This edition of the newsletter contains news about planning; forthcoming events, especially for the 50th anniversary of Stamford's designation as the first Conservation Area; graffiti; improvements to St Michael's Churchyard; the Albert Bridge; and lighting on the Town Bridge.
SINCE THE LAST NEWSLETTER
Members should have received a copy of the 2016 annual review. We thank Jocelyn and Carol for all their hard work.
On 16 February, Stuart Orme made a welcome return with a talk entitled “900 Years of an Icon: Peterborough Cathedral, Past, Present and Future”.
PLANNING MATTERS
The Kier application to build south of Kettering Road, within sight of the Burghley Bottle Lodges, was rejected unanimously by the SKDC Development Control Committee. The Society, one of many objectors, was represented at the meeting by Graddon Rowlands. Another appeal may follow: we are on the alert.
Members should have received a copy of the 2016 annual review. We thank Jocelyn and Carol for all their hard work.
On 16 February, Stuart Orme made a welcome return with a talk entitled “900 Years of an Icon: Peterborough Cathedral, Past, Present and Future”.
PLANNING MATTERS
The Kier application to build south of Kettering Road, within sight of the Burghley Bottle Lodges, was rejected unanimously by the SKDC Development Control Committee. The Society, one of many objectors, was represented at the meeting by Graddon Rowlands. Another appeal may follow: we are on the alert.
2017 Events
Tickets are available from the Secretary. Unless otherwise noted, talks are in Browne's Hospital, Broad Street and tickets are £3.50.
ANNUAL MEMBERS’ MEETING
Thursday, 16 March, 7.30 pm (no charge)
Our popular, informal meeting round the fire at Browne's will be slightly different from usual, as Councillor David Brailsford will be our guest. David is the County Councillor for Stamford West; he is involved in highway matters and I am sure we will have many questions relating to Stamford.
TOUR OF PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL
Thursday, 20 April, 2.00 pm (£6.00)
This tour ties in with Stuart’s talk in February. Places are limited; please contact the Secretary.
DRINKS PARTY AT ST LEONARD’S PRIORY
Saturday, 17 June, 6pm to 8pm (no charge)
There is no charge for this event and you are welcome to bring non-members with you.
SPALDING GENTLEMEN’S SOCIETY
The visit to Spalding Gentlemen’s Society has been postponed again; more essential renovation must be done. Maybe we will be lucky in 2018!
We have also decided to put off a return visit to Apethorpe Palace until 2018.
SPECIAL VISIT TO BURGHLEY HOUSE
Wednesday, 21 June, 6pm to 8pm (£20.00)
This is another special visit to parts of Burghley House that are not normally open to the public. We are most grateful to Orlando and Miranda Rock for agreeing to it. The tour is somewhat strenuous and is only suitable if you are reasonably fit. The cost is £20, which goes to the charitable trust. Numbers are very limited, so places will be allocated by ballot; preference will be given to those who did not take part in 2013. This visit is available to paid up members only.
Please email or write to Melanie to ask to be included in the ballot (not by phone please) by 5 April. Successful members will be informed.
SAVE THE DATE: 50TH ANNIVERSARY
We hope to hold a reception on Thursday, 28 September: details will follow in a future issue.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (TOWN HALL)
Thursday, 5 October, 7.30 pm (no charge)
Please put this date in your diary.
BROWNE'S HOSPITAL OPEN DAYS 2017
These will be on Saturday, 27 May and Saturday, 9 September in conjunction with Heritage Open Days, from 11am until 4pm.
ANNUAL MEMBERS’ MEETING
Thursday, 16 March, 7.30 pm (no charge)
Our popular, informal meeting round the fire at Browne's will be slightly different from usual, as Councillor David Brailsford will be our guest. David is the County Councillor for Stamford West; he is involved in highway matters and I am sure we will have many questions relating to Stamford.
TOUR OF PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL
Thursday, 20 April, 2.00 pm (£6.00)
This tour ties in with Stuart’s talk in February. Places are limited; please contact the Secretary.
DRINKS PARTY AT ST LEONARD’S PRIORY
Saturday, 17 June, 6pm to 8pm (no charge)
There is no charge for this event and you are welcome to bring non-members with you.
SPALDING GENTLEMEN’S SOCIETY
The visit to Spalding Gentlemen’s Society has been postponed again; more essential renovation must be done. Maybe we will be lucky in 2018!
We have also decided to put off a return visit to Apethorpe Palace until 2018.
SPECIAL VISIT TO BURGHLEY HOUSE
Wednesday, 21 June, 6pm to 8pm (£20.00)
This is another special visit to parts of Burghley House that are not normally open to the public. We are most grateful to Orlando and Miranda Rock for agreeing to it. The tour is somewhat strenuous and is only suitable if you are reasonably fit. The cost is £20, which goes to the charitable trust. Numbers are very limited, so places will be allocated by ballot; preference will be given to those who did not take part in 2013. This visit is available to paid up members only.
Please email or write to Melanie to ask to be included in the ballot (not by phone please) by 5 April. Successful members will be informed.
