The Chronicle

The artistic legacy of Elizabeth Creed 60

Listen to nature's symphony in the woods and along the River Nene

Aliker

Each morning, bird song swells through the trees and sky of Barnwell Country Park. One regular listener is author and musician Nick Penny, who has been recording bird songs in this area of the River Nene for 20 years. Nick has been an avid bird watcher for more than four decades, and what better place to do this than along the local river and at the park.

The reedbeds and adjoining scrub provide an ideal habitat for numerous birds such as various warblers and kingfishers, which you might spot from a flash of bright blue and orange, skirting across slow-moving water. The surrounding woodland is home to species such as the Eurasian treecreeper, the nuthatch and the marsh tit.

Nick values the peace and thoughtfulness of being in nature alongside the birds, particularly when life is so affected by noise pollution. He believes focusing on sound can help improve bird sightings and increase our awareness of the world around us. He said: “It’s just such a magical thing, being out in the open, listening to bird song, looking at flowers – and it’s free.”

Councils to get power to deal with vacant commercial properties

Roshan Arumugam

Vacant properties risk becoming a common sight in Oundle, impacting the town's economic vitality and architectural appeal. Both the former NatWest and Barclays banks occupy prime positions in town and remain vacant, with out-of-town owners offering no accountability to town residents.

Local Authorities might soon have the power to intervene under

the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act of 2023, which received Royal Assent into British law in 2023. The Act empowers councils to work directly with landlords to bring vacant commercial buildings in town centres back into use by local businesses and community groups.

The unrealistic rents demanded by the property owners might be a factor in local property vacancies. The new powers granted to councils will allow them to hold compulsory rent auctions, expediting the letting process for commercial properties.

Following its closure in 2018, the NatWest property was purchased by Alcomax Investments in 2021 for £225,000. Alcomax is based in London, with its owners bearing no clear connection to Oundle. They did not respond to

questions about their intentions. According to previous property listings, there is still a lease with the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2025, meaning the owners are under no financial pressure to find a tenant.

The current rent demand of £28,100 is considered unreasonable by market standards. Local estate agents note the difficulty of converting it for retail use and the neglected interior which will also require significant investment from any potential tenant. However, the property occupies a prime position in town and its facade of marble columns with foliate capitals is distinctive for Oundle. Its central location holds promise for future value as economic activity in Oundle naturally grows over time.

A similar situation presents itself with the former Barclays bank,

which was bought privately in 2007. Despite Barclays' departure in 2023, no apparent effort has been made to repurpose the property. The owner did not respond to a query about his plans. The property is not publicly listed for rent, and may still be under Barclays' lease.

Like the NatWest bank, the Barclays property was purposebuilt as a bank with impressive architectural detailing and occupies a prime position within Oundle. It could be attractive to potential business owners if an option to rent was available.

Under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, the NNC could utilise compulsory rent auctions to attract tenants by offering fairer rents. A prospective commercial

Lucy

Nick Penny's sound recordings of birds at Barnwell Country Park and nearby woodlands can be heard on his Facebook page. Birds clockwise from upper right: robin, grey wagtail, kingfisher, dunnock. Photos by Nick Penny.

The Chronicle Team

EDITORIAL TEAM

Lucy Aliker

Ruby Allenby

Roshan Arumugam

Luke Blaine

Ava Burton

Gussie Coulter

Tom Drew

Robert Foskett

Felix Hwangbo

Sophie Lam

Blue Mitra

Iona Morgan

Jack Thompson

Ella Younie

Scarlett Zoll

STAFF EDITORS

Leigh Giurlando

Caitriona O'Brien with thanks to:

Annaleena Money

Spending controls implemented by North Northants Council amid financial concerns

Robert Foskett

Local council finances are again back in the spotlight after the Conservative leader of North Northamptonshire Council, Jason Smithers, also a councillor for Oundle, announced a series of spending controls.

All expenditure over £500 will now need to be considered by a Spending Management Panel which will consider mini business cases. A Staffing Approval Panel will also be formed to scrutinise all permanent appointments and the use of agency staff.

These spending cuts come after Cllr Smithers expressed disappointment at central government funding for local councils, saying that NNC’s costs are “far in excess of the funding available”. He said: “This will inevitably mean more difficult decisions to come if no further government support is forthcoming and at a time when the council is acutely aware of the burden it could place on households.”

NNC forecasts a deficit of £37m in 2025, which could increase to £84m in 2027. Meanwhile, senior councillors have warned that there will be a significant overspend at Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, an operationally independent body set up in the final months of Northants County Council to deliver children’s services for the whole county. This is predicted to be around £24.57m, of which £10.85m will have to be met by NNC. The total overspend could be higher, at £27.59m as £3m of planned savings are forecast

not to be met.

This is not the first time that children’s services funding has been problematic for local government in Northamptonshire. Prior to the County Council’s abolition in 2021, children’s social care failed numerous Ofsted inspections as it was suffering from the lack of funding.

The Government announced in February that NNC will receive £3.9m in exceptional financial support, whilst West Northamptonshire Council will be paid £6.6m. Of the 19 local authorities on the list, NNC will receive the lowest amount.

Data published recently by the Office for Local Government (Oflog) shows that NNC’s debt comes to 239% of its core spending power, with debt servicing making up 4.6%. The council also has around £135m in reserves which, Cllr Smithers says, “helps insulate us from veering towards reaching a very precarious position”.

Thurrock Council, a unitary authority in southern Essex, was one of the councils with the highest amount of debt in the data. Its total debt came to 1,047% of its core spending power, which equates to an eyewatering £1.3bn or £1,400 per resident. This came partly as a result of a series of failed investments in solar farms, after the finance director was given “unlimited authority to invest in anything he felt fit”. Thurrock met the same fate as Northants County Council, issuing a Section 114 notice which effectively means the council is bankrupt.

Police Beat

Jack Thompson

Police appealed for any information and witnesses to an incident which occurred between 30-31 December on East Road when an unknown person used unknown means to break a window.

On Friday 2 February, a resident reported an attempted break-in along South Road. The attempted break-in occurred at 1pm in broad daylight. The two suspects were on a motorbike, travelling without regular plates and wearing balaclavas.

On 10 February a resident reported on Facebook that between 07:45 to 12:30 the window of his car in the Co-op car park had been smashed in.

On the 22 March, unknown offenders tried to gain entry to the Wharf building on Station Road by

NNC to fund new bus routes

Robert Foskett

North Northamptonshire Council will receive £2 million from the Department for Transport which has been re-allocated from the northern section of HS2, which was scrapped. The Council has announced that it will re-introduce two routes which previously served Oundle.

The 24 will operate between Oundle and Rushden Lakes/ Raunds six times per day on Mondays to Saturdays, and the 180 will link Oundle with Stamford on Mondays to Saturdays to provide peak time and shopping bus journeys.

There will also be a demand responsive service on Mondays to Saturdays which will cover rural areas around Oundle and Thrapston which are not served by a scheduled service.

The precise routes have yet to be announced, as well as the starting dates and details as to who will operate the services.

Local by-election swings to Labour after impropriety scandal

Robert Foskett

Helen Harrison, who represents Oundle on North Northamptonshire Council, stood as the Conservative candidate to replace her disgraced partner, Peter Bone, as MP for Wellingborough.

Although her party had a majority of 18,540 votes in 2019, she lost the by-election to Labour’s Gen Kitchen, with the Conservative vote share falling by 37.6%.

coming through a secure side door. The offenders caused damage but failed to steal any items.

On 1 March a resident on Wentworth Drive reported on Facebook an attempted break-in. It was believed to be an attempt to steal car keys. When the intruders were disturbed, they ran off.

On Saturday the 12 April, a licence plate was stolen from a parked car on a driveway along Glapthorn Road.

A resident on St Peter’s Road reported on 21 April that someone had attempted to open his elderly relative's front door.

On 8 May, the police reported a repeat burglary at a retail unit at Oundle Wharf. Criminals cut the main phone wires to the businesses and removed cameras. Nothing was stolen, however.

Following an investigation into bullying and sexual misconduct, Peter Bone was suspended from Parliament for six weeks. This triggered a recall petition, allowing his constituents to remove him from his position. With more than ten percent of registered voters signing the petition, he was removed from office and a byelection was called to replace him.

A report conducted by the Independent Expert Panel, said: “This is a serious case of misconduct. The bullying involved violence, shouting and swearing, mocking, belittling and humiliating behaviour, and ostracism. This wilful pattern of bullying also included an unwanted incident of sexual misconduct, when the complainant was trapped in a room with the respondent in a hotel in Madrid. This was a deliberate and conscious abuse of power using a sexual mechanism: indecent exposure.”

Oundle tops Northants council tax ranking

Robert Foskett

Residents in Oundle will pay the most council tax in North Northants this year, with a Band D property charged £2,371.56. This is because the precept for Oundle Town Council is the highest of North Northants’ town and parish councils. From the total for a Band D property, £249.91 will go to Oundle Town Council, £1,740.22 to North Northants Council (including a levy for Adult Social Care), £306.04 for the Police and £75.39 for Fire and Rescue.

Council tax bills in Oundle are more than in most areas of London. Band D properties in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London’s most expensive borough for council tax, will pay £2,374.32. This is only £2.76 more than the same bill in Oundle. Meanwhile, Band D properties in the City of Westminster, London’s cheapest borough, will pay only £973.16. This is £1,398.40 less than the bill in Oundle.

Some properties on the fringes of Oundle pay less, however, as parish boundaries have not been updated to reflect the growth of the town. The parish of Oundle has covered the same area since before the Oundle Improvement Act was passed in 1825. This gave Oundle a board of improvement commissioners, an early form of local government replaced in 1894 with an Urban District Council. When local government was reformed in 1974, the Urban District Council was merged into East Northamptonshire District Council. Until then, Oundle did not have a town council, however it was identified as one of 300 former urban districts which would benefit from the creation of a parish with the same boundaries as the former urban district. These are known as ‘successor parishes’.

Oundle Town Council has the status of a parish council, although it is known as a town council, meaning that it is chaired by a Town Mayor.

The new town council inherited some assets from the former Urban District Council, including the Chairman’s chain of office which is now worn by the Town Mayor, as well as the responsibility for the market.

Despite being past the Oundle sign after the A605 roundabout, Laxton Drive and the former Riverside Hotel are actually in Ashton parish, because the town boundary runs down the River

Nene. Residents of Laxton Drive pay a council tax precept to Ashton Parish Council rather than Oundle Town Council. Ashton Parish Council collects a significantly lower precept than Oundle Town Council, so Laxton Drive residents will pay £284.24 less than similar Band G properties in Oundle.

There is a similar situation in the north of the town. The border with Glapthorn parish runs across the new Cotterstock Meadows development, meaning that properties in the north of the development will have lower council tax bills than properties of the same band in the south. Band D properties in the south of the development will pay £156.18 more than a similar house in the north.

This is also the case with the properties on Old Farm Lane, off Glapthorn Road at the northern edge of the town.

The council tax precept for Oundle Town Council, which comes to a total of £565,043 this financial year, balances the Town Council’s budget of £700,891, for which they expect to receive £135,848 in income from other sources such as property rent, market fees and other grants.

The Town Council’s largest cost is staffing, on which they expect to spend £296,865 this year. This is followed by office costs of £91,476. The Town Council also expects to spend £86,495 on Fletton House, of which £29,920 will be covered by income from room hirers and tenants.

The Town Council has allocated £43,677 for its grants programme this year. Of this, £23,677 will be given to Queen Victoria Hall to balance their budget.

Queen Victoria Hall has been a charity since 1904 and Oundle Town Council is the sole trustee. The charity anticipates costs totalling £35,467 this year, of which income from hire fees will cover £11,790. Every year, Queen Victoria Hall requests a grant from the Town Council to cover any shortfall in their budget.

Last year, recipients of grants from the Town Council included the Fletton Field Association, Oundle & District Choral Society, Oundle Community First Responders, Oundle Festival of Literature, Oundle Fringe, Oundle Museum Trust, Oundle Tennis Club, Oundle Vintage Festival, Yarn Bombing, Rutland Sinfonia, the Ukraine Wraparound Support Group and Volunteer Action.

An enchanted evening

at the Oundle Ball

The Oundle Charity Ball at the Queen Victoria Hall in April was a sold-out social event of the season. The Enchanted Garden theme showcased an array of crafted creativity. Over 3000 tissue paper flowers, 19 gigantic daisies, and two life-size blossom trees transformed the Hall.

The Barn Garden Centre, Papley Farm and Signature Occasions contributed potted plants, foliage and displays to add natural accents to the garden theme.

Stanley Street Caterers served up an Andalusian supper buffet, while the Wonderstruck Magic Mirror photo booth captured moments of joy. The Fortissimo Swing Band and a DJ provided

dance music and entertainment throughout the night.

As with the two previous Oundle Charity Balls, guests took home a handmade souvenir; this year a ceramic butterfly ornament. The Oundle Ball raised £1600 in support of the British Red Cross and Leprosy Mission.

