CONTENTS
- WELCOME
- VILLAGE MAP
- HISTORY
- COUNCILLORS
- FOOD AND BEVERAGES
- PUBLIC TRANSPORT
- EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE
- HEALTH SERVICES
- CHURCHES
- RECREATION
- CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
- COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES
- VILLAGE MAGAZINE
- REGULAR CLASSES AND ACTIVITIES
Welcome to Ketton and we hope you will enjoy living in our community
The style and age of much of the housing tells its own story of Ketton being a community with a long history. The residents are like the houses: some have been here for many years whilst others are newer to the village. It is because we are aware of the number of people moving into a growing community that it has been decided that a welcome pack will be helpful in enabling newcomers to discover the riches of the area more easily.
This welcome pack has been prepared by members of the Parish Council with the help and knowledge of other residents. The contents include contributions from the Parish Council and other organisations in the village and we hope you will find them useful in helping you settle in and become part of village life. The Parish Council Office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is located just off Stocks Hill. All details of Parish Council meetings and those of its sub committees are posted on village notice boards and website.
Communicating with each other is important and the village has its own website www.ketton-pc.gov.uk where details of all local societies and activities are included. We invite you to register your e-mail address on the web site and you will be able to be informed of events in the village including up to date police alerts in a timely manner. “Chatterbox” published three times a year is our village magazine and is full of useful and interesting articles and adverts for local people providing a wide variety of services. We also have a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KettonNews/.
Ketton Church is the parish church of St Mary, which continues to be available to serve the whole community and where everyone is welcome. You will find an equal welcome in the Methodist Church in Bull Lane. The Plymouth Bretheren have two meeting places in the village.
The Church of England primary school has many excellent facilities and provides a modern approach to learning by an able team of teachers who welcome parental involvement. There is a privately run pre-school on the school’s site and there is a play group for younger children which meets in the Methodist Church.
The village has a library on the High Street adjacent to the school. You can use the Wi-Fi and the computers while you source village information.
We are delighted to have a shop, Post Office and general store in the village and hope you will support it. The shop is far more than just a post office, it stocks an amazing range of produce including fresh food from local suppliers. The local public house, The Railway Inn, and the Ketton Sports and Community Centre (KSCC) all provide refreshments and are regular meeting places.
Ketton is fortunate in having a Sports Centre in Pit Lane. There are many different clubs based at the sports centre offering a range of activities including football, cricket, bowls and tennis for both junior & senior players – please do join and use these wonderful sports and social facilities. The Scout and Guide headquarters have a modern purpose built hall in Pit Lane, where groups supporting all age groups meet regularly. There are many different clubs and societies for you to join and their details can be found in this welcome pack.
As you walk round the village you will see that we have some lovely areas – some of these belong to the Parish Council and some to the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust. Hall Close is open to everyone and has two play areas; one for younger children, and one for slightly older children. There is also an all-weather Multi Use Games Area. Please enjoy using these areas and help us maintain them to the standard you would like to see. Walking dogs is part of village life but please ensure that dogs are kept under control and that you clear up after them using the general waste bins around the village. The village also hosts a very popular healthy walking group based at KSCC. There are a number of public footpaths radiating out from the village, which are all well signposted. There are three long distance footpaths passing through the village, the Round Rutland Way, the Jurassic Way and the Hereward Trail. There are also five local walks centred around Ketton. https://ketton-pc.gov.uk/ketton-walks
The Parish Council is active in maintaining a pleasant quality of life for all who live in Ketton. We are sure you will be given a warm welcome and hope that the village will prove a happy place for you to live and where you will make many new friends.
HISTORY
Ketton is an attractive limestone village sited in the valley of the River Chater, comprising the main village of Keton on the north side of the river and 2 associated hamlets of Aldgate and Geeston on the south side.
It stands at the intersection of the main road from Stamford to Uppingham with a secondary road running from Empingham to Collyweston. The secondary road crosses the Chater and the nearby Welland by ancient bridges and no doubt, before the bridges were built the rivers could be forded at Ketton.
The Domesday Book of 1086 provides the earliest written record of Ketton. At that time ‘Chetene” was“held by the King” and the population consisted of 12 Freemen, 24 villagers, 5 smallholders, a priest and 3 slaves.There was a mill in the village and the fact that there was a priest suggests there was also a church.
