"A Ramble Round the Vale of Belvoir"
February 2007 Meeting Report
Guest Speaker - Val Henstock
The February 2007 Meeting of the Keyworth & Local History Society was held in The Centenary Lounge, Keyworth, on 2nd February, 2007. Our guest speaker for the evening was Val Henstock. Val is no stranger to the Society, having made several presentations in the past and also having led several guided walking tours. All were very entertaining and interesting and Val's visits are always keenly anticipated.
Tonight’s topic was “A Ramble Round the Vale of Belvoir” and was in the form of a slide show with anecdotal references to each slide. Our presentation began with a colour-slide of Belvoir Castle and an explanation for the naming of the vale. At the Battle of Hastings William the Conqueror, (or just plain William, Duke of Normandy before his undeserved promotion to the rank of King), had a trusty standard bearer. This standard bearer provided faithful, loyal, and brave service throughout the battle. William was so impressed by the standard bearer’s conduct that he granted him lands in the vale. On his first view of the landscape the standard bearer was reputed to have said, in his native French; “Quelle un belle voir”. Or, in the current native tongue “what a beautiful view”. The vale is still as beautiful today, nearly a thousand years later. Oddly thought the word Belvoir is pronounced Beev-er, this is very confusing for visitors from outside the region.
The next slide shown was of Peacock Barn Farm, now used as a bed & breakfast establishment. The topiary peacock on the front lawn is a tribute to the peacock that is the crest of the Manvers family, an old-established Nottinghamshire family. Val went on to explain that there are very few trees in the vale, the soil is so rich that much of the timber was cleared in order that as much land as possible could be used for farming. This lack of timber makes timber-framed buildings something of a rarity in the vale. However, a rare example was shown situated at Cropwell Bishop. This building was notable for a room that came to light during renovation work towards the end of the 20th century. The room contained a table, birdcage and book with the name William Wright inside it and dated 1772.
We next then travelled to Colston Bassett and were shown a late 13th or early 14th century village cross. In 1257 a Royal Charter was applied for to grant the right to hold a market. The old village of Colston Bassett was situated around the old parish church. That village was moved to make room for the proposed market, which, unfortunately never became the success that was hoped for. Today there is a shop opposite the cross that specializes in selling high quality foods, many locally produced. We next travelled to Bingham and were shown the village cross there. Bingham applied for a charter to hold a market in 1314. This was granted and Bingham has held a market there on a Thursday ever since. Today’s market is a thriving affair and, apparently, according to Val, well worth a visit.
We were next shown a gravestone from Hickling churchyard. The stone was made of Swithland slate that was quarried in Charnwood Forest and brought by horse and cart to the vale. The slate is very hard and makes an ideal material for gravestones in that it is exceedingly durable and weather resistant. The gravestone shown dated from 1702 and showed one of the famous Belvoir Angels. These depictions of angels were very stylised and apart from a few examples in South America are found nowhere else. The stones were carved by several generations of the same family who were based in and around Hickling during the 17th & 18th centuries.
Another, unusual, slide was then shown of a giant pile of horseshoes which can now be found at Scarrington. The vale is famous for foxhunting and there was a good trade in re-shoeing hunters horses. Rather than simply throw the old shoes away the village blacksmith created a pile of the old shoes. Between 1945 and 1964 this pile acquired in excess of 50,000 old horseshoes and rose to quite a height. At one stage a visiting American tourist was so impressed with the pile that he offered to buy it from the blacksmith, who agreed. When the villagers found out they were incensed. The pile had become a village landmark and the pile was only saved when the local council put a tree preservation order on it!!
Amongst the next slides shown was one of the business premises of W. Stubbs, situated at Hawksworth. Stubbs is an old, established cart-making company. They still trade today though they have ceased to make carts. One of the odder items that they do manufacture however is wooden wheelbarrows for use on electric railways.
Next the audience were shown some slides of the Grantham Canal. For all it’s attractions the vale was deficient in one vital commodity and that was coal. With little natural timber available in the vale fuel for heating during the winter months was always a problem. The opening of the Grantham Canal at the end of the 18th century meant that coal could now be brought in for the villagers from the East Midlands coalfields. With the canal a little industry sprang up along its sides, one of these was the gypsum works at Cropwell Bishop. The audience were shown a slide of the old factory buildings. As the gypsum deposits have now been worked out the old industrial premises have now been converted to offices and residential buildings.
Another famous landmarks in the vale are the poplar trees situated on the land of the Hind family farm. These trees were planted in memory of two of the Hind’s sons who were killed at the battle of the Somme during the First World War and form a sort of war memorial. There is also a tree planted for each of their comrades who fell with them. This avenue of trees is known as Vimy Ridge, after the battle of the same name. Many of the original trees have died but new ones have been planted in their place to keep the memorial alive. The trees are small yet so the avenue lacks the presence that it had some years ago but as the trees mature so the avenue will regain it’s old stature.
Some famous people have lived in the vale. Possibly the most famous was Thomas Cranmer who lived at Aslockton. The audience were shown a slide of Cranmer’s house. Thomas Cranmer is famous as the architect behind the scheme that saw Henry VIII become head of the church in England and severe ties with the Catholic Church in Rome. Cranmer also wrote the Book of Common Prayer, still used in the Anglican Church. When Henry died, to be succeeded by his daughter, Mary Tudor, Cranmer fell foul of the new monarch. Mary was a devout Catholic and had steadfastly refused to embrace the new religion. For his part in the split with Rome Mary sentenced Cranmer to death. Such was Mary’s hatred of Thomas Cranmer that he was sentenced to death by burning, but to make his death more painful he was ordered to be burnt slowly!
Colonel John Hutchinson, who fought for Cromwell during the English Civil War, was next mentioned. He lived at Owthorpe and the audience were shown slides of his house and Owthorpe church where, as a devout Puritan, he worshipped. Samuel Butler, famous as the author of The Way of All Flesh, was next mentioned. He lived at Langar and gained notoriety locally as being responsible for driving the Methodist Connection out of the village. On a lesser note, The Bull In at Bottesford was also shown as the place where the famous comedian Stan Laurel’s sister was landlady during the 1950’s.
All in all the choice of slides was excellent, the commentary superb and Val treated the audience to yet another of her highly entertaining and informative evenings. Well-done Val for an excellent evening’s entertainment!