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All About Village Life
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- How to find us.
- Where things are. Local map
- A brief history.
- Toft Holders. and the common land
- Pinfold
- The Wellow Reading Group
- The Wellow Ladies Circle
- The Wellow Clangers
- Gardening Association.
Download - Wellow Village Heritage Booklet (583k)
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How to find us.
Where things are.
Brief History
Wellow is said to be the only village in the country with a green, as distinct from a grassed over market place. Most English villages are mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1086), but not Wellow because it did not exist then. The nearest villages were Grimston (perpetuated in Grimston Hill, less than 1m E) and Rufford to the SW. When Cistercian monks came to Rufford in 1145 they created the kind of rural seclusion they desired by buying out the villagers of Rufford. The displaced peasants planned a new fortified village for themselves - Wellow, with a bank and ditch (called George Dyke)-
use this link for more information, all round and a
triangular green in the centre, now dominated by the maypole. On the S and W the defence
is natural, a stream cutting its course deep in the Keuper marl, like a dumble. You can
walk some way along it at the S end of the village. The rest of the circuit is a man-made
bank and ditch. It crosses the road to Newark (A616) at the E end of the village, opposite
the pinfold.
The green has remained intact except that the Primitive Methodists were allowed in 1847 to build their chapel on it. Houses surround the green in a pleasantly unselfconscious way. All are brick, except for one with exposed timbers, and facing the N end of the green is another, evidently timber-framed under its white rendering, for it has a jetty or overhang; Wellow Hall, on the left as you come in from Ollerton, has been restored, and its Georgian wing lies longside the road. Towards Newark there are three simple farmhouse of the kind fashionable here in Georgian times: central doorway, one window either side, three windows upstairs. chimneys at the gable end. The church, off the green to the E, is small, and was started in the12th century by the villagers themselves.
The track going N from the pinfold leads to Jordan Castle Farm. It takes its name from an earthwork in the field beyond, nearly ploughed out now; archaeologists recognize it as a ring work, which must have belonged to a 13th century Jordan Foliot, lord of Grimston.
Common Land and Toftholders
All common land is private property - it can be owned by a Lord of the Manor, a Local Authority, the National Trust, or some other public body - but it is called common land because, regardless of who owns it, some others,(not necessarily everyone in a community), has rights over it which cannot be interfered with.
Wellow, with over forty acres of common land, is second only to Southwell as the largest common land acreage north of Watford.
In Wellow, the common land comprises Cocking Moor, Cocking Moor Lane, the Parish Pound (Pinfold), Wellow Green, Grimston Green, Town Green, and some land known as "wast" ( usually roadside edges) - and Wellow Dam. Wellow common rights belong to the toftholders - a toft was a household, usually a cottage with a small piece of land attached to it, and the establishment of the commons dates back to the Feudal System when the landowners (Lords of the Manor) gave their commoners rights over some parts of their land . It has to be said that the land involved tended not to be the best bits!
Although some of the original cottages are gone, replaced by others,the rights remain - which is why, although it is mostly the people in the older properties who retain toft rights, some newer places built later on the same sites share them. The number of people with toft rights has changed over the years, as large properties were divided into smaller dwellings, or as more than one cottage was put together to make one large one.
In 1967/68 a national exercise was carried out to get the "rights of common" registered; in Wellow, the toftholders registered their rights, but sadly, nationally, many rightholders did not, resulting in the loss of large areas of land as commons.
The toft rights in Wellow allow for the pasturing of animals on the spaces named above - not whole herds, but specific numbers, depending on the type of animal!
Now you may be thinking that its' a long while since you've seen any of the toftholders grazing sheep, cows, or anything else, come to that, on the Green! And you would, of course, be correct! But having the right to do that, rather than actually doing it is one of the things which protects the green space for us all. Whilst these rights are guarded, the open spaces around the village should be safe. And although we accept that we all live in the 21st century not the 18th, we would be the poorer if the common land was lost, or allowed to become derelict.
The toftholders, therefore, do not own the land, but do, through a committee, look after it, and try to keep it well - maintained. The money for this comes mainly from the fees paid by the Fishing Club, and their contribution is used for getting the greens mowed, and for general maintenance. So Wellow Dam is a valuable asset to the community, not just for its own sake, but as a source of income which enables work be carried out elsewhere in the village.
THE PINFOLD
WELLOW TOFTHOLDERS & OWNERS
This compound was erected in 1842, after the
Inclosures Act for the purpose of holding straying stock until the committee could assess what fines were appropriate to be charged to their owners.
"A meeting of the toft holders interested in the Commons and open Lands in the Parish was held in the Parish School room this tenth day of November 1919 for the pupose of entering into an agreement as to the charges to be made by the Pinder for impounding stock trespassing on the said Commons and open Lands.
Moved by Mr. G. Ragsdale and seconded by Mr. A.R. Retford and, resolved that the fees chargeable by the Pinder for impounding stock trespassing on the Commons and open Lands shall be as follows:-
- For each Horse - One shilling
- For each Beast - One shilling
- For each Sheep - Two pence with a minimum charge of One shilling
- For each Pig - Two shillings
Moved by Mr. W. Richards and seconded by Mr. T.H. Newton and resolved that in future any stock not removed from the Commons and open Lands by one hour after sunset shall be liable to be impounded, this not to apply to the common known as Cocking Moor and the lane leading thereto.