However, the story of Ketton commenced many years before Norman times. Archaeologists have found evidence of a settlement in Ketton dating from the Bronze Age and the Iron Age and a number of finds have confirmed that Ketton was occupied in Roman times – remains have been identified as Roman dwellings, quarrying and burials.
Almost all the older buildings in the village have been built with limestone which has been quarried locally. This stone, known as Ketton freestone, is recognised as one of the finest building stones in Britain. Originally many of the buildings would have been covered with thatch but now only two thatched roofs remain and most of the roofs are covered with limestone slates quarried at Collyweston. The remains of several of the old stone quarries can be seen about the village. For many generations there have been skilled stonemasons in the village and today this skill is being continued by the company known as Ketton
Architectural Stone and Masonry.
The limestone lies under thick seams of clay and the abundance of these two materials led to the establishment of the Ketton Cement Works in 1928. At the time it was recognised as one of the most up-to-date cement works in Britain. Today, ninety three years later, a policy of continuing modernisation and improvement has ensured that the works are still a modern and efficient cement works. The works have had a number of names over the years, Ketco, Castle Cement and are now known as Hanson Cement Ltd.
The oldest building in the village is the magnificient church of St Mary. This dates from 1190 but there is evidence that there was an earlier church. A leaflet outlining the history of St Mary’s is available in the church. The Congregational Chapel was established in the village in 1829 and five years later the first Methodist Chapel was opened in Bull Lane.
In the 19th century the village was a self sufficient community. It is recorded that in 1846, when the population was 951, the residents included 13 farmers, 3 butchers, 5 bakers, 3 shopkeepers, 3 blacksmiths, 4 boot and shoe makers, 2 saddlers, 4 tailors, 8 inns or beer houses, 4 joiners, 2 wheelwrights and 5 stonemasons.
Until this century, farming had always been the main source of work for the community. In the 19th century the main crops were turnips, barley with clover and wheat. About three fifths of the land was maintained as pasture for sheep and cattle, with a small number of horses. Cottagers were encouraged to produce their own food and 65 acres of land in four fields were let as allotments. Many cottagers kept their own pig, and some kept a cow. There is a copy of the 1768 enclosure map in the library and the parish office showing who owned each field in the village.
It is not known when the first school was established in the village but there was a boys’ school in the 1780’s. Early in the 19th century a girls’ school was established after a bequest of £1000 was used for “the education of the poor female children of Ketton”. In 1857 the two schools were amalgamated into a new school which provided accommodation for 120 boys and girls. This school, with some additional class rooms, served the village until 1969 when the present school was completed. The old school was demolished in 1973 and the Library was erected on the site.
The railway line through the village, with a station at Ketton, was opened in 1848, and is on the line from Cambridge to Leicester, but in 1966 the railway station was closed to passengers and in 1973 the station building was demolished. The nearest station is now in Stamford.
VILLAGE MAP
PARISH COUNCILLORS
Nigel Roberts (Chair)
chair@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Mary Cade (Vice Chair)
m.cade@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Sinclair Rogers JP
s.rogers@@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Monty Andrew JP
m.Andrew@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Christine Bickley
c.bickley@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Jenny Rogers
j.rogers@ketton-pc.gov,uk
Michael Wright
m.wright@ketton-pc.gov,uk
Richard Dixon
r.dixon@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Rob Cooke
r.cooke@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Sian Dwyer
s.dwyer@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Paul Simmons
p.simmons@ketton-pc.gov.uk
Lynda Naylor
l.naylor@ketton-pc.gov.uk
PARISH CLERK
Debbie Rolfe
clerk@ketton-pc.gov.uk
COUNTY COUNCILLORS
MATTHEW FARINA
07545949050
mfarina@rutland.gov.uk
KAREN PAYNE
07515887119
kpayne@rutland.gov.uk
FOOD AND BEVERAGES
Post Office and Village Store
Open 7 days a week they offer Food and Drink, Wines, Spirits and Beers, Tabacco & cigarettes. Grocery.
