We have a skateboard ramp on the playing field.
Wilbarston Parish Council provides your local services. We strive to make Wilbarston a better place to live, work and visit. Our website includes a wealth of information about how we conduct business and what we do. Use the search or browse the site to find whatever you are looking for. If you can't find the information you require then please contact us.
Wilbarston is a pleasant village which enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding Welland Valley countryside. It contains a mix of development styles and phases but retains a distinct historical core of traditional buildings which characterise the majority of the village. The village's facilities include a school, shop / Post Office, village hall, open space and pub. Streets are generally closely lined with continuous built form (buildings or boundary walls) giving a strong sense of enclosure. Most buildings are parallel to the street, but some are gable end on. Frontages are densely packed, with long ranges and gardens behind. Typically the built form tightly encloses the street on one side, and is set back on the other in a staggered arrangement. The agricultural heritage is clear and rural mews and historic farmsteads form distinct character traits, with buildings frequently clustered together or set in linear ranges running parallel or at 90 degrees to the street, forming small linear yards.
Common to all historic areas is a limited palette of materials – ironstone and limestone, often in coursed bands with limited areas of render. Brick buildings are less common but are in soft reds. Roofs are generally of slate or stone slate, and thatch. Views in Wilbarston combine an interplay between open expansive views of the landscape, particularly to the north and west, and tight controlled views along historic streets, for example Barlows Lane.
Historic development is generally better related to the streetscene with buildings fronting onto and defining the streets. More recent developments tend to be set back and arranged in inward looking cul-de-sacs and are less reflective of the local vernacular.
Wilbarston has a Parish Plan which has been adopted by the Council as informal policy. The Parish Plan has been used to inform the preparation of this document.
Latest News
Break Into Sheds On Allotments - Church Street Wilbarston
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 10:57 by Becky Jones
Northamptonshire Police are appealing for information regarding a break into sheds on the allotments in Church Street, Wilbarston.
This happened between the 06th and 09th of Oct. Did you witness anything? Did you see any person(s) in the area that looked suspicious? Did you see any vehicle(s) that you were suspicious of? If so, then please contact Northamptonshire Police on 101.
Crime number 18000485061 relates. More »
101 is the number to use to report incidents and for general enquiries. In an emergency dial 999. » Less
Local Treasures exhibition in Kettering
Wed, 19 Sep 2018 11:31 by Becky Jones
World class treasures are coming home to Kettering
Some world class treasures are on their way home to Kettering Borough Council's Manor House Museum.
Three precious archaeological objects - a 1500-year-old necklace, a mysterious mirror and a quirky Roman hockey player will be on loan from the British Museum for the Local Treasures exhibition which starts on Saturday 22 September. Alongside them will be over 100 items from the Manor House Museum's own collection. More »
This exciting project is possible due to a successful bid to the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund which resulted in a grant of £20,000. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, this fund supports the sharing of art and objects that are held in national collections with wider audiences.
The three stars of the exhibition were found in the borough of Kettering. This marks the first time for these objects to return since they were first discovered and donated to the British Museum in the late 19th and early 20th century. They are:
- The Desborough necklace: a stunning Anglo-Saxon gold necklace that was found in 1876 in a graveyard by workmen who originally broke it into six pieces to share amongst themselves before being persuaded to hand them over in return for a small reward
- The Desborough mirror: one of the finest examples of Celtic art. The mirror would have been a powerful object in a world where reflections could only be glimpsed in water, and there is conjecture as to who the owner may have been
- The Kettering hockey player: a unique and intriguing depiction of a Roman sportsman. Is the figure playing a form of hockey and, if so, then why are there three balls?
The mirror and necklace are usually on permanent display at the British Museum – such is their quality.
These will be complemented by beautiful, precious and interesting items from the Manor House Museum's own collection. From an Iron-age sword to a bejewelled Roman hair pin, the museum collection tells the history of the borough through the passions and treasured objects of the people who lived here. There's even a Roman ear cleaner in the collection which just goes to show how fastidious the Romans were about their personal grooming!
Cllr Scott Edwards, Kettering Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure, said: "It's fantastic news to hear that these treasures are coming back to our Borough for the first time and that local people will have the chance to see them. It's also a great opportunity for us to showcase many treasures from our permanent collection. I heartily congratulate staff and volunteers who have made this happen and I would like to thank the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund for their support."
Kettering Museum staff had stiff competition to win this award. Philippa Charles, Garfield Weston Foundation director said: "We have been blown away by the ambition and creativity of museums and galleries across the UK and Kettering's idea really stood out.
Some of the most talented curators in the UK have imagined the art, objects and exhibitions which promise to transform the experiences of their audiences. We are delighted that the local community in Kettering will get to see these amazing archaeological treasures."
Stephen Deuchar, Art Fund director, added: "We knew the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund addressed a vital need: our national museums want to widen access to the collections they hold, and institutions around the UK want to share these works with their audiences. The response has been overwhelming. We're pleased to provide the means to enable the greater sharing of art, but, just as importantly, to help empower museums to realise their ambitions."
'Local Treasures: The British Museum comes to Kettering', opens at the Manor House Museum in Kettering on Saturday 22 September 2018 and runs until Saturday 12 January 2019. There is no charge for entry and there will be a programme of free events on offer.
Additional funding for the exhibition has been granted by Museum Development East Midlands and Kettering Borough Council.
Anyone wanting regular updates as the exhibition approaches can visit www.ThisisKettering.com/LocalTreasures where you can sign up to receive the Local Treasures eNewsletter. You can also find out more by calling the Museum on 01536 534 219.
Rushton Road Allotment Site
Wed, 12 Sep 2018 11:58 by Becky Jones
Many thanks are due to Fred and Bradley Smith for doing a great job cutting down brambles and other vegetation up to, and a little beyond, the new fence at the Rushton Road site.
The aim is to bring this back as far as possible to the status of a verge which can be included in any future mowing schemes.