To see the Ball in full swing, follow the link to watch a video filmed by Chloe Court.

Spotlight on speeding violations

Gussie Coulter

In January 2024, 134 people were caught speeding on the A605 in Barnwell and Thrapston. This was over six hours of police monitoring across five days. Six people were caught speeding on the A427 near Upper Benefield during 45 minutes of police monitoring across one day.

In February 2024, four people were caught speeding on the A605 in Barnwell. This was over one and a quarter hours of police monitoring across two days. Eleven people were caught speeding on the A427 near Upper Benefield during two and a half hours of police monitoring across two days. This included an individual exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph, ultimately being prosecuted.

In March 2024, 52 people were caught speeding on the A605 in Barnwell and Thrapston. This was over six hours of police monitoring across five days. This included one person going 25 mph above the

speed limit of 60 mph. Eight people were caught speeding on the A427 near Upper Benefield during one and a half hours of police monitoring across two days.

PCSO Pereira and PC Morgan conducted speed enforcement patrols on 1 February after reports from local residents of vehicles speeding through Oundle. Out of vehicles travelling between 11:45 and 12:15 on Benefield Road, one vehicle was caught driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone. The driver of the vehicle was issued a written and final warning.

Following more concerns and reports of traffic speeding in and around Oundle, PCSO Pereira and PC Morgan conducted speed enforcement patrols on Benefield Road on 21 April between 16:00 and 16:30. Approximately ten vehicles drove under the 30mph limit, except one driver who was stopped driving at 37mph. A ticket was issued to the driver and the offence was reported.

The Oundle Charity Ball committee included Alyson, Mandy, Natascha, Eloise and Uli, who along with volunteers, transformed the hall into an Enchanted Garden.

Riverside Maltings pioneered growth of retirement communities

Sophie Lam

When Riverside Maltings was built in 1990 it was part of a new way of organising housing for the changing needs of independent retired people who want to downsize but who do not need elder care. It provides a thriving community for residents, offering 45 flats.

As an independent living development, it does not provide care facilities. The residents are the leaseholders and properties cannot be rented. The landlord of this retirement housing is Retirement Lease Housing Association (RLHA), a charitable, not-forprofit organisation that nationally initiated the development of sheltered housing communities for people of retirement age. It is now part of the Elm Group. Residents can refurbish their properties with prior approval from the landlord.

Verna Isherwood is the Estate Manager of Riverside Maltings, and not a warden for the community. One of the main roles of being an Estate Manager is to manage and oversee the maintenance of

the scheme, this includes ground maintenance, general repairs and compliance regulations.

Julia, aged 87, has been living at the Maltings for eleven years. One of the main attractions that drew her to The Maltings was knowing that all the property maintenance would be taken care of. “The

manager is purely for the buildings and the land maintenance, she’s very good. She’s not a healthcare person, but she puts herself out and is very caring.”

The demand for properties is high, but they are reserved for a specialised purchase. Residents must be over 55 years, fit and able

to live an independent life. Verna said: “There is a very limited market available to buy into these types of schemes. Riverside Maltings is rather unique in the way you own the property and the lease. So, in short, the residents own the scheme.”

The emphasis at Riverside Maltings is private, independent living, but there is also a communal lounge and kitchen for community gatherings.

Verna said: “Residents organise their own activities, and what a super job they do of it! This includes coffee mornings, craft club, monthly Holy Communion, scrabble and much more.”

What makes it particularly attractive is that access to the development is easy. It is next to a bus stop and a short walk to a supermarket and the town centre.

Riverside Maltings is a prestigious scheme to live in, convenient and with a good community. Verna said: “We have great fun together and trust me, many tales are told within its walls. There is never a dull moment!”

Riverside Maltings offers independent living within a supportive community.

From trims to transformations at Oundle's barbershops and salons

There are nearly 20,000 barbershops in Britain, offering both grooming services and a sociable half hour. On average, men get their hair cut every four weeks, and many return every two weeks to maintain a perfect trim. Once a familiar routine is established, men return to the same barber week after week for years. Oundle has several barbers to choose from, each equally popular among their loyal clients.

Courthouse Barbers Workshop 2, The Courthouse Mill Road 01832 274447 courthousebarbers.co.uk

Tucked away in the courtyard behind the Oundle Town Museum since 2018. Run by Alex Murray and his partner Stacey, who has recently had a baby, and assisted by Henry and Alfie. They offer all the usual services for boys on up, including senior discounts. One regular customer, Lewis, has had his hair trimmed by Alex for the last fifteen years and has an early morning appointment every two weeks. He said he comes for the jokes.

First Class Barber 1A Market Place 01832 273780

The newest barber shop in Oundle offers a Turkish barber experience. The owners also have a number of other shops in the region. They specialise in the popular skin fade cut, but uniquely offer a full pampered experience of hot towels, special soap from Turkey and massages. Customers enjoy the relationships they form and the friendly atmosphere and want to come back. The First Class Barber has discounts for people under twelve and over sixty-five. They welcome walk-ins. If you are lucky, you might get to see their pet budgies.

Jax Barbers

2a St Osyths Lane 01832 273442

jaxbarbershops.co.uk

Open until 7pm Tuesday to Friday, and until 3pm on Saturday. Owner Jack Robinson offers classic styles as well as tapers, fades and beard grooming. The shop is fitted out with an Xbox gaming station, cold drinks fridge and complementary coffee from the expresso bar.

The Barbers Comb 15B West Street 01832 275271 thebarberscomb.com

The Barber's Comb celebrates thirty years in Oundle this year. It is the longest running barbershop in town. It is open six days a week and has late openings on Wednesday and Thursday. The owner, Richard, is joined by Samantha, who has been at the shop since 2011. They have many regular customers who return for the friendly familiarity. Some of their clients have been coming for so long that they now bring in their own children. They offer discounts to pensioners.

The Barbers at The Male Room

The Bazaar, West Street 07508 863238

Open five days a week until 5pm, The Male Room has the atmosphere of a traditional gentleman’s barbershop. Tony offers a full range of grooming services, including luxury shaves and facial treatments. The shop also stocks a line of Danish and Italian men’s clothing and accessories.

Step into any of Oundle's beauty salons, and you'll be greeted by a blend of modern elegance and warm hospitality, offering a diverse range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of every client. Whether you're seeking a facial, manicure, or specialist treatment, the skilled professionals in Oundle's beauty salons are committed to delivering impeccable results with a personal touch.

The Hair and Beauty Room 14 West Street 01832 274419 thebeautyroomoundle.co.uk

The Hair and Beauty Room opened five years ago. Their experienced staff offer a one stop salon for both hair services and beauty treatments and therapies, including a range of massages and facials, manicures and pedicures, and makeup applications. Their product range includes Insight, an Italian brand for hair, and for nails a combination of OPI Nails, Halo and The Gel Bottle for a range of different colours.

Georgiana Laura Beauty Therapy 19 West Street 07306 805581 georginalaurabeauty.book.app

Georgiana Laura opened her Oundle salon last year. She offers a range of treatments from facials, eyelash and eyebrows treatments to manicures. One of her favourite products is Farm Girls, which is focused on protecting, repairing and maintaining healthy skin naturally. The Farm Girl Facial treatment involves light therapy, chakra balancing crystals, sculpting Gua Sha massage techniques and ice gloves massage. Nail treatments include HONA PureBuild gels, which are free from harsh chemicals, and finally BIAB, focusing on strong and healthy nails.

Rosetta Nail Oundle 2 St Osyths Lane 01832 274136 Book online via Facebook

Opened two years ago, Rosetta Nail Oundle specialises in manicures and pedicures. For gels and polish they use a range of different products depending on preference, such as Glitterbels, and have a huge palette of colours to choose from.

Studio 36 36 Market Place 01832 272842

Studio 36 is an established hair salon that has recently introduced beauty treatments such as manicures and pedicures, waxes and eyelash and eyebrow tinting, and reflexology. Appointments can also be made with their nurse prescriber for aesthetic medical grade treatments from anti-wrinkle injections, hyaluronic fillers and other skin treatments to radio frequency and vitamin injections.

Oundle House of Beauty 3 West Street 01832 275578

Oundle’s salon on West Street is one of three branches in the region. Oundle House of Beauty offers a range of treatments from nail treatments to skin analysis. With their expert team offering a range of products from Jane Iredale to Environ, they are able to provide a multitude of treatments for different needs.

Luxe Skin Lab 88 West Street luxeskinlab.co.uk

The newest salon in Oundle is Luxe Skin Lab, an aesthetic beauty clinic. Their staff are aesthetic practitioners trained in nonsurgical facial and body treatments, including Diode laser hair removal, skin tightening and dermal fillers. They use Obagi Medical grade skincare products.

Ava Burton

Luke Blaine and Orlando Bateman

The environmental impact of cloud computing

Gussie Coulter

In the digital age we store most of our data on the cloud. Whilst to many of us the cloud may seem intangible and irrelevant to our everyday experience, “it is relentlessly material”, as stressed by the cloud anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate. Due to the vast quantity of data being processed and stored in data centres – the physical vessels of the cloud – equally vast amounts of energy are required to operate and to cool the computers. The term cloud, in an era of heightened environmental awareness, is misleading to a potentially damaging degree.

The move to data storage via the cloud is far more environmentally friendly than storing data on local servers, and methods of data storage are considerably more efficient than they once were, reducing energy requirements even as data processing increases. But overall, energy demands remain high. In 2022, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated the global data centre energy consumption to be between 240 and 340 terawatt hours, representing 1.3% of the global energy consumption. The 2020 global CO2 emissions attributed to data storage were as high as 330 megatons. In 2019 the UK’s total CO2 output was 364 megatons. It is

clear the enterprise of data storage represents a significant source of environmental concern.

These statistics beg the following question: what is the environmental impact of specifically the UK’s use of cloud data storage? Based on the needs of individual data storage users and companies, John Booth of Carbon3IT has estimated that as much as twelve percent of the energy generated in the UK goes towards powering and cooling data centres. He predicts this would cost the UK between £4bn and £7bn per annum.

The three biggest global data centre operators are, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Whilst the precise locations of data centres are usually undisclosed due to the critical security of their content and operations, there are three Microsoft Azure data centres in the UK: one near Durham, one in London and one in Cardiff.

A Google Cloud Platform data centre is currently under construction at a 33-acre site in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. With the ever-increasing interconnections of the modern world, more and more data centres will appear.

The effect of UK data usage extends far beyond our shores, as is exemplified by the operation of the “data centre alley” in Loudoun

County, Virginia. In 2019, officials said that seventy percent of the world’s internet traffic passed through its borders.

The environmental impact of cloud storage and data centre operation extends beyond carbon dioxide output. As liquid is a greater convection agent than air, water is used to cool data centres. In the US, where states such as Arizona are already strained for water resources, millions of litres of potable water are pumped to cool the systems daily. As a result, in addition to “net zero” commitments, Google has issued a declaration to “water stewardship”, directly referencing the impact that data centres, and in turn the global cloud network, has on water resources.

The International Review of Energy Efficiency in Data Centres highlighted the inadequacy of environmental policy on the operation and energy efficiency of data centres. It noted that some cities had imposed bans on the construction and implementation of hyperscale data centre facilities, such as Amsterdam and Singapore due to their environmental impact, but it emphasised that “data centres as a complete operational unit lack direct energy efficiency regulation”. Besides voluntary labels and certification schemes relating to commitment to energy efficiency, there is limited environmental regulation.

The operation of cloud data

Rethinking nuclear: time for a rational reevaluation amidst climate crisis

Gussie Coulter

With the decline of the atomic age in the 1990s and the legacy of nuclear disasters like Fukushima and Chernobyl, nuclear power is wrought with taboo. However, the environmental consequences that we may face in coming years as a result of human-fuelled climate change are dire, and potentially orders-of-magnitude worse than any as-of-yet experienced nuclear catastrophe. It is becoming increasingly evident that a serious rationalisation of the fear surrounding nuclear power is warranted. Is it time to recognise the nuclear lifeline in an era of environmental uncertainty?

Analysis of data from Statista indicates that nuclear energy, making up a mere 9.7% of the national grid’s energy is responsible for 0.03 deaths per terawatt hour (TWh) of power output. In contrast, natural gas accounts for 2.82 deaths per TWh whilst constituting 19.4% of the national grid. In other words, though being a favoured source of energy, the emissions

and construction of natural gas proportionally causes 94 times more harm to human life. Nuclear is marginally safer than wind power, which causes 0.04 deaths per TWh, largely because of accidents on supply chains and construction.

Many are still sceptical concerning the disposal of nuclear waste as exemplified by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament’s (CND) which says, “There is still no safe, long-term solution for storing radioactive nuclear waste”.

