Welcome to the Oakham and Rutland News blog! I'm Martin Brookes, your Community Editor, excited to bring you the latest updates from the vibrant heart of Oakham and Rutland.
Our new local news website is your go-to source for comprehensive coverage of everything happening in our community. From breaking news and local events to community spotlights and personal reflections, we've got you covered.
The George Inn Oakham Acquires The Lord Nelson, Market Place, Oakham, Rutland
The George Inn Oakham has announced the acquisition of The Lord Nelson pub, a well-known pub in the town's Market Place.
The Lord Nelson will reopen its doors this Friday at midday as a festive pop-up, offering a welcoming space for locals and visitors to enjoy drinks in the lead-up to the New Year.
Proprietor Ryck Turner expressed enthusiasm about the new addition to their portfolio. "We are excited to bring The Lord Nelson back to life," he stated. "Our immediate focus is on providing a high-quality and affordable drinks experience for the Christmas season."
However, the pub will be temporarily closed, after New Year's Eve to allow the George Inn team to explore the best long-term use for the building.
"We are carefully considering various options," Turner explained. "These include operating the pub ourselves, leasing it to another experienced pub operator, or exploring innovative ways to repurpose the space to best serve the community."
Until then, the George Inn invites everyone to experience the festive cheer at The Lord Nelson in the coming weeks.
The Rutland Morris Dancers are a group of traditional English folk dancers who have been performing since 1974. The group was founded by Mike Harriet who died this month.
Mike was a passionate advocate for Morris dancing, and he helped to revive the tradition in Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England.
The Rutland Morris Dancers perform a variety of dances, including sword dances, bell dances, and handkerchief dances. They also perform traditional Morris songs and music. The group has performed at many events, including festivals, fairs, and weddings.
Morris dancing is a traditional English folk dance that involves rhythmic stepping and choreographed figures. Dancers usually wear bell pads on their shins and may also wield implements such as sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs. In some dances, a pair of clay tobacco pipes is laid on the floor and the dancers step around and across them. The dancers clap their sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs together to keep the beat.
The earliest known written mention of Morris dancing in England dates back to 1448. The dance was originally performed in a courtly setting, but it became more popular among the lower classes in the 16th century. Morris dancing was suppressed by the Puritans in the 17th century, but it revived in the 19th century and continues to be performed today.
Morris dancing is a celebration of spring and fertility. The bells on the dancers' shins are thought to ward off evil spirits, and the dance itself is believed to bring good luck. The implements that the dancers wield often have symbolic meaning. For example, the sword represents protection, the handkerchief represents fertility, and the clay tobacco pipes represent the earth.
Morris dancing is a living tradition that is still being performed today. There are many different styles of Morris dancing, and each region has its own unique traditions. Morris dancing is a popular way to celebrate festivals and holidays, and it is also a way to keep alive the rich cultural heritage of England.
For the Dutch visitors:
De Rutland Morris Dancers zijn een groep traditionele Engelse volksdansers die optreden sinds 1974. De groep werd opgericht door de deze maand overleden Mike Harriet.
Mike was een hartstochtelijk pleitbezorger voor Morris-dansen en hij hielp de traditie nieuw leven in te blazen in Rutland, een graafschap in de East Midlands van Engeland.
De Rutland Morris Dancers voeren een verscheidenheid aan dansen uit, waaronder zwaarddansen, beldansen en zakdoekdansen. Ze voeren ook traditionele Morris-liederen en muziek uit. De groep heeft op veel evenementen opgetreden, waaronder festivals, beurzen en bruiloften.
Morris-dansen is een traditionele Engelse volksdans waarbij ritmische stappen en gechoreografeerde figuren betrokken zijn. Dansers dragen meestal belkussentjes op hun schenen en kunnen ook werktuigen hanteren zoals stokken, zwaarden of zakdoeken. Bij sommige dansen wordt een paar kleitabakspijpen op de grond gelegd en lopen de dansers eromheen en eroverheen. De dansers klappen met hun stokken, zwaarden of zakdoeken tegen elkaar om de maat vast te houden.
De vroegst bekende schriftelijke vermelding van Morris-dansen in Engeland dateert uit 1448. De dans werd oorspronkelijk uitgevoerd in een hoofse setting, maar werd in de 16e eeuw populairder onder de lagere klassen. Morris-dansen werd in de 17e eeuw door de puriteinen onderdrukt, maar herleefde in de 19e eeuw en wordt nog steeds uitgevoerd.
Morris-dansen is een viering van de lente en vruchtbaarheid. Er wordt aangenomen dat de bellen op de schenen van de dansers kwade geesten afweren, en de dans zelf zou geluk brengen. De werktuigen die de dansers hanteren hebben vaak een symbolische betekenis. Het zwaard vertegenwoordigt bijvoorbeeld bescherming, de zakdoek vertegenwoordigt vruchtbaarheid en de kleipijpen vertegenwoordigen de aarde.
Morris-dansen is een levende traditie die nog steeds wordt uitgevoerd. Er zijn veel verschillende stijlen van Morris-dansen, en elke regio heeft zijn eigen unieke tradities. Morris-dansen is een populaire manier om festivals en feestdagen te vieren, en het is ook een manier om het rijke culturele erfgoed van Engeland levend te houden.
Ratae Scottish Pipes and Drums and Dancers Beat Retreat in Oakham to Raise Money for ABF the Soldiers Charity.
Ratae Scottish Pipes and Drums and Dancers held a Beating Retreat in Market Place, Oakham, Rutland yesterday to raise money for ABF the Soldiers Charity. The event, which took place on Saturday, September 10, 2023, began with a parade of the pipers and dancers performed traditional Scottish music and dance.