https://www.facebook.com/kettonvillagestore/ High Street, Ketton, PE9 3TE
The Railway Pub
The pub offers a wide range real ales, beer, wines and spirits, crisps and snacks.
https://www.facebook.com/TheRailwayInnKetton Church Road, Ketton PE9 3RD
Ketton Sports and Community Centre
Fully licenced bar and facilities for hot food, occasional mobile food outlets in evenings.
https://www.kettonsportscc.co.uk/ Pit Lane, Ketton PE9 3SZ
The Rutland Vinyard
The Tasting Barn offers a range of coffees, cheeses and home made cakes. Generally open Wednesdays to Saturdays. https://www.therutlandvineyard.com/
Barrowden Road, Ketton PE9 3RJ
Baker’s Dozen Brewery
Locally brewed award winning beers. Free delivery on Fridays. Pop-up Brewery Tap – see website for details and dates. https://bakersdozenbrewing.co.uk. Pit Lane Ketton PE9 3SZ
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Bus Service
The new on Demand Bus Service is now live. Please click on the link below for more detail
Ketton buses | Rutland County Council
Rail Travel
The nearest station is Stamford.
The nearest mainline station is Peterborough.
EDUCATION & CHILDCARE
Ketton C of E Primary School High Street, Ketton, PE9 3TE
Telephone: 01780 720301 Email: kettonoffice@rltschools.com
Ketton Playschool
For Children 21/2 to 5 years. Five days a week.
Open 8.45-11.45, 11.45-3.45, 8.45-3.45.
c/o Ketton Primary School, High Street, Ketton, Rutland, PE9 3TE
Phone: 01780 721676 Email: pennybutcher@btinternet.com
Ketton Jack and Jill Baby & Toddler Group
Meet term time Tuesdays 9.30 – 11.00 at Ketton Methodist Church Hall
kettonjackandjill@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/kettonjackandjill
Ketton Library
Wheelchair access, SENsory backpack with ear defenders and sensory toys,
Colour Printing/Photocopier (A4), Computers and WiFi, Books, Talking Books,
and Graphic Novels for loan, eBook and eAudio loans, eMagazine and
eNewspaper loans, DVD hire, jigsaw puzzle loans, Children’s events,
Access to Ancestry, Find my Past and the British Newspaper Archive (FREE).
Open Wednesday & Friday 9am – 1pm & 1.30pm – 5pm, Saturday 9am –1pm.
67 High St, Ketton, Stamford PE9 3TE
HEALTH SERVICES
Doctors Surgeries
Stamford
Oakham
Wansford
Empingham
Stamford Hospital Minor injuries unit
Oakham Memorial Hospital & UTC
Peterborough Hospital with 24hr A&E
Dentists
Stamford
Oakham
Wansford
Bourne
Defribrillators
Ketton has five defribrillators. They are situated at the phone box Empingham
Road crossroads, the phone Box near Pit lane, the railway station crossing,
KSCC and the Library when open..
CHURCHES
St Mary’s Church
Church Road, Ketton, PE9 3RD
Services are held every Sunday at 10.30 varying from Holy Communion to
family services.
vicar@ketton and tinwell.uk https://www.kettonandtinwell.uk
Methodist Church
Bull Lane, Ketton, PE9 3TB
Worship-weekly at 6:00pm April to October, then 3:00 pm when the clocks
change.
Rev Andrew Hollins 01780 762282
Church Steward 01780 720800
Hall Bookings 01780 720402
Plymouth Brethren
Bridge Farm Gospel Hall, Ketton, PE9 3YA
Assembly hall for meetings of the local Plymouth Brethren Church.