Efforts have, however, been made internationally to offer a solution to the disposal and storage of long half-life spent nuclear fuel. In Finland, the Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository will enable the burial and secure containment of high-level waste, effectively preventing any chance of dangerous exposure. The World Nuclear Association notes that for every six million tonnes of CO2 output by a coal plant, only three cubic metres of high-level vitrified waste would be produced by the equivalent nuclear plant.

centres is not the sole source of environmental worry concerning data-processing. The cryptocurrency craze of the 21st century has involved both legal and illegal “mining” of decentralised cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

With the limited number of Bitcoins available (the blockchain design limits the total Bitcoins available globally to 21 million), it becomes increasingly resource and energy intensive to produce them. Alongside the equally environmentally damaging process of legal bitcoin generation, people have turned to dubious means of production via illegal use of energy from the centralised grid to fuel mining centres.

In the UK, there have been various raids on illegal crypto mining facilities, often initially assumed to be cannabis farms due to their vast power demands. The Cambridge Blockchain Network Sustainability Index predicts that Bitcoin alone is responsible for the consumption of 170TWh annually, equating to 86 mega tonnes of CO2 output per year (with a theoretical upper range of 170 mega tonnes).

With heightened awareness of the imminent effects of climate change, we should have hope for the implementation of suitable policy and regulation that would ensure that the – not so ethereal –enterprise of cloud data storage is practiced without it being at the expense of the planet.

Approximately 97% of this waste could go on to be recycled. The two largest nuclear disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima have provided ways for us to learn about and develop preventative systems, but they have also raised scepticism about operational safety. Chernobyl was fundamentally the product of what the Ukranian Nuclear Society calls a “low safety culture”; the reactors and systems did not meet the safety requisites of the time. While the disaster gave rise to a greater security in nuclear safety and practice, it also gave rise to what Michael Shellenberger calls modern day “radiophobia”. Fukushima-related protests in Germany incited the decline of its nuclear power program, even though Germany is not prone to tectonic activity, the primary cause of the Fukushima disaster.

Nuclear power is greener than fossil fuels, and more pragmatic in terms of land use compared to wind power, which takes up 137 times the land per unit of power output. Furthermore, greater traction in fission power may

provide the suitable pretext for development of nuclear fusion, which would be completely clean and revolutionary.

Does this indicate that people should be more receptive to nuclear power? The Department of Energy and Net Zero said nuclear power is an indispensable part of the UK’s commitment to clean, reliable energy and is a key player in achieving the government’s netzero emissions target.

However, planning processes are still so slow that Sizewell C, the UK’s newest nuclear project in Suffolk has only just entered its construction phase, having first been proposed in 2012. Whilst the government has committed to increasing nuclear power fourfold by 2050, a more streamlined system is still in development.

Ultimately, as has been noted by Julia Pyke, the managing director of the Sizewell C project, developments in nuclear power, in addition to providing efficient, reliable power, will provide job opportunities and be economically beneficial. Not only this, but in an era of increased global tensions, nuclear can offer us energy security.

New housing developments must plan for net-zero targets

Ruby Allenby

As the government debates netzero targets, consumers are faced with many questions about what adaptations they will be required to make. Much of the discussion focuses on electric cars, which have seen year-on-year increases in sales. However, heating is becoming an increasingly critical focus for reducing the UK’s emissions as a higher income country. Developers of new homes in Oundle should be accommodating the necessary energy efficient, low carbon solutions that homeowners require. A vital part of energy efficiency is heating systems, which includes air source heat pumps.

Heating our homes accounts for as much as sixteen percent of the UK’s planet warming CO2 emissions. As a result, the government is planning to ban sales of gas boilers from 2035, with a push towards the installation of air source heat pumps.

Air source heat pumps work by transferring heat from the outside air to water. This in turn heats rooms via radiators or underfloor heating. These pumps run on electricity, not gas, and in turn are low-carbon ways of heating a home.

Other benefits include their longer lifespan of about 20 years. Furthermore, they are very

In domestic households, the majority of energy use is from heating by gas or electricity.

According to a government survey in 2022, 78% of respondents used gas as a method of heating. In Oundle, 58.4% of households use mains central gas heating as their main supply for heating energy as of 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics census data. Whilst many consumers are aware of the environmental implications caused by non-renewables, they are perhaps more concerned about the cheaper cost of gas compared to electricity. According to Nesta, unit for unit electricity is about three times more expensive than gas. This is a big factor in the reluctance of 43% of Brits to buy green technology according to the Eco Experts’ National Home Energy Survey in 2023.

Consumers may not be aware of the scale of emissions caused by gas central heating. According to Our World in Data, 136.71 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted by the UK in 2022.

water cylinders that will provide for water heating demand. There will be no gas heating systems or cooking appliances. They have also elected to implement other energy efficient systems such as the mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in the apartments. These allow warm stale air produced domestically to be extracted from the building, and according to McCarthy’s Stone’s proposals for Herne Road, 90% of the heat can be recovered from the extracted air. They said: “This allows for background heating through occupation and improved comfort levels through the flow of fresh air.”

Gary Martin, the technical director for Vistry East Anglia, said that most Cotterstock Meadows homes have an electric vehicle charging point, encouraging the use of more energy-efficient transport. However, they do not currently install air source heat pumps because they are not required by the Part L 2013 regulation standard. But he said: “By 2025, our new homes will be net zero-ready. This will require a transition away from gas as a heating source.

“Vistry Group is currently trialling air source heat pumps and other low-carbon solutions to learn how best to integrate new technologies within our homes, to implement them as standard in the next few years.” He said other innovations being tested around the country include photovoltaic panels, wastewater heat recovery and upgraded insulation.

such as Millers’ Field on Benefield Road are committed to delivering the development as a net zero operation. According to Richard Pender, the Development Manager and Delivery Lead at Town’s Millers’ Field project, all energy provided to the site will be electric. “Heat pumps will most likely be in the form of air source heat pumps,” he said. They are also considering forms of communal ground source which might be more efficient, although there are concerns about the visual aesthetics of the technology.

The development will also include EV charging points to all resident car parking spaces, as well as PV solar panel installation, reducing the development’s energy usage from the grid.

Whilst many new developments are required to include certain energy efficiencies, older homes often struggle with the higher level of insulation required for the air source heat pumps.

The UK is amongst the slowest adopters of new technology in Europe. According to the BBC: “At currents rates of installation, it will take more than 400 years before every British home has a heat pump.”

efficient, producing three units of heat for every unit of energy put in. British Gas claims that these pumps can work when temperatures get as low as minus 15C.

The units are currently much more expensive than a gas boiler to buy and install. However, solutions are being implemented by topdown organisations, such as the UK government’s £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which has been extended until 2028. It offers grants of £5,000 towards the installation of an air source heat pump; £6,000 off a ground source heat pump; and £5,000 off a biomass boiler. Consumers can also receive a zero VAT rate on installations. Hundreds of new homes are being built and planned for Oundle, and developers need to be thinking about the long-term needs of the homeowners who buy their properties.

McCarthy Stone’s proposals for their development on Herne Road include an electric heating system with air source heat pump hot

Other development projects

Over the last century households and property developers have adapted to and benefitted from new technologies such as the introduction of central heating and electricity. It should not be difficult to facilitate and adapt to the new energy efficient technology, especially when our future is at stake.

Construction begins at St Christopher's Drive housing development

Construction has started at the Barnwell Walk site off St Christopher’s Drive to build a care village and homes development.

The new community will comprise 62 homes for private sale, ranging in size from three to fivebedrooms, with each home fitted with an EV charger.

A further three plots will be offered as self-build opportunities for buyers to create their own home.

A partnership between Persimmon, Housing21 and Homes England will also see the delivery of extra care housing that will provide 65 one and twobedroom apartments for older people, with the opportunity to live independently, but with the additional support of an on-site care team.

The apartments will be available to purchase on a shared ownership basis or to rent.

The care village will include a variety of on-site facilities such as a hairdressing salon and café, as well as the option of using a call connect mini-bus service to the town centre, funded by Persimmon.

The developers will be contributing more than £1m towards health care provision, bus services, educational services and a library as part of the Section 106 agreement for the new development.

There will be a play area for younger children and a pedestrian link to the neighbouring school as well as upgrades to the public right of way alongside the site.

Persimmon expects the first residents to move in before Christmas.

TOWN's development at the Marmalade cohousing community in Cambridge incorporated air source heat pumps into the design.

photo: TOWN

Riverside Hotel remains derelict after 30 years despite local objections

Roshan Arumugam

By the bridge near the entrance to Oundle, the Riverside Hotel has sat unoccupied and derelict for over thirty years. Despite numerous planning applications made for the property having received approval, the owners of the property have yet to do anything to develop or even refurbish the property.

The site falls within the parish of Ashton, rather than Oundle, and

is owned by the Lane family, descendants of the Rothschild family, who bought the estate in the nineteenth century. Despite selling off a large portion of the estate in recent years, the family has not sought to sell the Riverside Hotel site.

Any new information regarding the property is hard to come by. OHL Limited, which manages the estate office fails to respond to queries either by email or post, making it extremely difficult

for any outsider to gain an understanding of the property’s current situation or future.

The Riverside Hotel closed in 1986 and has been vacant ever since, but not due to lack of planning applications.

In 1993, the first application was made for an 80-bedroom hotel.

It was renewed in 1996, and again in 1999, however, no developments were made.

Two more applications then came in 2001. They included a plan for office space, and then a development of eight houses and eight holiday flats. Both of these applications were withdrawn.

In 2002, consultation for a hotel and car park was undertaken.

In 2005 the outline planning permission for the 80-room hotel with restaurant and conference facilities was granted. Despite it being renewed three further times over the years, nothing has happened since.

Another three applications were made in 2009, 2011 and 2012, all of which came to nothing.

In 2016 an application was submitted for 40 two and threebedroom apartments and associated site works. However, before a decision could be made, the application was withdrawn in December 2016.

It is difficult to find information

about the status of the property from local or government authorities. The Valuation Office Agency said they were unable to locate the property listing on their database.

The North Northants Council confirmed that the tax band was removed by the council.Because the property is derelict, no tax is charged.

The Ashton Parish Council did not respond to a query about the property.

Councils have enforcement powers to deal with derelict properties, but these powers are restricted to residential properties.

The North Northants Council said they seek to work with individual owners "to remedy any breaches before taking more formal steps".

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tenant could offer £1 a year in rent and, if they are the only bidder, could be awarded a lease of the premises. The council would be empowered to grant the lease on behalf of the landlord.

In the coming year, the government will be issuing regulations and guidance on how councils can implement their new powers, offering the potential for the Oundle community to address the problem of vacant properties.

The Oundle Chronicle last reported on the derelict state of the Riverside Hotel in 2017 and nothing has changed or been progressed since then.

Changing profile of town centre creates challenges for conservation policies

Jack Thompson

Making amendments in conservation areas to restore and modernise buildings or to adapt their use is a continual point of contention. Striking a balance between maintaining crucial heritage features while allowing restoration to take place has become increasingly difficult, particularly as each renovation is different and the extent to which they are in line with conservation priorities can be subjective.

A conservation area is defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. The whole of central Oundle lies within a conservation area, making any applications to modernise a property with solar panels, repair or add windows, or restore frontages, subject to intense review.

The commercial centres of English towns have been in transition for decades, with more properties moving from commercial to domestic use. Last year the government announced plans to make it easier to gain planning permission to change use of a property. However, this does not address the issue of how a building might need to be adapted for private rather than commercial use.

North Street in Oundle was previously once lined with commercial businesses which are now private homes. The properties were converted while retaining their original shopfronts which indicate the building’s earlier use.

West Street also possesses many examples of Oundle’s architectural and cultural history that span a period from the sixteenth century up to the late twentieth century, but over the years a number of the properties have applied for permission to restore or adapt the frontages to reflect the change of use.

In 2004, the owners of 15 West Street successfully applied for permission to convert the commercial building to a domestic property. Two years later they applied for permission to replace its shop front window from 1897 with a sash window that matched the building’s original Georgian frontage. Their application was refused and became the subject of multiple planning applications and disputes with the council and conservation officers. In 2010, they appealed the decision, pointing to planning approval decisions that had been made for other properties on West Street.

For instance, after change of use was permitted for 64 West Street, planning permission was granted in 1999 to remove the shop front and replace it with a door and window. In 2008, the owners at 74 West Street were permitted to change two plate glass shop windows to sash windows.

The appeal filed by 15 West Street, was rejected. The planners wrote that additions to buildings “are often of interest in their own right as part of the building’s organic history. Generally, later features of interest should not be removed merely to restore a building to an earlier form. Therefore, whilst the feature may not be part of the original fabric of the building, it is nevertheless one of historic importance”.

The planners rejected the argument about precedents from the previous applications because of the differences in the historical features. They pointed out that the windows at 74 West Street were from the 1960s, raising the question: in what era do features begin to become of “historic importance”. Is historic 1960s architecture less worthy than Victorian architecture? Do planners apply personal preferences about aesthetic value, rather than objective criteria?