Moved by Mr. U. Goodwin and seconded by Mr. A.R. Retford and, resolved that no diseased or animal dangerous to the other stock be permitted on the Commons and open Lands. A sub-committee of four appointed by the Management Committee, shall determine in the case of any uncertainty when such animal shall be removed and their decision shall be binding and final.
The Chairman reported to the meeting that Mr. Crowder had been appointed by the Leet* Court Jury held at Wellow on Wednesday, November 5th 1919, to act as Pinder until further notice and that he would receive instructions from the Committee of Management."
* Note; The Oxford English Dictionary definition of "Leet" is "Yearly or half - yearly court of Record, holdable by lords of certain manors; jurisdiction or district of this".
The Wellow Reading Group
For more details, use the contact page on this website.Subject 'Reading Group'. The Wellow Ladies Circle
The Wellow Ladies’ Circle meets on the third Wednesday of each month, at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall. We are not affiliated to any other organisation, and the Circle seems to run very well with an absolute minimum of formal structure, and positively no ‘stuffiness’.
We enjoy a wide variety of different speakers over a typical year, with the occasional outing, some in-house evenings (when we rely on our own ingenuity for entertainment), and a ‘bit of a do’ at Christmas. We take turns – which normally come round no more than once a year - to provide refreshments and raffle prizes, and a raffle ticket is included in the ‘entrance fee’ of £2.00.
For the past three years the Ladies’ Circle has participated very successfully in the Macmillan Cancer Support World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, and has raised almost £3000.00 in total for this worthwhile charity.
New members – both from within and outside Wellow - are most welcome to attend;
For more details, use the contact page on this website.Subject 'Ladies' Circle'.
The Wellow Clangers
The Bells of St. Swithin's Church
During 2007 a beautiful ring of six bells in St. Swithin's Church was completed, achieved from an unringable three prior to 2001 in three staged projects, spearheaded by the Parochial Church Council and assisted latterly by the efforts of the St. Swithin's Church Bell Ringers. It is thanks to the generosity and support of the people and friends of Wellow, the Southwell Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers (in particular the Bell Repair Fund) and the favourable responses of various charities that the present happy situation was reached in such a relatively short time.
Starting in 2001, Wellow PCC raised £20,000.00 to relocate two of the existing three bells − which had been silent for many years − into a new chamber in the tower; that project also saw the renovation of the Church clock, using the third and oldest bell, which was cast in 1560 and bears the inscription 'Gloria in excelsis Deo'. By 2004 the clock was proudly chiming out the hours, and the two remaining original bells − cast in 1635 and 1660, with dedications 'God save the Church' and 'Jesus be our Guide' respectively − with the addition of a third bell, were in their new housing. In the spring of 2005 a band of brand-new (and terrified) ringers 'volunteered' to learn the challenging art of change ringing, and the St. Swithin's Church Bell Ringers were on their way! With much trepidation they set about earning their − hopefully affectionate − nickname 'The Wellow Clangers'*
In 2005 further money was raised to add a fourth bell to the ring, and with increased capacity came more enthusiastic novice ringers, with ages ranging between fourteen and seventy years. Four bells were clearly not enough, and a determined effort by the PCC and the ringers plus the support mentioned above meant that in 2007 the final two bells were added to complete the ring. The Service to dedicate the fourth, fifth and sixth bells took place in 2007, on St. Swithin‘s Day, 15th July. The first quarter−peal on the completed ring of six was rung before the 2007 Harvest Festival Service and the first full peal on 2nd January 2008. Both bands ringing the quarter and full peals included Wellow's own Laura Carr − a great achievement for a novice ringer − and comprised some of the Newark District members of the Southwell Diocesan Guild who had made significant contributions towards the Wellow bells, by helping in their installation, by providing tuition, or both.
*The 'Clangers' practice on Thursday evenings, starting at 7.30pm;
New members are welcome.
For more details, use the contact page on this website.Subject 'Clangers'. Wellow Garden Association
Wellow Garden Association was re-formed in 1991. The original Association was formed in the Second World War, and continued into the mid Sixties.
The old Club had a lot of really keen gardeners, (good old-timers) and there was keen competition to win in all sections, but particularly in the vegetable section. It created a good interest and conversation for everyone, and some sec recy whilst the growing was taking place.
In those days as well as the home produce section for the ladies there was a handicraft section. Some really lovely articles were entered, including hand knitted cardigans and jumpers, all varieties of embroidery items, and crochet mats and runners.
The Club then was open to people outside of the Village. Mr. Greg Hall and his Sister Winnie lived at Wellingore in Lincolnshire. When it was Wellow Show they both push-biked to compete in the Show with specially made trolley containers fixed to their bikes, with all the enties in them. It was a very long way to come, but they did not complain, and loved competing.
When the Club was re-formed the object of the Association was to encourage flower and produce gardening in Wellow. Membership is open to all residents of Wellow and holders of allotments.
The first Show on re-starting in 1991 had 34 classes, and 183 entries. Now the Show has 62 classes and averages 330 entries. There is a wide variety of classes including vegetables, flowers, plants, jams, cakes, tarts, quiches, a childen's section, and now a photography section. There are six cups, mostly given in loving memory of well known Wellow people. These
trophies are presented at the end of the Show by the Wellow May Queen.
It is very pleasing that our Show remains a Village Show; the quality of the produce, and the number of entries is very good indeed.
The Show is usually held on the first Saturday in September each year. If you are in our Village on this day, it is well worth coming to our Memorial Hall to have a look at the entries.
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