cabin warming. n

Ferrari’s Purosangue

Ferrari has released a new vehicle which the company emphatically denies is just another SUV, despite its four seats and four-wheel drive. Purosangue is, however, a prancing horse unlike no other...

THOROUGHBRED. The name Purosangue translates to ‘thoroughbred.’ And though the motoring marque with its famous ‘prancing horse’ brand has designed four-seater cars before the GT4C and FF this is its first SUV. Not that it admits it.

The company rejects the label of SUV, but with a similar appearance to Porsche’s Cayenne Coupé Turbo GT (£150,500) or Aston Martin’s DBX (£162,625), that’s what it amounts to, with four seats, four doors, four wheel drive and four wheel steering.

In fact, the number four seems a common denominator until you get to the engine... where in fact, 12 cylinders still reside, spread across 6.5 litres of displacement and 715bhp, launching it to 60mph in just 3.3 sec onds and on to 192mph. A higher number still is the Purosangue’s list price: £350,000.

Ferrari Purosangue

Price: £350,000 (est)

Powertrain: 6 5 litre V12, 715bhp, 716Nm torque, eight speed F1 DCT gearbox, all wheel drive, all wheel steer

Performance:

Top speed 192mph, 0 60mph 3 3secs n

For that price, you could instead buy a Range Rover SE (£99,375) and a Porsche 911 (£89,800) then pocket the remaining £161,000. Or, what about choosing a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT with £200,000 left over?

The Porsche Cayenne, incidentally, matches the Ferrari’s 0-60mph time, right on the button.

The debate is perhaps academic. After all, the Purosangue (or any of the above vehicles) are cars you choose with your heart at least to some degree. If you want one, you’ll buy one, regardless of ‘value.’

Even so, we’re struggling to see where the extra money gets you with rivals that are just as desirable, as spacious, as luxurious.

As pretty as Purosangue is, at this price, we reckon it’s an example of style over substance. n

Celebrating the official launch of the Stretton Community Hub

WITH JUST 300 RESIDENTS and a congregation of fewer than 20, St Nicolas Church in Stretton was in danger of falling into obsolescence.

Happily, a committee of villagers including chairperson Sue Armstrong-Brookes and fundraiser Greg Harker weren’t about to let that happen. Raising the necessary six-figure sum and facilitating a restoration of the church, which is Grade II* listed and dates back to 1086, the group have created a Community Hub that can be used for any suitable activity which keeps the villagers together all through the year.

The Community Hub Association launched last month with a cheese and wine evening, attended by Vice Lord Lieutenant Jeannette Warner and with a banner sponsored by Tim Hart of Hambleton Hall. Nearly everything went to plan, if you discount an iffy Norman-era door latch which broke, locking everyone out. The Community Hub’s first act as a group was to break into the church, which provided much amusement! The latch has since been replaced with a more reliable one! n

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

Bathed & Showered in Gold

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD THIS MONTH WITH PRODUCTS TO MAKE YOUR ABLUTIONS SPARKLE!

Light up the room with Acqua di Parma’s Luce di Colonia Candle. It may be cold and great outdoors but as one of the fragrance house’s eight Italian Moments scents. According to the PR blurb, La Casa Sul Lago enables you to ‘take the sense of serenity of a villa’s garden by the lake into your home, and find harmony in the captivating scents of its flowers,’ we say bergamot, lily, musk. £59/200g.

2. J’Adorable Bath Oil

Delicately perfumed, this silky oil helps your skin feel smooth and prevents it drying out after either a bath of shower. Producing a fine lather, it’s a moment of pure pleasure, and has the enveloping notes of J’Adore, Dior’s ylang ylang and jasmine based scent, £45/200ml.

3. Bathe in Chanel

The world’s most famous scent, now available as a daily ritual thanks to this bath and shower gel. Created in 1921 by Gabrielle Chanel and Ernest Beaux, the fragrance is composed of citrus top notes, and a floral bouquet with vanilla, £44.50/200ml

4. Peony & Blush

A mini-spa experience in your own home thanks to Jo Malone’s bath oil, featured here in Peony & Blush fragrance. Almond and jojoba oils create a silky base that bubbles up well. An opulent floral scent plus a formula that leaves skin feeling wonderfully soft, £50, 250ml

Resore has created what we reckon is the best towel in the world, and in fairness, for the price, it ought to be! It’s anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, and eco-friendly fibres which fight bacteria, dry your skin fast, and remains incredibly soft, absorbent, and durable. Resore says it doesn’t need to be washed as often as regular bathroom towels. 76cm x 142cm, £99/700gsm

ESPA is renowned as a fragrance brand which powers many of the treatments provided in some of the best luxury spas. Now, their Signature Blends Bath & Body Oil collection allows you to sample seven of the firms renowned pure essential oil blends, just add them to your bath, £35/7x15ml.

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

1. A golden glow with the benefits of aromatherapy...

5. The best towel you’ll ever buy, created by Resore

6. From a luxury spa to your own bathroom...

Clarins Men’s Set

Full-sized Moisture Balm, Exfoliating Cleanser, Shampoo, Shave Oil £42.

Estée Lauder Blockbuster

£300 worth of products, for just £70 when you spend £50 or more on Estée.

HEAVEN

SCENT

Superb festive cosmetics and gift sets just in time for your Christmas shopping outing, and all available from Coneys Department Store...

Clarins Double Serum Set

50ml Double Serum, Beauty Flash Balm and lip oil, £82.

Clinique Moisture Surge

50ml Moisture Surge, Overnight Masque and Lip Hydro Plump, £40 (worth £62).

Coneys Department Store, Broad Street, Spalding PE11 1TB. Call 01775 767155 or see www.coneysdesignerwear.co.uk.

Molton Brown

Stocking filler collection, 10 x 50ml bath/shower gels, £40.

Bvlgari Wood Essence

From Bvlgari for men, £109.

Lancôme Beauty Box

£300 worth of products for just £74, when you spend £70 or more on Lancôme.

Best of L’Occitane

Six of the fragrance house’s most popular products, £25 (worth £33).

>> When asked by Life Magazine in 1952 what she wore to bed, Marilyn Monroe famously responded that she wore nothing but Chanel No5. Created in 1921, it’s still on sale today, £126, 100ml EDP at Coneys Department Store. n

Male

Layers & Lace

GORGEOUS WEDDING DRESSES FOR 2023 WEDDINGS...

1. Mon Cheri You’re A Dream, Serene A-line wedding gown with lace embroidery, www.eddyk.com.

2. Eddy K Heather, Ivory layered ballgown with beaded ivory lace and sequins, www.eddyk.com.

3. Sophia Tolli Arabelle, Floral lace wedding dress with A-line skirt, www.sophiatolli.com

4. Justin Alexander Ellie, Tea-length high-low dress with modified sweetheart neckline, www.justinalexander.com

5. Allure Bridal 9950, An elegant squared neckline accents the silhouette of this sleeveless lace gown, www.allurebridals.com.

6. Alan Hannah Sandi, Full skirted tulle ballgown with satin bodice and sleeves, www.alanhannah.co.uk.

7. Romantic Romy, An opulent A-line silhouette dress with a V-neckline and simple thin belt, www.romanticaofdevon.co.uk.

8. Mori Lee Felicity, Bold floral patterned lace romantic A-line feels like a modern classic with sparkle tulle, www.morilee.com. n