The owners of 15 West Street feel that they approached their project with conservation integrity as a priority. They said, “Our family have a history of creating many architectural local sensitive buildings, particularly in Kew and Richmond that are now conservation areas, and in another area of the UK we have worked with specialist architects to restore heritage and Grade listed buildings.” The shop front windows are neglected, but the owners have accepted defeat and said they do not plan to reapply for planning permission to carry out their restoration.

Other more recent proposals along West Street to alter features have been permitted to move forward. In 2017, the owners at 88 West Street sought to replace the plate glass 1960s frontage with a nineteenth century shop front, modelled on earlier photos.

The building at 37 West Street is currently undergoing restoration. The have permission to redesign the shop front. Although they will not be removing it, they will be replacing the window and moving the door to its original position.

In both cases, features that were part of what the planners have called the building’s “organic

history” have been allowed to be removed and replaced with new designs. This suggests that there was perhaps more leniency given to the owners at 37 West Street than at 15 West Street, whose application to alter the shop front was rejected.

The planning applications to adapt to new uses along West Street are arguably improving the buildings when they are

converted from commercial to domestic use, or as they are restored to architectural origins. Yet, planning permission decisions in conservation areas like that along West Street appear to be inconsistent and may not be keeping pace with the changing societal and economic landscape of English towns.

The developers of 74 West Street received planning permission to replace mid-century shopfront windows with sash windows.

The owners of 15 West Street were repeatedly refused permission to replace Victorian shopfront windows with orginal Georgian-style sash windows.

Oundle School submits plans for new boarding house at former primary school site

Iona Morgan

The future of the former primary school site at the junction of Milton Road and Drumming Well Lane has finally been determined by its new owners, Oundle School. The school has proposed to construct a new 60-bed girls boarding house for 13-18 year-olds. It will be named McMurray House after David McMurray, the headmaster who oversaw the transition to co-education in the late 1980s. The project aims to relocate existing facilities from New House on Stoke Hill to a more central location to allow better integration for pupils.

The school held two public consultations in January to answer questions about the project. The main concern was about why the existing Victorian building, or at least parts of it, were not being retained. There were also concerns about the scale of the proposed building and whether activity would increase traffic and congestion in the area.

Oundle School said it had initially made a plan that incorporated the Victorian infrastructure, which is not listed, but the conservation architects advised that the existing structures are not suitable for renovations because of their poor condition. It was additionally determined

that if the original building was retained, the new plans would need to use a bigger ground footprint, whereas a new building would allow for more green space.

There were also concerns from local residents about increased traffic and parking issues. The school said that the boarding house would generate less traffic than the former primary school did on the site. A car park would be available for resident staff, and the design would carefully manage the termly pupil drop-off and collection, minimising the impact on Milton Road.

The planning application is due to be reviewed by North Northants Council in July. If the proposal is given full permission, construction is set to start in the summer of 2025, allowing the boarding house to be operational in September 2026.

The boarding house will include design details from the former school.

Lucy Aliker

Transparency of UK land ownership under scrutiny

Land is the most valuable asset in our economy, accounting for over 60% of the UK’s net worth. The government is the biggest landowner, followed by the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Defence and then the Crown Estate. Land ownership in the UK is hugely unequal, with researcher Guy Shrubsole establishing that half of England is owned by 25,000 landowners, accounting for less than one percent of the population.

However, in Britain there is often uncertainty over who owns what land, a challenge that extends to Northamptonshire. In Britain, knowledge of land ownership is often derived from tradition and ancient claims, and the information is not recorded in any centralised land ownership registry.

Shrubsole gathered his data from a combination of public maps, data released through the Freedom of Information Act and other sources, but said ownership of 17% of land is unrecorded in the Land Registry.

To combat the problems with transparency about land ownership in the UK, the government Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities held a consultation on the transparency of land ownership which closed in February 2024.

In essence, the government are seeking to ensure that “any person with an interest in land should, if they need to, be able to find out not just who owns land, but who can control or derive economic benefit from it”.

There are many advantages and disadvantages of one party owning a large parcel of land. The advantages include potential for commercial farming and livestock grazing, as well as for sustainability and biodiversity initiatives.

do this, the landowner must deposit a map, statement and statutory declaration with the county council showing which public rights of way are acknowledged over their land and declaring that there is no intention to dedicate additional right of ways. This enables landowners to protect themselves against a parcel of land being registered as a village green or common based solely on a period of use by the public.

initially granted to the Montagu family by Henry VIII in 1540. Having previously been owned by the late Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the most recent deposit for the Barnwell Estate was made in 2023 by a landowner with a large estate in Staffordshire.

Other major landowners include the Watts-Russell Estate, with land extending from the western boundary of Oundle from

that straddle the A605 around Elton belong to the Elton Estate. Those deposits are filed with the Cambridgeshire County Council. Elton estate was held in the late Middle Ages by the Sapcote family, with the body of the present house and park constructed c.1500. In 1617, the estate was sold by the Sapcote family to Sir Thomas Proby, whose descendents have owned the estate for over 400 years.

However, large parcels of land also present some challenges. This includes restricted public access, limiting development, social inequality due to concentration of wealth and limited access for small holders.

In North Northamptonshire, there are many large landowners. For much of this land, the only way to learn who owns it is through Landowner Deposits Maps on the North Northamptonshire Council website.

A landowner deposit establishes the intention by a landowner not to dedicate any additional public rights of way across their land. To

The Ashton Wold Estate includes land bordering the River Nene on the edge of Oundle and land extending to the north of Ashton. In recent years the Estate has sold off large land holdings. The estate was first acquired as a sporting estate by banker Lionel Rothschild. The Ashton Wold House was designed in 1901 by William Huckvane for Nathaniel Charles Rothschild, as well as the housing that now comprise the village.

The largest landowner by far is the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who is the sixth largest landowner in the UK. He maintains vast holdings between Kettering, Corby and Brigstock.

The most surprising large landowner owns land between Thrapston and Pilton and Barnwell to the north, and Titchmarsh and Clopton to the east. The land is owned and managed by the Society of Merchant Venturers (SMV), a charitable organisation located in Bristol, on behalf of the St Monica Trust, a charity that invests in retirement villages in the Bristol area.

In 2024 the Merchant Venturers published an investigation of their association with the transatlantic slave trade. They did not have direct investments, but was involved in pro-slavery lobbying prior to slavery's abolition, and benefitted considerably from the slavery economy.

The Bristol based Merchant Venturers own land on behalf of the St Monica Trust. Their land deposit with North Northants Council shows land holdings that extend between Thrapston and Lilford and from Thrapston over to Clopton.

Land ownership deposits also aim to protect landowners against future claims for rights stemming from uncontested public use.

However, these deposits cannot confirm the total property holdings of that landowner, as they may not have filed deposits on their total holdings. The maps do not include buildings.

Among the largest local landholdings is land to the southeast of Oundle extending from Barnwell to Thurning, owned by the Barnwell Estate. The land was

Hillfield Road and Wakerley Close, through to Lower and Upper Benefield and across to Brigstock. The estate has been in the WattsRussell family since its purchase by Jesse Watts-Russell in 1822. Having originally been owned by the Abbots of Peterborough, it passed to Katherine Parr during the Dissolution, before being passed through several owners over the next 300 years.

There is also the Proby family’s property, which encircles Warmington. The land holdings

At the peak of the transatlantic slave trade, a third of the Society’s members were involved, and one in seven members were enslavers at the time of abolition. Among the Merchant Venturer’s holdings are 154 acres of land called Foxholes Farm, where, alongside developer Elgin Energy Esco Ltd, they have applied for planning permission to construct Titchmarsh Lodge Solar Farm. In 2020 the SMV submitted a representation to East Northamptonshire Council to build 250-500 houses on their land at Springfield Farm on the northern edge of Thrapston.

Barnwell Country Park opens accessible Changing Places, aiding inclusivity for all

Ella Younie

In December 2023, an accessible bathroom was opened in Barnwell Country Park after funding was received from the North Northamptonshire Council. The whole project was advised and regulated by Muscular Dystrophy UK so that everyone, regardless of their access needs, can use these toilets hygienically.

These new Changing Places Toilets are part of a governmentled initiative centered around inclusivity, and Barnwell Country Park is glad that they were able to provide one for people. They can accommodate people with a range of needs, including but not limited to, spinal injuries, muscle-wasting conditions and multiple sclerosis.

During a training course, park staff learned that seventy-two percent of people who need a Changing Place Toilet will not go out if they cannot find a facility. The new Changing Places Toilets at Barnwell ensure that users with different needs can use the park in comfort.

The facility is accessed with a RADAR Disabled Toilet Key, which must be purchased online in advance, and can be used to enter most changing places in the UK. It consists of an accessible toilet, privacy screen, heater, warm shower, adjustable sink and changing bench and movable hoist.

Countryside Ranger Claire Willis said: “I love the little

attention to detail. For instance, there is a hand dryer or hand towel choice, so people with sensory issues or young children can use whichever one they prefer. Toilet roll holders are placed on both sides of the toilets for easy access.”

So far there have been very positive reactions. One visitor said: “It’s great. It will mean I don’t have to change my seven-year-old in my car.” Her son is disabled, and it was impossible for her to change him in a regular toilet due to the lack of space and equipment.

Claire said: “It’s very important to be fully inclusive and ensure that nobody ever feels like a secondclass citizen.”

Barnwell Country Park aims to be the most accessible park in Northamptonshire; it has a flat terrain, so it can accommodate wheelchairs, pushchairs, walkers and other assistance equipment. It is one of the six free parks in Northamptonshire owned by North Northants Council. It has 37 acres of lakes, riverbanks and meadows with waterside trails, picnic areas and many wildlife facilities.

Barnwell is very popular with children. There are Wild and Woody activities for little ones and a Home Education group on Tuesdays. There is also a Weekly Wednesday Wellbeing Walk at 1.30pm that can be followed up with a stop at the Kingfisher Cafe, which offers cakes and sandwiches.

Crown Estate holdings span Northamptonshire

Lucy Aliker

Crown Estate holdings and properties are scattered across the UK amassing to 287,000 acres of agricultural land and forests. Its holdings include many properties in Northamptonshire, including the Higham Ferrers Campus of Moulton College and Henry Chichele Primary School, both in East Northamptonshire.

In 2015, the Crown Estate bought Rushden Lakes and partnered in the development of the shopping centre. Moreover, the Crown Estate is a partner of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust, which manages the Nene Valley Nature Reserve at Rushden Lakes.

The Crown Estate comprises lands and assets owned by the monarch but run independently, making it neither government property nor part of the monarch’s private estate. The King is not involved in the administration of

Scarlett Zoll

Beavers are being reintroduced to England after 400 years of extinction. In the coming year, a beaver family will be translocated under licence by the Beaver Trust from Scotland where they are currently in conflict with landowners due to flooding, and need relocating. They will be moved to the Delta Pit in the Nene Wetlands Nature Reserve at Rushden Lakes, where it will be the first release of beavers onto Crown Estate land.

Though the exact date is unknown, it is estimated that beavers in England became extinct in the 1700s. They were hunted to extinction for their meat, fur and oil. Due to its high value in the Elizabethan era, there was a craze for hats made from beaver fur. The last record of a bounty for a beaver was in Yorkshire in 1789.

Matt Johnson, Conservation Manager of the Wildlife Trust in Northamptonshire, said: “It is an exciting and unique opportunity to see this iconic species return to the Nene Valley, bringing back both its natural habitat restoration skills as well as providing an opportunity for the visitors to see beavers in the wild at our most visited reserve.”

Following a feasibility study conducted by the Beaver Trust, it was established that the location of the Delta Pit was a suitable environment for the species. It has already got fencing, which means the beavers will be in a safe enclosure, ensuring that they don’t escape, and all stock gates will be completely beaver proof.

main river, enabling it to be fenced off at a lower impact and cost, and reducing the chance of the beavers building dams. They will be in a lake with the correct water depth and so shouldn't feel the need to build a dam. The site has been assessed as having an abundance of suitable feeding habitat, but there will also be a feeding station that is used occasionally as part of the agreed health monitoring programme.

Some may have concerns about the potential damage that beavers could bring to the site. Aside from humans, no other species alters its environment more, but measures are set in place to assure this will not happen. The impact of beavers on local wildlife will be monitored, alongside regular inspections on the fence line to ensure none escape.

“The enclosure will be fenced, key trees protected, and the local community engaged with,” Matt said.

it. Instead, it is overseen by the Crown Estate Commissioners, with a proportion of the revenue being the sovereign grant.

Profits of the Crown Estate go to the Treasury, and the level of profit is used to calculate the funding given by the government to the Royal Family. This has typically been fifteen percent of the Crown Estate profits generated two years previously. However, due to a ten year, £369m refurbishment plan for Buckingham Palace, this has been increased to twenty-five percent until 2027.

The rest of the profit is used by the Treasury. In 2022/23, the Crown Estate generated £442.6m for the nation’s finances, £129.9m higher than the previous year.

Separate from the holdings of the Crown Estate are the royal assets owned by the King from his inheritance of the Duchy of Lancaster, which is the private estate of the British sovereign.