The Beating Retreat is a centuries-old military tradition that marks the end of the day. It is typically performed by a pipe band and consists of a series of marches and tunes. The event in Oakham was a special occasion as it was the first time that Ratae Scottish Pipes and Drums and Dancers had performed a Beating Retreat in the town.
The event was well-attended and raised a significant amount of money for ABF the Soldiers Charity. ABF is a military charity that provides support to serving and ex-serving members of the British Armed Forces and their families. The money raised will help ABF to continue its vital work.
The event was a great success and was enjoyed by all who attended. It was a fitting way to raise money for such a worthy cause.
GreenMatthews present their new festive show. Spanning several centuries, Midwinter Revels is a celebration of Yuletide Past guaranteed to warm the cockles of the most Scrooge-like heart. Featuring Christmas carols, winter folk songs, toe-tapping tunes and a plethora of weird and wonderful instruments, the show is brought to life with GreenMatthews’ trademark wit and humour.
£2.50 per lantern using willow and paper, in preparation for the lantern walk on Saturday 13th November at 4.30pm-5.45pm, walking from All Saints Church to Oakham Castle.
(No live flames are allowed at the Castle, so please use a torch, battery tealight or fairy lights in your lantern)
Cancer Research UK Market Place Oakham Rutland for far to many years this charity shop has made our market place look like a dump.
I often wonder why people here in Oakham are so anti charity shops, then I thought about it. Each time I walk through the market place I notice how it is blighted by Cancer Research. If it is not being used as a dump for residents rubbish, its their own weekly mountain of rubbish dumped outside the shop. I often look at what they throw out and think what a waste. Yesterday I notice a large bag full of brown paper bags still sealed in original packaging, along with many other bags containing many new items. used to run the shop, I personal nominate Cancer Research as the most disgraceful and wasteful charity shop here in Oakham. Cancer research appears to have far too much money. I and others remember when they wasted over £20,000 refurbishing this shop in 2013 and opening it for a very short period of time as a boutique style charity shop before reverting it back to a normal charity shop. £20,000, Just a little more than they pay each of their store managers. There are plenty of other business's in the Market Place that include the selling of food and drink, they don't dump in the market place.
10 days of festive fun at Oakham Castle from Friday 15th to Sunday 24th December
Soak up the festive atmosphere in the run up to Christmas at Oakham Castle, with 10 days of Christmas themed activities for all the family to enjoy.
Try ice skating in the castle grounds, get some last minute gifts and enjoy some time with your loved ones in these beautiful surroundings with music and refreshment.
Start a new family tradition with Rutland's Winter Wonderland!
Oakham School Chapel, Chapel Cl, Market Place, Oakham, LE15 6DT
Paul Hilliam – Conductor
Nick Taylor – Piano
Bernstein – Candide Overture
Gershwin – Piano Concerto
Marquez – Danzon No2
John Williams Film Scores including Jurassic Park, Star Wars, ET & Raiders of the Lost Ark
Tickets: £12 (in advance £10), Concessions £10 (in advance £8), Children and students in full time education £2
Available on the door, & from Oakham Wines, 3 High Street, Oakham, LE15 6AH
Also to book tickets: Oundle Box Office, (Oundle International Festival Office), 4 New Street, Oundle, PE8 4ED, tel 01832 274734, www.oundlefestival.org.uk
Our Season Finale begins with the “classical” side of America with Bernstein’s sparkling overture to Candide followed by the jazz-inspired Piano Concerto by George Gershwin.
From 1920’s New York we then move to Latin America & the rhythmically brilliant Danzon No2 by Mexican composer Marquez. Marquez was inspired by the Cuban dance rhythms he heard after visiting a ballroom in Veracruz for this vibrant, exciting work.
We conclude with a ticket to the movies & four of the best scores from the greatest film composer of them all, America’s John Williams.
The concert season starts celebrating the 150th anniversary of two great Scandinavian composers, Jean Sibelius & Carl Nielsen, both born in 1865. Two of the most popular works by Mozart complete the concert; the ever-popular overture to The Marriage of Figaro & the fourth Horn Concerto with the Sinfonia’s Principal Horn Mark Penny as soloist.
Oakham School Chapel, Chapel Cl, Market Place, Oakham, LE15 6DT
Conductor – Paul Hilliam
Cello – Ellen Porter
Violin – Ali Asagarov
Piano – Anson Yip
Violin – Becky Taylor
Trumpet – Adam Hebditch
Berlioz – Overture ‘Beatrice and Benedict’
Elgar – Cello Concerto, 1st Movement – Ellen Porter
Saint-Saens – Violin Concerto No 3, 2nd Movement – Ali Asagarov
Beethoven – Piano Concerto No5, 3rd Movement – Anson Yip
Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto, 2nd Movement – Becky Taylor
Hummel - Trumpet Concerto, 2nd and 3rd Movements – Adam Hebditch
Tchaikovsky – Fantasy Overture ‘Romeo and Juliet’
Tickets: £12 (in advance £10), Concessions £10 (in advance £8), Children and students in full time education £2
Available on the door, & from Oakham Wines, 3 High Street, Oakham, LE15 6AH, 01572 757124
Also from Madeleine Stanley 01780 752031.
We start our season with a concert featuring local talent. Five young musicians who either live in Rutland, receive their education in Rutland, or play with the Rutland Sinfonia will perform concerto movements on piano, violin, cello and trumpet. We also mark Shakespeare’s 450th birthday with two works based on his famous stage plays.
Honorary President. H.M. Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr. Laurence Howard O.B.E., J.P.
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