Information about Wymondham
A comprehensive directory is compiled by the Parish Council and provided to existing
and new villagers. Following is some of the more essential
information about the village.
How do you say...? Wymondham in verse Finding us
Public transport What's Wymondham like? Where to stay
Parish Church Village Hall & Dr's Surgery Primary School
Post Office & Shop Collection times for mail Berkeley Arms
The Windmill Old Bakery Antiques Sedley Centre

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So, how do we pronounce the name of our village? Like this:

Why - Mun - Dumb

Unless we're trying to be clear on the 'phone when it becomes:

Why - Mund - Ham

The presenter of BBC-TV's Escape To The Country took the advice above a little too literally and should've said it with a "dah-di-dah" rhythm.

The good people of Wymondham in Norfolk call their abode

Win - Dumb
 


 
Just remember to substitute "In - Dumb" for "ymondham" in the following limerick:


There was an old lady of Wymondham
Who caught people's pet pussies and skymondham;
She made lovely fur hats
From the skins of the cats,
Then she chopped 'em and cooked 'em and tymondham.

 


Now, as for our county of Leicestershire, take your pick from...

Lester - Sheer

Lester - Sher

Lester - Shy - Are
 


 
Joke Alert!

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.
 


 
You'll have to pay us a visit to learn the pronounciations of
Stapleford, Whissendine and Teigh!
 

 
Signpost 
Wymondham is located in the area between Melton Mowbray, Oakham and Grantham, and is on a principal route between Melton and the A1.

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.

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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.

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School logoAt 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.

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Post Office & Cottage Stores 
Opposite Church Lane on Main Street is the Post Office & Cottage Stores, run by Gillian and John Bunting with help from Anne and Jenny, selling fresh bread, snacks and cakes; canned, chilled and frozen foods; wines, beers and spirits; local newspapers etc.

Telephone 01572 787221.

 

Wymondham Post Office & Cottage Stores
Opening times: 9:00am - 5:30pm Monday & Thursday
Halfday closing: 9:00am - 1:00pm Tuesday
Closed on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

 
Mail is collected at 4:20pm on weekdays and at 10:00am on Saturdays from the box outside the Post Office. There are other boxes along Main Street, and at Edmondthorpe. Sally and Jenny have chief responsibility for delivering the mail around the village.

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Berkeley Arms 
Next to the Post Office is the Berkeley Arms (see a sketch by Melton artist Brian Hollingshead).

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.)

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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.)

Telephone 01572 787472.

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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.

Telephone 01572 787583 or Fax 01572 787347.

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Travel up Butt Lane (next to the Berkeley Arms) and at the Windmill you will find a tearoom and a variety of activities.

Telephone 01572 787304 for further details about:

  • Hot meals, snacks & traditional afternoon teas, with homemade cakes & scones
  • Children's parties, with an optional bouncy castle
  • Groups & parties catered for

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.)

 
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