The site includes a gravel pit lake surrounded by wet woodland as well as wetland habitats. Matt said the location holds an “abundance of feeding habitat, suitable water depths, and it is the right size for one family unit.”

The lake is not connected to the

Despite the name, some of these properties extend to Northamptonshire where they are centred on the 13th century inheritance of Higham Ferrers and Wollaston, with a total land holding of 2004 acres, mainly of arable farms. In Higham Ferrers is the historic Chichele College, a former medieval chantry college, established by Henry Chicele, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the early 15th century. It is now an English Heritage site. The Duchy holdings also include an 18-hole golf course at Rushden and a Vocational Skills Academy at New Farm College.

The Duchy of Lancaster, worth £654m, generates about £20m a year in profits for the King.

Most significantly, the beavers will aid in their own entry to the environment by playing a role in the reedbed restoration by taking young willows out of reedbeds and improving the structure of the wet woodland. The beavers do not destroy the trees, but instead coppice them, which is what park rangers prefer in order to allow trees to grow back whilst also providing more space for wildlife. This will lead to the diversification of habitats in ways that staff and volunteers could not achieve, which further futureproofs the area against climate change.

For those who would like to view beavers in their natural habitat, Matt said the site is “ideally located to provide engagement opportunities with the large numbers of visitors and the local community.”

Mike Thomas, of the Crown Estate, said: "We know that nature is critical for our wellbeing and for a secure future, and urgent action is needed to tackle the decline in nature and biodiversity. There has been a strong, positive response to their re-introduction so far due to the positive impacts that the beavers will have on the environment as well as the community engagement. A positive impact has been seen in other areas where they have been introduced, such as Plymouth, Essex and Dartmouth.”

The majority of the funding is coming from the Anglian Water's Get River Positive initiative. It is also possible to make personal donations to the Wildlife Trust Beaver Appeal, with £33,940 raised so far.

Retailers balance demands of online shopping with shopfront service

Blue Mitra

The nation's formerly busy high streets are quieter, and small-town shops are feeling the pinch in the ever-changing retail scene as online shopping continues to soar. For physical retailers, the latest data from 2023 paints a clear picture of shifting consumer behaviour.

A survey released by the National Retail Federation reported a twenty-five percent surge in internet sales in 2023 over the previous year. Customers are drawn more and more to e-commerce platforms because of their accessibility and convenience.

Teah Maibaum is sales assistant at the Oundle Book Shop, which was established in 1923 and is one of the oldest established independent bookshops in the UK. It is a fact that online businesses such as Amazon and World of Books have impacted the revenue coming into this small business. Teah said: “I have noticed a lot of people coming in asking me about books, and then they take a photo, and they go to Amazon. People see the best deal online, so they do that instead.”

From 2009 to 2022 the number of books sold from independent bookshops fell by approximately forty-three percent. However, Teah said that shopping for books in person remains a far better experience. “I definitely think just the communication and the social aspect is more worthwhile. You do tend to find things you wouldn't normally look for,” she said. Browsing and speaking to the sales assistants provides far more insight for better purchases, rather than relying on algorithms for the “frequently bought together”.

During the pandemic the Oundle Bookshop became part of an organisation called bookshop. org, an online bookshop that shares revenue with local independent bookshops. If you buy something from their warehouse, it gives the high street shop a small percentage. However, Teah reiterates that it still cannot beat the “lovely community you meet” in a shop, and the satisfaction of physically browsing shelf after shelf of beautiful covers and intriguing blurbs.

Taryn Moore, the owner of Bumble and Twig on West Street, said people still enjoy shopping in person. Eighty percent of her sales are in the shop, which she says is very important. However, she does recognise that the use of an online shop is particularly important to enable customers who are not local to shop with them. She also has

a click and collect. “That means our online store and physical store support and complement each other.”

Taryn echoes Teah’s view that the personal shopping experience and in-person communication allows for a guided purchase to find the perfect item. She thinks customers are making more careful choices and decisions about what to buy.

“We have noticed that customers are perhaps buying less in terms of quantity, but opting for high quality toys that stand the test of time and can be handed down and will be truly loved.”

Taryn shared an anecdote of a woman who shopped with Bumble and Twig. “She said she always asks herself ‘can I buy this in Oundle?’, before looking elsewhere, which I thought was a good ethos to have.”

She is committed to maintaining a shopfront. She said: “I am passionate about adding value to our local community and keeping it as a thriving place to be.”

The Oundle Market Place is also lucky enough to have its own shoe shop, North Shoes. As well as having a storefront, they have a website and offer a click and collect service if the shoes aren’t available in the Oundle store. This allows for a wider range of shoes to choose from, and the benefits of an online service attached to a high street shop where the services of a shoe fitting, the ability to try different sizes and the communication with the staff is only available in store. This is particularly important for those with young children with growing feet, when in-person fitting is essential.

Shopping in person also reduces the environmental impact of a return or exchange. Research at MIT concluded that because of packaging, shipping and return policies, the typical online buyer emits thirty percent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than a traditional retail customer. Furthermore, accelerated shipping options which online shoppers choose for convenience, can result in up to five times higher carbon emissions than regular delivery methods.

There is a substantial environmental, as well as economic and social impact from internet shopping that consumers need to consider before clicking the Buy Now option, rather than visiting our independent businesses in the Market Place.

Women entrepreneurs thrive in Oundle's Market Place

Felix Hwangbo

The business climate has rarely looked more unsettled than in the last few years. Inflation, interest rates, price pressures, rents, supply chains and ecommerce have presented many challenges for small businesses. But these challenges have not discouraged new businesses from opening in Oundle’s Market Place. And what we noticed is that many of these new businesses are being opened by women.

Nationally, the number of new businesses founded by women in 2022 more than doubled those founded in 2018. Almost 1 in 5 (18%) companies in the UK are led by women in 2024. Retail business trends in Oundle seem to outpace that trend. A rough hand count of businesses in the Market Place in Oundle suggested that 36% are now led by women. I dropped by a few shops to talk to the owners about the challenges of female entrepreneurship.

The women’s clothing shop, White Vanilla occupies a prime dual frontage position in town. Eunha Joung had previous retail experience in London before she opened her shop 14 years ago. Having come to England from South Korea, Eunha had to learn not only the differences between the structure of businesses but also the different types of clients and has adapted. She used to import clothes from South Korea but did not feel the stock suited the market here. She now stocks UK and European brands.

“Since we have many customers, we offer a variety of brands. Some like Aspiga and Seasalt, others might like Danish brands because they are more modern and chic. Seasalt is more English countryside style. My customers can see a variety of styles and not be limited. The stock is diverse.” she said.

Eunha said she has never experienced any barriers as a female shop owner. As the owner of a shop that caters to women’s fashion, it is natural that her

customers find it easy to talk to her about what they are looking for, aiding in forming a strong relationship. She feels a lot of pride when a client is happy with her purchase.

“When people come and tell me that they really enjoy wearing the clothes they bought last time, it really makes my day.”

Naomi Dixon owns the Greedy Piglet Cafe and agrees that relationships are key to a successful business. “Customer service is a massive thing. I enjoy a good banter,” she said.

She has run businesses in Corby for over 27 years and said there have been huge improvements in the business climate for women.

“Years ago, they'd come in, say, can we speak to the boss? They'd never assume it would be a woman,” she said.

Her years of entrepreneurship have revealed a few differences in the work culture. “I've worked with men and with women, and women have lists for everything,” she said. They both agreed that having a salaried job would have far fewer risks and less pressure. “At least when you join a company, you get paid monthly. But when you’re running a business, there’s no such guarantee,” Eunha explained. “It could result in a big risk.”

Naomi said that there are no days off when you run your own business. “You go home and do your book work; you worry about staff the next day and you worry about paying the bills.”

Despite the pressures, Eunha and Naomi said owning their own businesses had also given them more control over their ability to juggle family needs and advance their careers. Eunha said that being in charge meant she did not have to step back from her career when she had her children.

“It gave me more flexibility with my daughter at school,” Naomi said. But she admitted that on some days it is difficult to pretend that everything is always fine behind the scenes. She advised that women should not feel bad about having to juggle different demands. “You’re not in control of all the time. It's okay to have a really stressedout day and you don't have to apologise for that. You can fix it. It's okay to be stressed.”

She still remembers what it felt like to open her first business, and that satisfaction drives her ambitions. “I felt that I had accomplished something. It was mine.”

For Eunha, her shop is her livelihood, but it is not just about the business. “I mean, when you do something you like, whatever it may be, the joy multiplies, right?”

Eunha Joung at White Vanilla

Coffee and community at Beans

Ruby Allenby

The cafe is lively when I sit down with a smoothie in the bustling everyday ambiance of Beans to talk with Phil Gilbert about his 20 years serving coffee on Oundle’s best known street corner.

Before Phil and his late wife, Karen, opened Beans in February 2004, Phil had been a middle manager at Tesco head office for 20 years and Karen had some experience of managing a coffee shop. He wanted to work for himself, so they decided to start a business. “We had this idea, and we went round to Norwich, went to Derby, Nottingham looking at coffee shops and taking pictures,” he said.

They concluded that they wanted to be innovators in the field. At the time, coffee culture was not well established in Britain. “Our cafe would be modern, with top-quality, fair-trade coffee.”

They lived in Elton at the time, and felt there was nowhere to stop for coffee in Oundle. When the corner shop became vacant, they took it over to start their cafe. From the beginning, the problems they faced turned out to be positive, he said. “From day one, we doubled the business plan, and all of a sudden, we had to take on more staff. But it was a good problem to have.”

Phil credits Karen with the cafe’s early success. “She was the innovator.” While they each had a distinct role in maintaining the cafe, they worked as a team. While Phil would look after all the finances and look after maintenance of the buildings, Karen was the purchasing director. “She decided what we were going to buy, where we would buy it from and how much we would pay for it.” She also

chose the decor and furnishings to complete the cosy atmosphere.

After a few years in Oundle, Phil’s ambitions got the better of him when he suggested opening other cafes, despite Karen’s caution. “She only really wanted one. Maybe two at the most. But I wanted more.” They opened cafes in Stamford, Higham Ferrars, Uppingham, and then two on Northampton University campus. But along with Beans’ growth, came more competition from the growth of other coffee shops, including the

Beans is a popular place to work, and much of that is down to Phil’s management style. While I sat with him, it was obvious that his staff enjoy a positive work environment and have a great work ethic. Phil describes his style as a gentle boss, “a soft management way of working”.

“I work alongside my managers and then it cascades down,” he said. “Our staff turnover is really low. You know our accountants in Peterborough have said for yearsthey said we can't believe how low it is.”

Phil is proud to feel that he is part of the fabric of Oundle. Every

opening of a Costa opposite their cafe in Uppingham. “Coffee shops became more common. After a few years it became unmanageable. Once we started selling out, it was like dominoes,” he said.

On the other hand, the second cafe at the Oundle School Sports Centre has been very successful. Phil said: “It's a great little outlet.”

Karen died in 2018, but her legacy is Beans’ continued success in Oundle.

morning when they open at 8am there are 20 to 30 regular customers who come to enjoy this community fixture. “I love to come in here and just chat with the regulars,” Phil said. “There used to be an American programme on television called Cheers and it was all about a bar in Boston. Different people coming in and the regulars.” He said he likes to think Beans has the same friendly spirit for its regulars.

At 86 years of age, Paul is among

Scout Association awards highest honour to Sheila Pick

Iona Morgan

Sheila Pick was awarded the Silver Wolf at the Joan Strong Centre on 18 April. The Silver Wolf is the highest award given by the Scout Association. It is only awarded for service of a most exceptional nature and is rarely awarded for less than 30 years’ service.

Sheila is one of only 43 in the county to hold this honour.

The award was presented by Lee Jones, Deputy County Commissioner. There to witness the event was County Commissioner Steve Rolt, along with beavers, cubs, scouts, county and district team leader, parents and family. Sheila has been a Cub Scout

the regulars. He orders a latte and an almond croissant every morning. “Because the girls know that's what he wants, they put one aside in the morning, ready for Paul.”

The cafe is also a popular stop on cyclists’ maps on weekends. When the cyclists come every Sunday, Phil, a cyclist himself, often finds himself sitting alongside them discussing their routes and mileage.

During the pandemic, Beans became a focal point more than ever when they opened for takeaway. “People were coming from miles away,” Phil said.

Perhaps the best testament to Beans’ success is that it is very popular among school pupils. Lucy, 17, said she is a regular. “I love going to Beans with my friends, for the atmosphere and the milkshakes!”

As part of their 20-year celebration in February, Phil invited customers to participate in a quiz to guess the amount of ingredients that have been used by Beans over the last 20 years. The quantities are impressive. He estimated 349,000 litres of milk, 249,000 litres of ice cream and 147 million coffee beans.