Tithe Green Natural Burial
Ketton Park offers a natural alternative to traditional graveyard or crematorium
burials and provides a peaceful final resting place in a manner friendly
towards nature, wildlife and the environment. https://www.tithegreen.com/
Luffenham Road, Ketton, Stamford, E9 3RN
Contact: 01623 677100 info@tithegreen.com
Opening Hours: Visitors welcome anytime, every day
RECREATION
Ketton Sports and Community Centre
Is a fully inclusive village community venue with affiliated sports sections for
Cricket, Football, Tennis, Bowls, Pentanque, Junior Triathlon and a Healthy
Walking Group, as well as indoor social activities including Darts, Pool,
Dominoes, Crib and Bingo in our clubhouse. All details and Sport sections’
contact details are on their website https://www.kettonsportscc.co.uk
Hall Close
Hall close is a community green space with a junior and infant play areas and
a community orchard.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
Ketton Art Group
Ketton Community Choir
The choir has close on 40 members and welcomes new members, particularly
male tenors and basses. Rehearsals take place twice monthly on a Tuesday
evening in St Mary’s Congregational Hall, Church Lane, Ketton. The choir’s
musical director is Duncan McIlrae and Helen Banks is the conductor. If you
are interested in joining please contact Jayne Bloomer on 01780 721349 or
Kari Deane on 01780 720291.
Ketton Film Club
The Club meets once a month at Ketton Sports and Community Centre
where the bar is open. Doors open at 7pm and the shows start at 7.30pm. All
welcome, entrance is £3. Contact: sinclairrogers@btinternet.com
Ketton Girlguides
1st Ketton Guides take part in a wide range of exciting activities including
international camps.
Contact Emily Giddings 07718986749 firstkettonguides@hotmail.com
Ketton also has a Rainbows (Age 5-7) and Brownies (Age 7-10) Group
Contact Anne Hayre 07984098210
Ketton Green Spaces Group
A group of volunteers who aim to manage local green spaces to increase biodiversity,
sustainability and enjoyment of the natural environment.
https://www.facebook.com/kettongreenspaces/
Ketton Horticultural Society
Regular talks and visits throughout the year. Annual Plant sale and Plant
Swap. Member of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Administration Secretary: Andie Barton 07754 753827
Treasurer: Lyn Betts 07807 411520
Ketton Knit Club
The club meet at the parish office every Monday at 10.30 – 12.30. We knit
mainly for charities and countries in distress.
Ketton Seed Swap
A group to provide Free Swap of Seeds within Ketton and the very local area.
Facebook “Ketton Community Seed Swap” or for more information please call
01780 767667.
Ketton Talks
Talks by local people on subjects of interest to the village and surrounding
area.
All meetings normally take place on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30pm
in the Congregational Hall, Chapel Lane, Ketton.
All are welcome. Members £12 for the year; visitors £3.
For further information, contact Sinclair Rogers by email:
sinclairrogers@btinternet.com
Ketton WI
Provides friendship, community involvement and time for yourself.
Email: kettonwi@hotmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kettonwi
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES
Community Soup Lunches
Lunches are held on the third Wednesday of the month(except July, August &
December) in the hall at Ketton Methodist Chapel from 12.00 until 1.30. There
is no charge but donations for a charity each month are welcome.
Free IT Training
One to one tuition meeting Monday afternoon 2.00pm – 4.00pm in the Parish
Office. Sessions must be booked in advance. Contact: 01780 722451 or
kettonpc@btinternet.com
The Hub
Every Thursday morning we meet in the Library at 10.00 till 12.00 for coffee
and chat. The Hub is run by volunteers who make and serve hot drinks and
snacks at £1.50 per head. We organise our own events such as a lunch or
party for seniors. Contact: Jenny Rogers 07787508604
Ketton Good Neighbour Scheme
This scheme uses volunteers from the village to provide help for anyone in
our parish who needs assistance that might be provided by a good neighbour.
If you need help then just call 07517 798397 from 8am -8pm and we will do
our best.
The Whitebread Trust
The Trust is a local village charity which grants money to voluntary
organisations and individuals of any age resident in the village. Grants have
been made for a variety of reasons including help with educational costs for
individuals, further education, vocational courses and the costs for sports
equipment, coaching and facilities for clubs and groups. The Trustees meet
four times a year to consider applications.
Contact: c/o The Parish Office 01780722159 or
clerk@ketton-pc.gov.uk
The Village Magazine
‘Chatterbox’ is produced three times a year by the Whitebread Trust. The
magazine contains local adverts and submissions from Ketton residents about
local history, events and people. It is delivered free of charge to all houses in
Ketton and a digital version can be found on the parish council website.
https://ketton.org.uk/CHATTERBOX/
REGULAR CLASSES AND ACTIVITIES