Wellow Church Schoolroom awarded another grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The Wellow Rights of Way and Archaeology Project focuses on highlighting and preserving a network of historic trails around Wellow and neighbouring villages and carrying out further research into the history of its rare and ancient dyke.

The project will enable residents to get involved in research, archaeology, walks, talks and competitions including a booklet summarising the history of its rare and fascinating dyke, a leaflet that will link many local villages together, through walking and cycling routes along our ancient rights-of-ways, and extolling the heritage assets of each village, photographic competitions to produce two village calendars and a document to help us understand how best to look after the dyke.

The recently restored Victorian Schoolroom, which now doubles-up as a heritage centre, will host the talks and exhibitions.

The Wellow Church Schoolroom is a registered charity whose historic building has served the community as both the village school and the village/church hall for 168 years.

This new and exciting project aims to involve both schools and community groups to help research local rights-of-way and heritage.

The Wellow Church Schoolroom will be working with neighbouring villages to highlight their most important heritage features so that those who walk or cycle along the historic routes will also be able to appreciate the rich heritage of this part of Nottinghamshire, which includes items of national and international importance, such as the ruins of King John’s Palace, Sherwood Forest, Laxton’s Three-field Farming system, Rufford Abbey and Europe’s tallest Headstocks.

Jane Crofts, project manager, said: ‘‘We are absolutely thrilled to have received this support, thanks to National Lottery players, and are confident that this new project will be a great success.

"After successfully completing a five-year restoration project of the Schoolroom and a recent Lottery funded heritage project, this new Heritage Fund project is the icing on the cake, and will see villagers and friends of the Schoolroom come together in helping to preserve and protect our village heritage, while learning valuable skills for themselves along the way.”

Should anyone be interested in becoming a volunteer you should email [email protected].