The bestsellers seem to be timeless favourites, including the classic Malteser tiffin and lattes milkshakes. Phil said he sees a new trend though. “The Malteser is slowly giving way to the Oreo milkshake.” I remain a fan of the rocky road, which never seems to miss the spot.

It has been an incredible 20-year journey for Phil, with setbacks, heartbreak, success and new friends. He said he has a few more years before he retires. In the meantime, Phil is as positive and optimistic as ever. He told me, “It's just, I mean, I bounce out of bed every morning thinking, great! Another day at Beans!”

Leader for her whole adult life, and now has over 55 years of continuous service. She received Bar to Silver Acorn 14 years ago and was awarded the BEM for services to Scouting in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honors List.

Sheila undertook the Group Scout Leader's role, as well as Cub Leader for nearly 30 years when the Group was struggling to find people to fill leadership roles. She is also member of the 2nd Oundle Group Trustee Board.

The 2nd Oundle Cubs have larger than average membership, which is consistently around 30 to 36 Cubs.

The Joan Strong Centre is owned by the Oundle Town Council. It has been voluntarily run by the Oundle Scout and Guide Management Committee since 1992.

After 20 years, Beans is at the centre of Oundle, both physically and socially.

Sheila Pick was awarded the Silver Wolf in recognition of outstanding service.

60 issues of news around and about Oundle

1991 - 2024

"With six burglaries occurring over the past month accompanied by a vast increase in violence..."

"The worst flooding that Oundle has known for over fifty years struck during the Easter break..."

"Plans for the new health centre have received an unexpected setback which has put the entire scheme in jepardy..."

"Many have already gone on the warpath and joined an opposition group against the turbines..."

"In its long history, Oundle has never seen anything as exciting as the big day when cyclists took over the streets..."

"Anger and anxiety has been expressed at recent report that British Gas is planning to cut checks for gas leaks..."

"Oundle's average wind speed of about 12mph is just enough to make wind power practical..."

"Tory supporters are putting on a brave face, but many privately admit that they are resigned to defeat."

"Within seconds, alarms were set off. However the men were too smart for CCTV..."

"The proposals for a new Waitrose have been met with mixed reactions from Oundle’s businesses..."

"Fletton Field came to the market for sale on the instructions of NNC with a value of £2m..."

"A community is defined by how it responds to a crisis..."

Sophie Lam and Ella Younie

Reporting on crime, floods, pigeons and shifting politics over 33 years

Sophie Lam and Ella Younie

Since 1991, the Oundle Chronicle has published 60 newspaper issues with stories about local politics, commerce and people. The first newspaper was published with black and white pictures and featured stories of a crime wave and an alleged ghost in the Talbot Hotel. At this time, there was still a £39 bed and breakfast deal at the hotel. After the success of the first issue, the Chronicle published two issues a year and started printing in full colour in February 2004.

Over the years, the newspaper has followed and documented the town’s evolution. It has reported on the closure and changing ownership of pubs, shops and three banks, the last one in 2023. While the banks have not been replaced, there have been many new shops and restaurants.

Sometimes change has been controversial. When Tesco Express opened in the Market Place in 2006, there was debate about whether it would enhance the town or drive out local traders. In 2012 the Chronicle reported on the development plans for Waitrose in the front page story, “War of the Waitroses”, which had initially been met with many objections due to concerns about traffic and the impact on the Market Place. In 2014, when Norman’s greengrocer closed, there was also a lot of regret from its customers, as it had been situated in the Market Place for 65 years.

Housing developments have featured regularly in the Chronicle, beginning with the 1998 developments off Ashton and Glapthorn Roads by Westbury Homes and Persimmon. More recently have

been the developments off Herne Road and Cotterstock Road. Whilst there are always objections to the construction, the new housing is absorbed and new residents are always welcomed.

Since 2016, there have been twelve articles reporting on the shifting applications, hearings, petitions and fundraising events that have aimed to protect Northants council owned Fletton Field from the sale of the land for housing developments, leading ultimately to its adoption as a green space for the local community.

Environmental issues are often covered, and the flooding by the River Nene is a recurring news story with each season reported to be the worst. “Spring Floods hit Oundle” was the front-page story of the 1998 spring issue, and in 2012 a local resident described the flooding as the “worst flooding in Oundle for 20 years”. This past winter and spring has also seen very high levels of rainfall which resulted in the flooding of roads and low-lying areas.

The town council said it would tackle a serious “pigeon problem” in 1997. In 2023, the frontpage article of the Chronicle urged the county council to take action regarding the “scourge” of cigarette butts littering Oundle streets.

Stories about possible wind turbines to start utilising renewable energy in Northamptonshire include the 2005 article titled “Turbines Plan Puts the Wind up Villagers”. The issue calmed down in 2009, as reported in “Wind Farm Regulations Relaxed”. More recently, applications for solar farms at Titchmarsh have received objections from area residents.

In Oundle, there is continued public engagement with cultural and social events. Many longrunning events make regular appearances in the Chronicle including the annual Gilbert and Sullivan Society production and the summer music festivals.

For a small rural market town, many prominent people have lent their time for interviews by the Chronicle team. In 1991, HRH Princess Alice was interviewed at the age of 90, and in 1993 “Mr Nice Guy” Gary Lineker talked football. In 1998 Jenny Agutter talked to the Chronicle about her films and funding for the arts. The author Michael Morpurgo sat down for tea with a Chronicle writer in 2010, and Jo Brand talked about comedy.

Oundle Chronicle often covers local politics at both council and parliamentary level. There have been a series of interviews with Oundle’s MPs. In 1992 the Chronicle sat down with the anti-immigration conservative MP William Powell, followed by the Labour MP Phil Hope who defeated him in 1997. There were two interviews with his successor, the Conservative MP Louise Bagshawe who was elected in 2006. After she resigned mid-term in 2012, Labour MP Andy Sawford won the by-election, but then lost in 2015 to the current conservative MP Tom Pursglove, who has been a frequent correspondent and contributor to Chronicle stories. The Corby constituency is well known as a swing district. In a 1997 article titled “No Hope for Tories?”, the Chronicle predicted a victory for the Labour party, and Tony Blair won by a landslide that year. Twenty-seven years later the story

mirrors the current prospects for the Conservative party.

Another frequent headlining theme in the Chronicle is crime. In 1991, the owner of the clock shop on West Street offered a reward after thieves smashed his shop window and stole £2000 worth of clocks. The 2011 winter issue was titled, “Return of the Ram Raiders”, reporting on the second smash-and-grab burglary that year. In the winter 2010 issue, a hitand-run was reported, as well as a smash-and-grab of a cash machine. The “blight” of hare coursing on local farms was reported in 2021. In every issue, there are regular Police Beat columns on local crime incidents and general safety issues in town.

Of all the stories that the Oundle Chronicle has published, the most consequential event must be the Covid-19 pandemic. People had to completely reshape their everyday lives to meet the new health restrictions. Most shops hung a “closed until further notice” sign in their window and the streets were emptied. Oundle School pupils returned home and were later kept in “year group bubbles”, but the Chronicle still managed to publish the paper.

The 2020 issue titled “We’ll meet again”, observed that “a community is defined by how it responds to a crisis”. Teams of residents rallied to sew scrubs and make face shields for medical staff, and volunteered to help anyone who was self-isolating and unable to run necessary errands.

The reoccurring theme throughout the 60 issues of the Oundle Chronicle has been the story of a vibrant, resilient community.

Oundle Primary School enthusiastically celebrated the royal wedding in 2011.

Remembrance Services commemorate milestones such as the end of WWI in 2017.

The Gilbert and Sullivan Society has been staging annual shows since 1958.

The disruption of the 2020 pandemic upended all aspects of town life.

Mick and Kam Patel provided a reassuring service at the Post Office for over 30 years.

Annual summer festivals attract crowds to Oundle from far and wide.

After 40 years at the helm of The Ship Inn, the Langridge family retired in 2024.

The founders of Barnwell Country Park,the Museum, Transition Oundle and local history, cycled into town well into their 80s.

Iona Morgan

Restoring Elizabeth Creed's legacy

Elizabeth Creed was an artist and philanthropist who lived in and around Oundle for her whole life. Her family’s legacy is marked by an Oundle street name, perhaps more in tribute to her husband, John Creed, than to Elizabeth herself. However, her reputation alone earned her inclusion in the Dictionary of National Biography and Redgrave’s Dictionary of English Artists. Since she didn’t seek fame or recognition for her work, she has gone unnoticed and forgotten.

The recent restoration of her work at Titchmarsh St Mary’s Church has refocused attention on her reputation as a philanthropist and an accomplished artist.

She was born Elizabeth Pickering in Titchmarsh in 1642, into an influential family. Her father, Sir Gilbert Pickering, was a Parliamentarian and her mother was the sister of Sir Edward Montague, who despite serving under Cromwell, became the Earl of Sandwich in 1660 after he accompanied Charles II back to England.

In October 1668, she married John Creed, a naval administrator and Fellow of the Royal Society. Together with her husband, she lived in Cobthorne in the heart of Oundle, a house built for a majorgeneral in Oliver Cromwell’s army. Of their eleven children, only five survived into adulthood. At Cobthorne, she entertained many guests, including her cousin, the poet, John Dryden.

Another of her cousins was Samuel Pepys, the prominent English diarist. He was close with the Creed family, mentioning them 103 times throughout his diaries. He was particularly fond of Elizabeth. He visited her at Hinchingbrooke House near Huntingdon before she was married, referring to her affectionately as “Betty Pickering”. He wrote she was “a very wellbred and comely lady, but very fat”. He was also close enough to have opinions on her marriage, which he discussed with her aunt, Lady Sandwich. He did not approve of John Creed as a husband for Elizabeth, thinking that he was marrying above his station. He visited the Creeds in London on many occasions, although he complained that during one visit they offered “nothing to drink or eat, which is a thing that will spoil our ever having any acquaintance with them”.

After the death of her husband in 1701 when she was 60, Elizabeth moved from Cobthorne to a house in Barnwell where her mother’s family, the Montagues had property. In 1940, the art historian, Katherine Esdaile noted that with this large change in her life, she was free to devote herself to her own interests and develop her talents in a public sphere.

During her marriage she painted private family portraits, such as a portrait of the Earl of Sandwich, which is said to hang at Drayton House. However, after her husband’s death, she began devoting time to large-scale paintings in religious houses. Her daughter said Elizabeth contributed painted work including six altarpieces to eight churches, but after Victorian renovations and demolition, only three Northamptonshire religious buildings near Oundle and one over the border at Catworth remain with her painted altarpieces and other decorations.

The writer and critic Sacheverell Sitwell admired her skill and noted how widespread her work was: “An old guidebook says that there are few churches in the neighbourhood that could not at one point boast of a painted cloth, a table of the Commandments, or a monument, designed and painted by Mrs Creed.” Katherine Esdaile called her “an artist among the most interesting of English amateurs” and said that she had “some remarkable works”.

In a private commission in 1708, one of her cousins asked her to paint the trompe l’oeil decorations of panelling and columns in two rooms at Canons Ashby. In an article for Northamptonshire Past and Present, Carew Treffgarne wrote: “It is at Canons Ashby that Creed’s talent as an artist can be particularly appreciated...The lasting legacy of her mastery of the technique of trompe l’oeil has to be the ‘Painted Parlour’ “.

At the chancel remains of Barnwell All Saint’s Church, on a memorial to her daughter Dorothy, she composed the epitaph, which was carved in stone, and she also hand-lettered the aphorism at the top, surrounded by painted swags.

At the Creed Chapel in Ashton, which was built in 1706 with the support of the Creed family, she painted two tablets, which sat on either side of the door at the back of the chapel, which were later removed. However, the altarpiece still remains with trompe l’oeil drapery surrounding painted tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments set against an open bible.

Titchmarsh St Mary’s Church has the largest remains of work by her, including monuments to

Elizabeth Creed's memorial to her brother at Titchmarsh St Mary's Church was restored by conservator Polly Saltmarsh.

The memorial to Reverend Dr Theophilus Pickering was painted entirely in greys with tromp l’oeil columns.

photos: Polly Saltmarsh

her daughter, son, two brothers, and John Dryden and his family. In March 2023, conservation treatment of the painted surfaces was completed on the works in this church by Polly Saltmarsh. Structural treatments of the wooden memorials were done by Richard Dowling, a bespoke cabinetmaker. Funding for the conservation was organised by Pilton resident, Carew Treffgarne, with contributions from the Georgian Group, the Leche Trust and the Francis Coales Charitable Foundation.

The memorial to Erasmus and Mary Dryden is one of the pieces recently renewed. Its lintel, wooden framework and plaster bust of their son John Dryden set at the top, were all restored and the central hand-lettered panel was cleaned and varnished, improving the contrast and legibility of the text. Another restored piece was the memorial to her brother, Reverend Dr Theophilus Pickering. The paintwork was cleaned, varnished and then retouched to restore the details and contrast in the painting.

Elizabeth was also a composer of epitaphs which she painted or had carved on monuments, including the epitaph for the memorial for her son at Westminster Abbey commemorating his death at Blenheim in 1704.

