This edition deals with planning applications; and recent and forthcoming events.
Recent planning responses: as agreed at the members' meeting, we are now reporting briefly in the newsletter on recent planning applications of note. We have expressed concern about the proposed repainting at 70 High Street, where they want the doors to be black - an off-white everywhere would be better. Browne's Hospital is proposing to install a rope hand rail – any help on the stairs gratefully received! The Society's planning sub-committee spent much time last year talking to the owner and architect working on the buildings at the rear of St. Mary's Street; they have now applied for permission for some signs, and we have commented that the lettering is too big.
You will probably have seen that the proposed eco-home on the land close to the Meadows has been refused by SKDC, and that the appeal by Kier against the refusal to allow building on the southern edge of the town has been unsuccessful. The Society made representations against both of these applications.
Since the last newsletter:
Tuesday May 26th: Open garden in Stamford – Peter Heyes opened his garden for us. About 50 members attended; we were delighted that the best weather of the week coincided with the opening. A total of £300 was raised for Peter's chosen cause, The Brain Tumour Charity. Thanks to everyone who gave so generously.
Tuesday June 2nd: a private visit to Island Hall, Godmanchester. Even on such a blustery day as our visit Island Hall, situated in the heart of Godmanchester on the banks of the River Great Ouse, looked charming. It is an elegant red brick, early-Georgian mansion, built in classical style in 1749 for John Jackson Esq., Receiver General for Huntingdonshire. The three-storey central part is flanked by two-storey wings, and both river and street frontage are identical. In 1804 the property and estate was purchased by the family of our hosts for the visit – Christopher and Lady Linda Vane Percy.
Island Hall was much altered and damaged during and after WWII, including by a fire in 1977. The property came back into the family when the Vane Percys purchased it in 1983. The house and garden today have been lovingly restored to the eighteenth century design and family heirlooms and portraits decorate the rooms. Gardens enclosed by 18th century brick walls are connected by a Chinese-style bridge to the island in the River Great Ouse from which the house takes its name.
Saturday June 20th: St Leonard's Priory event. Members and guests braved the damp weather to celebrate both Midsummer and the Society’s work to rescue and conserve St Leonard’s Priory. This beautiful and ancient building is the sole remnant of a Norman period structure in Stamford. We were delighted to meet new members and people living near the Priory, who came along to explore the atmospheric site and find out more about the Society.
Events programme
Tickets are available from the Secretary.
Monday September 21st: Visit by coach to the Wedgwood museum in Stoke on Trent. This visit will be led by Gil Darby, who spoke to us about Wedgwood last year. This will be a full day trip, visiting the museum and the factory. The cost to include the coach will be about £30-£35, excluding lunch. We still cannot confirm the exact cost, until their renovation works, which have overrun, are complete. However if you want to reserve a provisional place, please contact Melanie.
2015 AGM: This will be held at the Town Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 15th, so please put this date in your diary.
Please note that if you have agreed to have information sent to you by email, this year we propose to send out all AGM paperwork by email, thus saving the Society a significant amount of effort and paper.
However, if you would still prefer to receive a paper copy, please let the Secretary know.
The Stones of Stamford Revisited
A reminder that this booklet written by Rachel Morley of Hirst Conservation, is now available to purchase in Walker's Bookshop and the Arts Centre, price £5.00. We hope it will prove essential reading and be a useful reference for everyone who has a stone house in and around Stamford.
Creative writing essay competition
You probably saw the article about this in January's Stamford Living; judging has now taken place, and the winner and runner-up's essays are now on our website.
Stone Trail
Just a reminder about the new version of the previously out of print Stone Trail. It is now available from the Library and the Tourist Information Centre, at the price of £1. Proceeds will go to the Stamford Library and Heritage Centre.
Annual Review
We have some spare copies; if any member would like one (or more) to pass to friends who might like to become members, please let us know.
