‘What a county … and what a forum!’ Meet the winners of the 2023 Northamptonshire Heritage Awards

Heritage Awards

14 Jul

2023 award winners outside Chester House Estate Restaurant — 2023 Heritage Award winners outside the restaurant at Chester House Estate

Half a millennium old, the newly restored Threshing Barn at Chester House was the perfect venue for our annual Northamptonshire Heritage Awards. The sparkling fairy lights illuminated both the ancient roof timbers and the guests, who included members of the Forum, and Charles, The Earl Spencer, our Patron.

Guests inside the barn enjoying a welcome Pimms

Other guests included Charlotte Brudenell deputising for the Lord Lieutenant, and the Leaders and Chairs of West and North Northamptonshire Councils. Rachel Mallows MBE DL represented the Northamptonshire Surprise website, and the whole event was expertly compered by John Griff DL.

Cllr Helen Howell, Deputy Leader of North Northamptonshire Council and Executive for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism welcomed everyone to the Chester House Estate, and Charlotte Brudenell DL spoke of the importance of protecting, preserving and promoting our unique Northamptonshire Heritage.

After the winners were announced (listed below), Lord Spencer expressed his pride in those who work to support Northamptonshire’s heritage. He recognised the passion and the commitment shown by communities of like-minded people working together in a county ‘heaving with history’. He described the event as an uplifting celebration of heritage made accessible, rich with stories of past communities. He especially complimented the work of the volunteers who make so much more possible.

Forum patron, Lord Spencer speaking at the awards — Northamptonshire Heritage Forum patron, The Earl Spencer, FSA, FRHistS, MA (Oxon.)

He offered his congratulations to Wicksteed Park who won ‘Heritage Organisation of the Year’ for their positivity and commitment to the community during difficult conditions in recent years. He ended with the comment, ‘What a County! And what a Heritage Forum!’

A quick reminder of the winners who received their plaques:

Best Event

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
’Transport Day 2022’

Utilising their ideal location of Abington Museum within Abington Park for an outside event and building on their experience of a previous delivery of the event, the 2022 Transport Day was the biggest event so far. They exhibited around 35 individual exhibitors of vehicles from local organisations and private collectors, creating a real family day out. The day proved to be one of the most popular events ever held at Abington Park and Museum.

Best Event (highly commended)

Desborough Heritage Centre
‘The public unveiling of a Memorial to the crew killed in Wellington Bomber HF670 in Desborough on 5 September 1944’

In October 2022, 78 years on, attended by descendants of the three airmen who were killed in a WWII Wellington Bomber crash in a Desborough field, Desborough Civic Society and Heritage Centre provided a Memorial event and service, having provided a new memorial stone on the site. A special exhibition with refreshments (coffee and lunch) was provided in the Heritage Centre.

Best Exhibition

Canon’s Ashby - National Trust
’A Christmas Quest’

This Christmas display was inspired by John Dryden’s semi-opera King Arthur. Visitors followed the story of brave King Arthur and his quest to rescue his beloved Emmeline, encountering magic, battles, enchanted woods, spells, the enchanter Merlin and of course dragons. A real team effort, with the environment in mind, many of the decorations were handmade by the volunteers.

Best Exhibition (highly commended)

Daventry Museum
’Borough Hill and its History’

Inspired by the centenary of the publication of William Edgar’s book ‘Borough Hill Daventry and its History’, this exciting exhibition brings the historic ages of Borough Hill alive and reflects on the findings and excavations in Edgar’s book through fascinating displays.

Best Project by a Group or Society

The Friends of St Mary’s, Higham Ferrers
’Gateway to the 600-year history of the Bede House’

The Friends of St Mary’s (FoSM) is a volunteer organisation, dedicated to supporting the preservation, restoration, improvement and ornamentation of the three medieval buildings. The gate project was organised from concept to completion by the volunteers, and involved fundraising, and liaison with the church authorities, the carpenter and stonemasons.