SAVE THE DATE: 50TH ANNIVERSARY
We hope to hold a reception on Thursday, 28 September: details will follow in a future issue.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (TOWN HALL)
Thursday, 5 October, 7.30 pm (no charge)
Please put this date in your diary.
BROWNE'S HOSPITAL OPEN DAYS 2017
These will be on Saturday, 27 May and Saturday, 9 September in conjunction with Heritage Open Days, from 11am until 4pm.
Society News
CONSERVATION AREA 50TH ANNIVERSARY
The Society is working with other organisations to coordinate an exciting programme of events to celebrate Stamford’s designation as the first Conservation Area in 1967.
Our own programme will include:
GRAFFITI
You may have noticed that there has been an outbreak of graffiti in the town. We are regularly in contact with SKDC about this, but please help us by reporting graffiti on 01476 40 60 80 and asking them to fix it. SKDC is not as reactive to this problem as some councils, so we would like to make more of a fuss about it. The more people who phone them, the better.
ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCHYARD
The Urban Group has completed the renovation of this area adjacent to the High Street to make it more attractive for residents and visitors alike. The final step, the Information Board provided by the Civic Society, is being installed on 6 March. We thank all who helped with this project. We are now looking at the possibility of installing floodlights to illuminate St Michael's Church.
THE ALBERT BRIDGE
We anticipate this being cleaned and a new light provided in the next few months.
TOWN BRIDGE LIGHTS
New lights on the Town Bridge should have been installed by the time you read this newsletter. This has been a long, slow process and we are most grateful to the members of the Urban Group who have worked so hard to see this project through.
ILLUSTRATED NOTE CARDS
The Society has produced a range of attractive note cards, which are blank inside for use on all occasions, illustrated with images of special places in Stamford by local artist Karen Neale.
The cards are £5.00 for six, two cards of three designs, with envelopes. Two designs are pictures of St Leonard’s Priory and were commissioned by the Society, which helped to rescue and restore the Priory, the sole remnant of a Norman structure in Stamford. The third image shows a selection of favourite buildings in the town.
You can buy cards from Martin Lander by emailing treasurer@stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk, telephone 01780 754567, or by post from 28 Christ Church Close, Stamford, PE9 1HS. Sets are also available at our talks.
STAMFORD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Thursday, 9 March, 7.30pm: Prof. Stephen Upex will lecture on Roman Archaeology of the Nene Valley at Barn Hill Church meeting room (£5).
The Society is working with other organisations to coordinate an exciting programme of events to celebrate Stamford’s designation as the first Conservation Area in 1967.
Our own programme will include:
- Opening St Leonard’s Priory for Heritage Open Days weekend, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, 12-4pm and mounting a small display about the Priory.
- An exhibition in the Gallery at the Arts Centre from Wednesday 20 to Thursday 28 September. The exhibition will explore why conservation was such a pressing concern in the 1960s, why Stamford was the first place to be designated and why this is still so important today.
- The Society is also working with Heritage Lincolnshire and Historic England to support a Stamford Schools Heritage Film Festival. Young people will be invited to produce films to help share what matters to them about their historic town. Teachers and pupils will then receive free training from a professional film maker to help them script, create, and edit their own 5-minute short film, which will form part of our exhibition. The Arts Centre will host a special screening of all the films in the Theatre on Wednesday, 4 October for everyone who has taken part.
GRAFFITI
You may have noticed that there has been an outbreak of graffiti in the town. We are regularly in contact with SKDC about this, but please help us by reporting graffiti on 01476 40 60 80 and asking them to fix it. SKDC is not as reactive to this problem as some councils, so we would like to make more of a fuss about it. The more people who phone them, the better.
ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCHYARD
The Urban Group has completed the renovation of this area adjacent to the High Street to make it more attractive for residents and visitors alike. The final step, the Information Board provided by the Civic Society, is being installed on 6 March. We thank all who helped with this project. We are now looking at the possibility of installing floodlights to illuminate St Michael's Church.
THE ALBERT BRIDGE
We anticipate this being cleaned and a new light provided in the next few months.
TOWN BRIDGE LIGHTS
New lights on the Town Bridge should have been installed by the time you read this newsletter. This has been a long, slow process and we are most grateful to the members of the Urban Group who have worked so hard to see this project through.
ILLUSTRATED NOTE CARDS
The Society has produced a range of attractive note cards, which are blank inside for use on all occasions, illustrated with images of special places in Stamford by local artist Karen Neale.
The cards are £5.00 for six, two cards of three designs, with envelopes. Two designs are pictures of St Leonard’s Priory and were commissioned by the Society, which helped to rescue and restore the Priory, the sole remnant of a Norman structure in Stamford. The third image shows a selection of favourite buildings in the town.
You can buy cards from Martin Lander by emailing treasurer@stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk, telephone 01780 754567, or by post from 28 Christ Church Close, Stamford, PE9 1HS. Sets are also available at our talks.
STAMFORD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Thursday, 9 March, 7.30pm: Prof. Stephen Upex will lecture on Roman Archaeology of the Nene Valley at Barn Hill Church meeting room (£5).
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