Civic Society Website
I hope you do occasionally take a look at our website; we try to update it regularly. If you haven't seen the changes to the Heritage section, you might like to have a look at that, for example.
More members please!
The more members we have, the more we can make our voice heard. If you have friends who might be interested in joining the Society, please point them at our web site, where they can download the application form, or ask them to get in touch by phone or letter.
You will probably have seen that the proposed eco-home on the land close to the Meadows has been refused by SKDC, and that the appeal by Kier against the refusal to allow building on the southern edge of the town has been unsuccessful. The Society made representations against both of these applications.
Since the last newsletter:
Tuesday May 26th: Open garden in Stamford – Peter Heyes opened his garden for us. About 50 members attended; we were delighted that the best weather of the week coincided with the opening. A total of £300 was raised for Peter's chosen cause, The Brain Tumour Charity. Thanks to everyone who gave so generously.
Tuesday June 2nd: a private visit to Island Hall, Godmanchester. Even on such a blustery day as our visit Island Hall, situated in the heart of Godmanchester on the banks of the River Great Ouse, looked charming. It is an elegant red brick, early-Georgian mansion, built in classical style in 1749 for John Jackson Esq., Receiver General for Huntingdonshire. The three-storey central part is flanked by two-storey wings, and both river and street frontage are identical. In 1804 the property and estate was purchased by the family of our hosts for the visit – Christopher and Lady Linda Vane Percy.
Island Hall was much altered and damaged during and after WWII, including by a fire in 1977. The property came back into the family when the Vane Percys purchased it in 1983. The house and garden today have been lovingly restored to the eighteenth century design and family heirlooms and portraits decorate the rooms. Gardens enclosed by 18th century brick walls are connected by a Chinese-style bridge to the island in the River Great Ouse from which the house takes its name.
Saturday June 20th: St Leonard's Priory event. Members and guests braved the damp weather to celebrate both Midsummer and the Society’s work to rescue and conserve St Leonard’s Priory. This beautiful and ancient building is the sole remnant of a Norman period structure in Stamford. We were delighted to meet new members and people living near the Priory, who came along to explore the atmospheric site and find out more about the Society.
Events programme
Tickets are available from the Secretary.
Monday September 21st: Visit by coach to the Wedgwood museum in Stoke on Trent. This visit will be led by Gil Darby, who spoke to us about Wedgwood last year. This will be a full day trip, visiting the museum and the factory. The cost to include the coach will be about £30-£35, excluding lunch. We still cannot confirm the exact cost, until their renovation works, which have overrun, are complete. However if you want to reserve a provisional place, please contact Melanie.
2015 AGM: This will be held at the Town Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 15th, so please put this date in your diary.
Please note that if you have agreed to have information sent to you by email, this year we propose to send out all AGM paperwork by email, thus saving the Society a significant amount of effort and paper.
However, if you would still prefer to receive a paper copy, please let the Secretary know.
The Stones of Stamford Revisited
A reminder that this booklet written by Rachel Morley of Hirst Conservation, is now available to purchase in Walker's Bookshop and the Arts Centre, price £5.00. We hope it will prove essential reading and be a useful reference for everyone who has a stone house in and around Stamford.
Creative writing essay competition
You probably saw the article about this in January's Stamford Living; judging has now taken place, and the winner and runner-up's essays are now on our website.
Stone Trail
Just a reminder about the new version of the previously out of print Stone Trail. It is now available from the Library and the Tourist Information Centre, at the price of £1. Proceeds will go to the Stamford Library and Heritage Centre.
Annual Review
We have some spare copies; if any member would like one (or more) to pass to friends who might like to become members, please let us know.
Civic Society Website
I hope you do occasionally take a look at our website; we try to update it regularly. If you haven't seen the changes to the Heritage section, you might like to have a look at that, for example.
More members please!
The more members we have, the more we can make our voice heard. If you have friends who might be interested in joining the Society, please point them at our web site, where they can download the application form, or ask them to get in touch by phone or letter.
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