Beyond artistic pursuits, Elizabeth dedicated her time to charity. She instructed young girls in needlework and other skills. It is recorded that she spent two days a week on charitable work. She is remembered for having visited people suffering from all kinds of illnesses and passed time comforting them and administering medicine.

Her pious reputation is memorialised in a poem by the poet John Dryden. While dining at Cobthorne, he was asked to compose an impromptu poem about names, and he turned to his cousin Elizabeth and recited a short poem. These lines were discovered much later by Elizabeth’s great grandson William Walcot among his mother’s possessions. “So much religion in your name doth dwell / Your soul must needs with piety excel.”

Elizabeth Creed was a woman of faith who showed this through charitable work in the community and through her adornment of religious houses. She was a woman focused on remembering others in her memorials and contributing to social life, with no desire for credit to herself. While a memorial for Elizabeth herself does exist, it was not erected until long after her death by William Walcot. Her quiet accomplishments stand as an unassuming but notable part of Oundle’s history.

Possible sighting of the wreck of HMS Gloucester

Iona Morgan

In February of this year, Polly Saltmarsh restored a naval scene that is set into panelling in a bedroom at Cobthorne where Elizabeth Creed lived until 1701. The painting is attributed to Elizabeth, and the subject of the painting is unconfirmed, but Polly Saltmarsh suggested that is depicts the HMS Gloucester, a ship that sank off Yarmouth in May 1682. This is certainly plausible for several reasons. When compared to a painting of the wreck at the National Maritime Museum from 1682, it is noticeable, particularly after the conservation, that the flags are identical. Also, both painted ships are flying the royal ensign, which could only be flown when the Lord Admiral or monarch was on board. James, the Duke of York and future king of England, was at that time the Lord

Admiral, and he was on board with his royal party travelling up the coast to Edinburgh.

The sinking of the HMS Gloucester was a national disaster. In the early hours of May 6, the passengers and crew woke as the ship started to sink, having run into a sandbank off the coast of Norfolk. James survived, but up to 250 people lost their lives. News of this disaster spread quickly, and Elizabeth would have undoubtedly heard about it from her husband, who was a naval officer.

Elizabeth's cousin, Samuel Pepys, was accompanying the Gloucester on a smaller boat, and witnessed the disaster. He wrote about it in his letters and might have had the opportunity to recount the event to Elizabeth.

Nigel Pickford, the maritime historian who has written about

the wreck of HMS Gloucester, was shown a photo of the painting. He said: "The Gloucester was the most probable subject matter. The flags are identical to those shown in other paintings of this wreck, the distribution of the nearby ships is similar, and there appears to be what could be a sandbank in the foreground.”

Pickford’s reservation was that the stern of the painted ship did not resemble the stern of the Gloucester, which was a third-rater ship with fewer windows.

"However, this does not necessarily mean that it was not intended to be the HMS Gloucester. Accuracy of detail was not always the main priority.”

The subject of the painting remains unconfirmed, but most clues point to the tragic story of the wreck of the Gloucester.

Unravelling the unknown origins of The Ship Inn

Sitting

The Ship Inn, a welcoming pub in the heart of Oundle, known by

its regular patrons for its friendly atmosphere and inviting menu. The one thing about The Ship that is not known, however, is how it got its name.

Of course, there are plenty of pubs with the name of The Ship; in fact, there are around 240 pubs with the name, but most of these pubs are located in maritime areas. Which makes us wonder why it was given this name in a town so far from the coast.

The Ship is reputed to date all the way back to the 14th century. However, the earliest documented reference to The Ship we have been able to find is from John Coleman’s diary entry in 1778. A few years later in 1781 he mentions a “Bloody Battle was fought by Mrs Chapman

and Mrs Brookshaw”.

Andrew Langridge, the former owner of The Ship Inn, thought it was given its name because of the River Nene, which used to be navigable by ships using a trade route to Wisbech. The lane next to the pub may have been used to go down to the river. During his ownership, Andrew filled The Ship with paintings of boats, especially galleons, just like the one painted on its sign.

In the 17th century, the artist Elizabeth Creed lived next door to the pub and her husband, John Creed, was a naval administrator. His relationship to the navy perhaps inspired her painting of the wreck of the Gloucester, and possibly the name for The Ship.

Tom Drew

right next to Cobthorne is

The painting at Cobthorne is attributed to Elizabeth Creed. The recent cleaning revealed flags with insignia that match those flown by HMS Gloucester.

Oundle Museum buys Bronze Age hoard found at Stoke Doyle

Tom Drew

One would assume that everything that could be discovered has already been unearthed, yet we are still digging up ancient artefacts today. In fact, more than 53,000 archaeological finds and 1,300 Treasure cases were recorded during 2022, the highest ever reported in a single year across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Close to home, Oundle has been the source of many archaeological finds over several years. The most recent find was purchased by Oundle Museum, a hoard found by a metal detectorist that included hand axes and spearheads dating

the Oundle Museum, which was happy to buy it. The finds went on display at Oundle Museum in March this year.

This was not the only local Bronze Age discovery. Oundle is the site of archaeological finds indicating settlements dating back to around 4000 years ago.

In 1965 Mr D. Cunnington was digging a grave at the cemetery when he came across a Bronze Age burial urn. The site was subsequently excavated by a team from Oundle School who discovered a further five urns. This was the first Bronze Age find of any significance in this county, and the urns, considering they are two and a half thou-

open field near Cotterstock. He notified his master and with the help of a neighbour or two, they dug up a lot of earth to give them a view of “a very elegant piece of work.”

Nine months after the initial discovery of the Roman villa, William Stukeley entered a series of events in his diary, outlining the finding of a “beautiful Roman pavement 20ft square and very little defaced by time”. The mosaic was made of red, light blue, white and grey tesserae. It was, however, not Stukeley who discovered the pavement but a local gentleman, believed to be George Lynn who lived at Southwick Hall, less than a mile from the site. Lynn wrote to Stukeley saying that he had discovered the pavement and wanted Stukeley to visit the mosaic at its re-opening since the original placement. The discovery

back to the late Bronze Age.

The hoard was found near Stoke Doyle in 2020 and purchased by Oundle Museum with donations from Oundle Feoffees and the Nene Valley Archaeological Trust. The late Bronze Age hoard included a spear broken into four large pieces, one small ring, 32 ingot fragments, two complete socketed axeheads and one incomplete axehead.

Oundle Museum’s John Hadman said it would have been a bronze founder’s hoard, the equivalent today of a scrap metal collector. “He would go round collecting odd bits of bronze, ready to remake stuff. He would have put his finds in a bag and buried it under a tree. When he came this way again, he would dig it up and use it. But obviously, something happened, and he didn’t come back.”

Although it is a shame for the bronze metal collector who left behind his treasure, it was lucky for

sand years old, were in remarkably good condition.

In 1979, early Bronze Age and early Anglo-Saxon pottery was discovered at the location of Warren Bridge, including bowls and jars unearthed at a site adjacent to Oundle cemetery.

In preparation for the development of the Persimmon estate on Glapthorn Road, archaeological surveys in 1999 found evidence of settlements that spanned the late Bronze Age to the Anglo-Saxon period. Discoveries included Roman enclosures and settlements, late Bronze Age and early Iron Age pits and postholes scattered on the site, as well as a Roman villa filled with substantial quantities of pottery, animal bone and ceramic building material.

One significant find from the Roman era took place in 1736, when a servant to a farmer who lived about a mile out of Oundle discovered the remains of a Roman villa in an

a group of Roman figures clad in robes and mournfully looking off into the distance. According to one scholar at the time: “It equals the best artistic work bestowed upon the finest examples of Roman pottery with which we are cognizant, the figures being modelled and finished with great care and skill.”

drawing of a rare

caused such excitement in the local community that “the people of the country having heard of it, came in great numbers.” Some even took souvenir lumps of tesserae after walking all over the ancient mosaic pavement. The fourth Earl of Cardigan, who lived at Deene Park, decided to remove a large corner of the pavement to display it as a centrepiece for the floor of a summerhouse at the end of a water-garden. There is no trace of the summerhouse or its floor that remains.

Another small but significant piece of history was found in St Peter’s Churchyard in 1856. A shard of a Roman vase was discovered, the exact location of which was unrecorded. The fragment of Roman pottery found was of a class so rare in this country that the collector had only ever come across one other example. There was the mark of the potter on the fragment spelling out “OF. LIBERTI.” Alongside the lettering there was

Revealing more recent early history was an Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered in 1942 at Nassington, north of Oundle. Although there have been many discoveries like this in Northamptonshire in the past, no detailed record exists of any series of burials larger than the fifty graves found at this site, which was discovered during the construction of a gravel pit. To expose the gravel, about two feet of soil was removed with a mechanical scraper, revealing the existence of buried human remains, but not before many of the grave sites had been destroyed and relics smashed. Before the site could be secured and a proper exploration of the site made, many remains were further wrecked or looted. Led by archaeologist Mr Wyman Abbot and assisted by members of Oundle School, a detailed excavation recovered the remains of artefacts that were mostly broken due to the grave digging. Luckily, three graves were discovered later that were “more or less undisturbed,” allowing a further excavation. Although it seems disrespectful to dig up the remains of people carefully buried many years ago, the examination of these sites provides us with the archaeological evidence to gain an insight into the lives of communities that lived centuries before us.

Oundle Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays 1pm-4pm until November.

The Bronze Age hoard found at Stoke Doyle was reported to the Leicestershire Finds Liaison Officer before Oundle Museum was given the opportunity to purchase it.

A

Roman shard found in 1856 in St Peter's churchyard.

Zebra's Den: Oundle's soft-play

haven offers families fun and fitness

Felix Hwangbo

Soft-play spaces are havens of fun for the young and youngat-heart. With towering foam structures in colourful landscapes and maze-like obstacle courses, indoor playgrounds captivate the imagination and spirit of adventure for young children. Whereas before, parents had to travel for miles to join the fun, Oundle now has its own soft-play centre right on its doorstep.

Zebra's Den, opened by Phil Millward, the owner of Oundle Fitness, is the ideal place for parents. Phil explained that after twelve years of running Oundle Fitness, another unit in the Nene Valley Business Park became available, and Phil was certain he wanted to make best use of it. Whilst expanding the gym would have been the obvious choice, he decided to take a different approach.

“We thought a soft-play was a gap in the market, so that’s why we went for the soft-play. And having young kids myself, it was perfect,” he said.

When he first announced his plans on social media, he said, “The reactions were really, really positive, which encouraged us.” There hadn’t been a soft-play near

Oundle, so Zebra's Den naturally has become a hit.

A priority for Phil has been a focus on what parents appreciate, not just the children, and that has included the design of the space with its modern, bright jungle theme. “The adults love the look of it, not just the kids.”

Drawing upon his fitness

for both parents and babies. There are also rhyme times for preschool children, and special activities for holidays, such as Easter egg hunts. Zebra's Den aims to strengthen the bond between the kids and the parents. “We’re just doing little things which aren’t being done anywhere else. I think that’s why we have so many returning customers,” Phil said.

Fulfilling the need for parents to find activities for birthday parties, Zebra's Den is a hugely

background, Phil has also scheduled sessions to include parents, such as an exercise class

popular destination, booking up months in advance. Party packages include a range of menus, balloon

decorations and sweet treats. “The parties at the weekend have been a big hit, because there’s nothing in Oundle that offers a set-up designed for children’s parties. It’s just really taken off.”

Phil did a lot of research when he designed the activity areas. It was important to accommodate children with different needs, ages and different levels of development.

Zebra's Den is not only equipped with a huge, cushioned climbing frame for energetic kids, but there are also quieter spaces such as role play areas and a sensory room designed for younger kids, toddlers, and neurodivergent children.

For adults, there is a cafe where they can chat with friends and from where they can watch the children play safely and independently.

Phil is pleased with what his team has created. “It feels really rewarding. It is not just the success, but it’s also just been about giving the community something. We did it with Oundle Fitness, when we opened twelve years ago, and there wasn’t a gym nearby. We have put in twelve years and we’re still here, still with the loyal members. For anyone who hasn’t been here, just come down and check us out. See what we’re about.”

Visit their website: zebrasden.co.uk, or their Facebook page for more information.

Adventure in Learning

Phil Millward's Zebra's Den offers soft-play opportunities that young children and their parents appreciate.

The Longest Yarn recreates the Longest Day on 80th anniversary

Tom Drew

Over the last few years, Oundle residents have enjoyed the talented imaginative knitted creations made by the Oundle Yarn Bombers on display in the Marketplace on many occasions from Remembrance Days to the Coronation and Christmas. Now, their talents have received international recognition in a project that commemorates the 80th anniversary of D-Day this year.

The Longest Yarn is a project involving knitters from around the world who have created 80 onemetre panels, each depicting an event from D-Day, one of the most significant invasions in history.

Many of the scenes depicted in the display, as well as its title, were taken from the film The Longest Day, a historically accurate dramatization of the Normandy landings.

