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Lester - Sheer Lester - Sher Lester - Shy - Are |
A pair of American visitors were walking around Leicester, arguing over how to pronounce the name of the place. They stopped for a meal, and to settle the matter one of them asked the waitress to tell them - really slowly - where they were. "Bur - ger K - ing"
came the reply.
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You'll have to pay us a visit to learn the pronounciations of Stapleford, Whissendine and Teigh! |
A bus service (not Sundays) at 2 - 3 hour intervals until the early evening links the village with Melton Mowbray and Oakham, Uppingham and Corby. Bus and rail links to the rest of the country are available from Melton Mowbray, Oakham and Grantham, along with taxi services to the villages. The nearest airport is East Midlands, between Loughborough and Derby. A National Express coach service links Leicester with East Midlands Airport, as well as Heathrow, Gatwick and others. The village has a population of about 500 with older houses built of honey-coloured ironstone and local brick with roofs of slate or pantiles. More thatched roofs were also in evidence in earlier centuries. Most of the 20th century construction isn't particularly sympathetic to the existing built environment, but new building is more closely controlled. There are Grade-II Listed Buildings ranging from Japonica Cottage and the adjoining old bakehouse on Main Street to The Priory and The Manor House. Photographs of these are already included in the album, and appear on the English Heritage Images of England website. The redevelopment of the former Space Foods site was completed in 2009, following an archaeological excavation of the site of the former Manor House. One of the ancient barns linked with Stilton Cheese production was converted into a dwelling but the developers changed their mind over the fate of the substantial central building, claiming it was unsafe! Low-cost housing off Glebe Road (near St Peter's Primary School and the Sedley Centre) is established, with further building taking place during 2009/10. There are several old chapels and barn-like buildings dotted around the village, which were used for storage by Space Foods or the late Dr Hill. On Main Street, at the entrance to Chapel Lane, the old Golling's workshop partially collapsed prior to its demolition, and the site has not been redeveloped, and is regarded as an eyesore at the heart of the village. Close by is a small building with an interesting past, still known as Miss Gill's Shop. There can be few buildings of its type and condition left, or even found, in a village location. Wymondham lies in a dip with Edmondthorpe Road, The Old Rectory and the east end of Wymondham being the lowest points. There are quite steep rises to the north up Butt Lane towards the windmill; south to Edmondthorpe; and east along the Drift. The village feels noticeably warmer than the surrounding highspots during the summer. Main Street runs from east to west past the village green, which has ancient market rights (the Market Charter was bought by the Wymondham and Edmondthorpe Civic Society (WECS), early in 2010). Most buildings are to the south of Main Street with a stream running further to the south, at a distance of a field's length. Where it approaches the village from the north-east this stream has been known as Stanley's Beck, after the late Mr Stanley (a farmer from the east end of Wymondham), with beck being a northcountry term of Scandinavian origin. The stream crosses under the road known as the Drift at a spot called the Washdyke. The Drift is the route of the old cattle-drovers' road to the Great North Road (A1), and where cheeses from the village and surrounding area would have left for Stilton and London. A natural water source is found closer to the centre of the village at the end of Spring Lane, and there were once plans to bottle water from underground streams at the former Space Foods site. The abandoned Melton to Oakham canal lies some distance to the south of Wymondham. A disused railway track (the Bourne to Saxby line) lies to the north of the village, with the old station (now a home) and other buildings off Butt Lane. The remaining Navvies' Cottage, adjacent to Station House (the residence of the Station Master), is now a Listed building. The railway embankment is visible beyond The Manor House and the field known as The Park. The line closed for passenger traffic in 1959 but stayed open for ironstone workings until the 1960s and the Royal Train came through in 1966 or 1967. To avoid confusion for the emergency services with Station Road at Whissendine, Station Road at Wymondham was renamed Butt Lane. At the west end of the village is St. Peter's Church of England aided Primary School (Headteacher: Mrs Anne Boyce; telephone/fax 01572 787658; email). Please see www.st-peters-wymondham.leics.sch.uk (external site; opens in a new window) for further information. There's children's play equipment and the Sir John Sedley Educational Centre nearby. On the edge of the village is the 19th century grammar school (now a home) which was funded by the Sir John Sedley Trust. It's the first building passed when entering the village if travelling from Melton Mowbray. The original primary and grammar schools and the village hall are close to St. Peter's Church, along Church Lane at the centre of the village. Church Lane was known as School Lane a century ago. Bell ringing practice takes place at the church on Monday evenings. The doctor's surgery is held at the village hall on Monday and Wednesday mid-afternoons - telephone 01572 767229. The village hall is also the venue for dances and private parties, parish council meetings, bazaars, clubs, rehearsals by the Wymondham Players and performances of their pantomime and murder mystery plays.
Telephone 01572 787221. |
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Your hosts: Neil & Louise Hitchen; please telephone 01572 787587 to book a table if travelling far for a meal. Lunches served Tuesday to Sunday; evening meals served Monday to Saturday. (Details updated March 2010.)
Opposite the bus-shelter and the village green is Old Bakery
Antiques. Antique and collectors' items bought and sold, houses cleared,
cottage antiques, interesting items and collectables including advertising
and kitchenalia. Open Wednesday - Saturday 10:00am - 5:30pm and Sunday
12:00am - 5:00pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. (Details of opening times
updated May 2008.)
Along Sycamore Lane, off the village green, is The Old Rectory
where Isabel Smeaton offers a high standard of Bed & Breakfast accomodation
(English Tourist Board Commended). No smoking or pets.
Travel up Butt Lane (next to the Berkeley Arms) and at the
Windmill you will find a tearoom and a variety of activities.
Also at the windmill are small craft and retail units, including Melinda Designs (gifts & home wares), Clothes in the Attic (ladies' clothes), J&K Frames (picture framing & gifts) and Rejuvenate (holistic beauty therapies). Young ones will find ducks to feed and a children's play park. There is also a woodland puzzle trail and the Windmill, built in 1814, may be climbed for a view over the village (free entry, but donations are appreciated). The Windmill site has free parking and is open from Easter to October, Tuesday - Friday 10:30am - 5:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 10:00am - 5:00pm. The Winter opening times are Tuesday - Friday 11:30am - 2:30pm, Saturday & Sunday 10:30am - 4:30pm. Please note that the shops have their own individual opening hours. (Details updated July 2007.) |