Best Special Long-term Project

Northamptonshire Battlefields Society
’Battle of Northampton 1460 Interpretation Panels’

The aim of the project was to install heritage industry leading interpretation panels to explain the Wars of the Roses battle fought at Delapré Abbey in 1460. This was a founding aim of Society and was left incomplete on the death of chair, Mike Ingram, in 2021.

Best Volunteer Project

Delapré Abbey
‘The Cluniac Nunnery of St Mary de la Pré exhibition’

In February 2021, a new exhibition celebrating Delapré Abbey’s medieval past opened. Little was known about the history of the women who lived at the Abbey during medieval times until now, thanks to the research of a small group of female volunteers undertaken during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020-21. In September 2022, Delapré Abbey hosted the 8th UK Cluniac Conference with the volunteers drafting the programme and sharing the stories of Delapré.

Best Community Wellbeing Award

Wicksteed Park
‘Crafternoon’

Crafternoon is a project that was formed in the wider Heritage Lottery Funded @Play project. It is a programme of ‘have-a-go’ style weekly craft sessions aimed at adults to build confidence in skills and help tackle social isolation in retirement age as well as 18-24 in a calming, supportive environment.

Hindsight Award for Best Published Book

Michael Brown, the Historic Gardener
‘Medieval Plants and their Uses’

The book is the result of many years of research for the Prebendal Manor Medieval Gardens at Nassington, Northamptonshire. The book shows the importance of plants to daily medieval life and, since publication, it has been used as a guide to the medieval plants that could be grown at other Northamptonshire sites, such as Stanwick Lakes Settlers Garden and the medieval gardens at Delapré Abbey.

Hindsight Award for the Best Published Book (highly commended)

Ann Redshaw
‘Rockingham: The Village under the Castle - A social history of a closed Northamptonshire village’

Hindsight Award for Best Published Book, highly commended, Ann Redshaw

This first history of the village focuses on the social lives of the residents. Topics covered include population, wealth, health, employment, housing development, utilities, education and leisure opportunities. National trends are outlined then illustrated by original case studies drawn from the estate archives.

Hindsight Award for the Best Published Other Materials

Higham Ferrers Tourism
Film: ‘Chichele College Celebrates 600 Years’

Hindsight Award for Best Published Other Materials winner, Higham Ferrers Tourism

As part of the special anniversary celebrations and, in the interests of sharing Chichele College with a wider and more diverse audience, this film was created. It shows the everyday life of the college and features all those who use and care for this scheduled monument on a regular basis. It is available to all on YouTube.

Judges’ Choice Special Award

Northants Open Studios

Northants Open Studios (NOS) is a visual arts community group, giving members of the public access to art throughout the county, both at exhibitions in wonderful historic places such as Lamport Hall, and in artists’ own studios. NOS are inclusive, believing that art should be celebrated and enjoyed by everyone. The annual month-long festival not only gives artists the opportunity to engage directly with art lovers, collectors and enthusiasts of their work, but also allows them to demonstrate their practice, discuss new work and sell or accept commissions. There is no selection process allowing artists of varying abilities, ages and disciplines to be part of the community.

Heritage Organisation of the Year

Wicksteed Park

Wicksteed Park is the legacy of Charles Wicksteed, a wealthy industrialist with a social conscience who, after making munitions and military equipment during the First World War, turned his attention to creating quality robust children’s play equipment, recognising the value of play and recreation for the well-being of the local community. In 1914 he had purchased land on the edge of Kettering to create the garden suburb of Barton Seagrave, but his primary focus was on developing the park at its centre. In 1921 Wicksteed Park opened to the public as a freely accessible public space, designed to improve the lives of the people of Kettering and the local area.

The Wicksteed Trust and the Wicksteed family of today continue this tradition and, despite recent challenging conditions, have worked hard to continue to fulfil the original philanthropic vision of Charles Wicksteed. The centenary was marked with celebration, the volunteer team is growing, and the park is continuing to offer the community somewhere to get outside and enjoy quality leisure time together in a wide variety of ways.

This award recognises the energy and effectiveness of the current team to maintain both the ideals of the founder, Charles Wicksteed and the close links to the wellbeing of the people in the Kettering area.

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