The project was initiated by Tansy Forster, who is originally from Oundle, but who now lives in Carentan, France. Tansy used to ring the bell for Oundle’s St Peter’s Church. Her uncle Peter Richardson is commemorated on the town memorial.

The project idea came to Tansy while she knitted a garden gate topper to commemorate D-Day. With encouragement from others, and with inspiration from the Bayeux Tapestry, she decided to expand her plan to create an 80-metre-long display with contributions from other knitters.

Tansy likes to remain in contact with her hometown and she knew about the Oundle Yarn Bombers. She reached out to see if they would like to bring one of the panels to life, which of course they were eager to do. And it is not just Oundle knitters who have participated, but people have contributed from all over the world from Germany to America.

The number 80 holds huge significance to this commemoration. The 80 metres of carefully knitted scenes signifies the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and the 80-day long Battle of Normandy. Some of the knitters had relatives directly involved in the war and used family stories to inspire the creation of some of the scenes.

Immense detail was taken into creating each scene. In one case, 40 soldiers were carefully knitted with brown military boots. But with the aim for complete historical accuracy, all the boots were changed to black after the knitters were informed by a historian about the uniform.

Some of the scenes depict knitted soldiers based on real men who fought in the battles. Robin, one of the knitters based in Virginia, US made one of her soldiers in memory of Corporal

Waverly Woodson, who was wounded coming into Omaha beach and was a member of the only African American battalion to come ashore early.

The historical scene depicted by

the Oundle Yarn Bombers features a model of the Pegasus Bridge, with Lord Lovat and his piper Bill Millin, as well as twenty soldiers and a cascade of poppies.

Their completed scene was exhibited at Fletton House in March to a large crowd that included pupils from Oundle Primary School. Piper Bill’s son, John Millin came from Nottingham to attend the event, where he was greeted at Fletton House by local piper Mick O'Leary who played ‘Blue Bonnets Over the Border,’ the song that Piper Bill played on the bridge.

Lord Lovat led the Special Service Brigade, and successfully captured Pegasus Bridge on 5th June 1944, the first bridge to be captured on D-Day. The bridge was captured after an aggressive ten minutes of fire fight, and only ninety minutes after taking off from RAF Tarrant Rushton, Major Howard was able to send the code words “Ham and Jam,” indicating the capture of the bridge.

Bill Millin was a Canadian musician who played bagpipes and was the personal piper for Simon Fraser, the 15th Lord Lovat. Known as Piper Bill, he was on the bridge with Lord Lovat who led the troops across the bridge under fire from the Germans.

Bill played a huge part in D-Day. Although not officially allowed by the military, he marched up and down the beach playing the bagpipes during the landings. The knitted scene depicts him playing the bagpipes wearing trousers, which he changed into after his kilt got soaked from wading ashore to the beach.

The French made a tribute to Bill with a life-sized statue of him erected near the spot where he went ashore in 1944 on Sword Beach.

Significantly, the knitted jumper worn by the figure was made from the unravelled yarn of Bill Millin’s favourite woollen jumper, given to the knitters by his son.

Not only was the wool used for the figure’s clothing, but the leftover wool was used to make a knitted model bagpipe, presented to John at the exhibition.

The Oundle knitters’ scene was displayed at Fletton House in March before being transported to France to be assembled with the other panels.

The full exhibition at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Carentan will be open from 28 May until 1 September. Then the exhibition will tour, with the first destination possibly being in Nottinghamshire.

Oundle's display shows Piper Bill at the front of the procession on Pegasus Bridge.

John Millin was presented with a knitted replica of his father's bagpipes.

Oundle knitters used yarn from Bill Millin's jumper to create a set of bagpipes.

All the fun at the Oundle Vintage Festival

This year’s Oundle Vintage Festival, held on 18 May, transported visitors back in time with nostalgic and entertaining activities and displays showcasing vintage culture, from classic cars and antique treasures to retro fashion and music.

The 1912 Allchin steam traction engine rolled into town with Craig Kemp in the driver’s seat. Owner Allen Eaton MBE has raised £2m for charities over 35 years as a steam engine exhibitor and organiser at rallies, festivals and shows.

Cakes and an unending supply of scones were served at the Queen Victoria Hall vintage tea room, where funds raised benefitted Oundle Volunteers and Oundle and District Care.

Sophie and Molly from Kings Cliffe raided Sophie’s vast vintage collection. Sophie is member of the Shirls Girls fashion and history shows.

Monika Kledzik and Barbara Kidson met at the MaSh Dance School in Corby. They collect vintage outfits to complement their dance events.

Lindy hop dancers Steve and June Sams from Bassingbourne celebrated June’s 60th birthday, dressed for the occasion in a 1959 Fiat 500.

Holly Winbolt and Louis Buret from The Splined Hub at Barnwell Marina restore and service classic Jaguars.

No festival would be complete without a hog roast by Simon and Sarah Singlehurst from New Lodge Farm.

The iconic London AEC Routemaster, withdrawn in 2005, is now a novelty for younger generations.

Gordon and Ruth Mullan (with their dog, Alea) from Stanwick visit vintage festivals around the region and have period clothes to match every theme.

Professor Diamond's Punch and Judy show provided timeless entertainment.

Tony Robinson drove his 1915 Ford Model T Speedster into town.

Music and dancing in the streets was held at three stage areas in town.

Vinyl record collectors found some pickings among the vintage stalls.

There is nothing old fashioned about games where there are prizes to win.

Storytelling in The Snug

Blue Mitra

When Robert-Louis Abrahamson got married many years ago, he was not expecting to be interrogated by his new in-laws on his wedding day. But when his wife’s uncle asked him about his calling in life, surprisingly, he was ready with an answer: “It's to bring older literature alive to modern readers.”

After a career of teaching at university and with an archive of over 300 podcasts about literature, he has now brought that calling to monthly lamp-lit evenings at the Talbot Hotel’s Snug.

The evenings were the idea of Luisa Jamieson-Mclean, who first heard him talking about Dante on his Cambridge radio show, and she asked whether he would do a live session in Oundle.

“I love live storytelling,” she said. “I think it is one of those lost arts. I thought it would be lovely and snug at The Talbot to have a story-telling evening. I know that Robert is a fantastic storyteller, he has a beautiful voice. The Snug is a lovely room. People can get a drink. It’s just a relaxed, social evening. And he is so engaging.”

The first session took place in November 2023 with a reading and discussion on Dante’s The Divine Comedy. No one who attended called themselves specialists or even considered themselves familiar with the theme, but the session was very well received. Luisa said: “Because of Robert’s excitement about the subject itself, it was an exciting talk and people were very interested.”

Robert has spent a lot of time

thinking about Dante. It might seem like an intimidating subject, but he knows how to talk about Dante’s work with different audiences. “What Dante is doing, for instance, is taking theology from the 13th and 14th centuries and translating it into a story which has images that stay in your mind,” he said. “It's an image rather than a doctrine. Each generation can come to it fresh and bring it to life.”

By popular demand Robert returned for another session in December, but this time with the 20th century writer Truman Capote. “He wrote one of the best short stories in American 20th century literature called a ‘Christmas Memory’. It's very difficult to read,” Robert said. “I remember reading it for a class once and I got all choked up at the point where the dog dies. It's a funny story, and it's also moving and profound. It's amazing that that man should have written it.”

Despite being an American, his

preparation for the session meant he had to practice an Alabama accent. “Anybody from Alabama would know it wasn't the right kind of accent, but I did it anyway. People in England didn't know!”

The next sessions allowed him to indulge in his favourite Scottish writers, Robert Burns, and his own namesake, Robert Louis Stevenson. He said Stevenson’s fables are his real masterpieces. His session on Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” raised a lot of discussion, as did an evening spent reading an essay by Montaigne.

Since stepping down from his career as a lecturer ten years ago, Robert has been broadcasting on Cambridge radio and on his successful podcast, Evening Under Lamplight. But the connection of being in a room with attentive listeners is something that he has missed. After all these years since he told his in-laws of his calling, his belief in the value and enjoyment of literature has not dimmed.

Separate from classroom instruction, his passion is for tales that can be read aloud and shared. He said that Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan poet, offers an engaging description of the importance and pleasure of literature in his “Defence of Poesy”.

“He says that ‘poetry is a medicine of cherries’. In other words, it teaches you something that you need to have to survive and to be healthy. It teaches you truths, but in a sweet way like cherry flavoured medicine. As Horace said, ‘Dolce e utile’. Sweet and useful.”

The Snug’s storytelling evenings are advertised on Facebook. People can message Luisa to book a place, which are limited by the compact size of the room.

The Party at the Wharf is Oundle's 'Party of the Year'

Creative Oundle has exciting music events planned for this summer in jazz and 80s pop genres.

On 6 July, there will be an evening of jazz at the Stahl Theatre, performed by award-winning singer Jacqui Dankworth and accompanying musicians.

It will include music drawn from her studio albums and tracks that have inspired her career, including music from her new album released in 2024.

As a songwriter and lyricist, Jacqui’s music is influenced by many genres including, jazz, folk, soul, blues and classical.

Creative Oundle’s Party of the Year is planned for 13 July at the Oundle Wharf. It promises to be a fantastic evening of music and fun

under the stars.

The Party at the Wharf is set to have an 80s theme and be headlined by the band Don’t Stop Believin’, the popular tribute band that plays the best of 80s classics. They will be supported by the trio Bamboozle, with music drawing on the rich heritage of rock’n’roll.

The evening will also feature local favourites, The B-List, and Karmadillo, who are making their debut at the Wharf.

Bring a picnic or visit the food stalls. A pay bar will offer drinks alongside beer from the hosts, the Nene Valley Brewery.

Tickets for all Creative Oundle events can be obtained via their website: creativeoundle.co.uk.

Lucy Aliker

Storytelling evenings in The Snug feature a wide variety of themes.

The Party will be headlined by Dont Stop Believin', whose sell-out shows of 80's era tunes are huge hits with audiences around the UK.

photo: Creative Oundle

Explore Oundle's

Open Gardens

This year Oundle Open Gardens takes place on Sunday June 9th 11am - 5pm. Organised by Creative Oundle, the event is an opportunity to visit carefully tended and innovative private town gardens.

There are some new gardens this year, some unusual showpieces, and examples of horticultural excellence, including roses at their beautiful best.

For visitors, and even those who live locally, it is a rare chance to explore a series of courtyards, arbours, herbaceous borders and lawns that lie behind the house frontages.

Refreshments are on sale at a couple of the gardens, as well as in the town’s cafes and pubs.

For tickets go to creativeoundle. co.uk or visit Milestones Florist. Tickets will be £5 in advance, and £7 on the day.

Wristbands and programmes will need to be collected from Queen Victoria Hall on West Street.

Please note that dogs and picnics are not permitted in the gardens.

The event is supported by local sponsors Beans, The Barn Garden Centre and Woodford & Co.

A week of summer music at The Fringe

Get ready for a week of music, drama and poetry in pubs, restaurants, cafes and outdoor spaces as Oundle’s popular Fringe Festival returns. The full line-up of more than 40 acts has been announced for 4-13 July.

JP and the Hat offer some fine acoustic rock and pop over lunchtime at The Greedy Piglet café on Friday 5 July. In the early evening, Stamford Shoestring will follow last year’s ‘Bit of Ado about Nothing’ with their take on Jane Austen at

Rock tribute bands, bluegrass, heavy metal, R&B, ukulele strummers, a flute ensemble, classical guitarists, singing groups, a full orchestra plus folk musicians and dancers will perform. Almost all events are free.

A Treasure Trail, art exhibition, Regency Tea Dance, open mic nights, poets and drama slots, plus the Fringe Quiz at The Ship on July 8th add to the celebrations.

The Talbot.

For teenagers, the Next Generation introduces two young groups who will take over part of The Ship pub on Saturday afternoon 6 July: pop band Upon This Rock will follow girl group, The Violets.

The Rusty Players Orchestra promises an afternoon of popular classical music in St Peter’s on 7 July. Folk song and dance hold centre stage with an “all welcome

to play” that evening at The Ship Inn, and a folk-dance session at The Talbot Hotel on 9 July.

The big sound of two ukulele groups will be performing: one from Wansford on 8 July, and one from Kettering on 11 July.

Think you know Oundle? A devious Treasure Trail will open eyes to secrets and discoveries, including the Biggin Quilt, which will be on display at Oundle Museum exclusively for the Fringe on the afternoons of July 6 and 7.

The Fringe is made possible with the support of Oundle’s generous sponsors and owners of the venues.

For details of the line-up and updates: oundlefringe.org.

find out

JP and the Hat will bring acoustic rock and pop to The Greedy Piglet. Hilary Caley and Geoff Brown

photos: Oundle Fringe

Golfzon Golf Suite

Activate Holiday Camps

Swimming Lessons

Swimming Teacher Training

Preston’s Health Physiotherapy

Sports Hall Activities

Personal Training

Studio Classes

Beans Cafe