Out and about in Heckington

Andrew Vaux explores the charms, traditions and history of this popular North Kesteven village.

With as much to offer its community in services, facilities and heritage as the small towns that surround it, there’s no surprise that Heckington is known as one of the largest villages in Lincolnshire.

It’s one of an ancient group of villages on the western edge of the Fens which lie along what was once the North Sea coast. People lived in the village in the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Roman and Saxon times, and it’s played a full part in both local and national history.

Now a thriving village of close to 3,000 residents, Heckington possesses a traditional village green with a pub and a busy high street with a selection of shops and cafés selling home-cooked food.

Central to village life is Heckington Show – England’s longest continuously running village show. It’s held in the grounds of Heckington Hall on the last weekend in July every year, and so this year takes place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July.

Gates open on both days at 9am, and at 7pm on Saturday there’s a grand firework display and open-air concert featuring performances by the Sleaford Concert Band and Madness tribute band Gladness.

Around the show there will be children’s activity zones with free workshops for everyone to have a go, everyone’s favourite animal and livestock shows, the concert marquee, heritage area, sports and showjumping, vintage machinery, food and drink, and much more. 

Show president Alan Stennett MBE explains: “The event has its origins in the village’s 900-year-old feast week linked to the Feast of St Mary. It can be traced back to 1863 and the current site has been the Show’s venue since 1867.

“Heckington Show is a registered charity, organised and managed by an enthusiastic team of volunteers. The Showground provides a unique, enchanting atmosphere which makes this show such a pleasure to visit or participate in.

“Its setting in the heart of rural Lincolnshire is perfect for the established agricultural, horticultural and craft activities of a traditional village show, yet large enough to accommodate a wide range of trade stands and exhibits.”

The sporting activities play a large part in the main ring events and legendary names such as Harvey Smith, Victoria Pendleton and Sebastian Coe have all competed.

In 2018 the Society was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.

For more information about the show, visit the website www.heckingtonshow.org.uk

HISTORY AND HERITAGE
For history lovers, the village offers no shortage of attractions.

The Grade I listed Heckington windmill was built in 1830 with five sails. Damaged in a storm in 1890, the mill was repaired using eight sails – the cap and machinery from a local windmill in Boston. It’s currently the world’s only eight-sailed windmill.

The site hosts an award-winning visitor centre, tearoom and brewery, plus gardens, onsite bakehouse and museum. The Miller’s House Tea Room serves delicious homemade cakes, savoury lunches, drinks and ice creams.

The menus use locally-sourced produce where possible, and cakes are made on site using stone-ground Heckington Windmill flour. Fresh tea and coffee are served, or you can buy a beer from the brewery and sit in the garden or courtyard with spectacular views of the windmill.

ou can choose to sit in the renovated Miller’s Parlour with Edwardian furniture and décor; The Miller’s Study, a 1930s gem; or the garden room with direct access to the enclosed rear gardens and play equipment.

The attraction is managed by the Heckington Windmill Trust.

Trustee Jo Lewin says: “Unfortunately the windmill isn’t currently working due to storm damage, but we’re eagerly awaiting repairs which we hope will be carried out in the next couple of years.

“In the meantime, we have Maud, our steam engine, which runs a milling machine where we can make our own oat flour, and together with our heritage Ruston engine we can mill our own stone-ground wholemeal flour, which are available at the shop at the mill, and also online via our website.

“The mill is a perfect place for families to visit with an award-winning tearoom which was voted as one of the top Quirky Tea Rooms in the country by BBC’s Countryfile magazine. It sells lunches, refreshments and most importantly cakes baked on site in our bakehouse using our own flour. Plus, there’s also a microbrewery selling craft beers.”

For detailed information about Heckington Windmill, visit: www.heckingtonwindmill.org

Meanwhile, St Andrew’s Church – one of the finest parish churches in East Anglia, if not all of England – is a magnificent example of Decorated Gothic style.

Inside and out, you’ll find beautifully carved faces peering out from among tangles of stone foliage. The person most responsible for the wonderful carving was Richard de Potesgrave, who served both Edward II and Edward III as the royal chaplain.

The Easter Sepulchre is one of the finest 14th-century monuments in England, a marvel of the stone carver’s art. Facing it is a canopied sedilia where clergy sat during services. The canopy is decorated with amusing figures including a priest trying to separate a bickering husband and wife.

Heckington Station Railway Museum is housed in the original 1859 station buildings, which have been carefully restored to their former glory, having been saved from British Rail demolition by Heckington Village Trust in 1975.

The General Waiting Room contains a selection of local and railway displays, GNR fireplace, ticket window and sales counter.

In the adjoining Ticket Office, there are numerous railway artefacts ranging from station names snd railway uniforms to cast iron warning signs, railway lamps and railway models, as well as the ticket office equipment with ticket racks, Edmondson ticket stamp, and other railway office furniture.

FOOD AND HOSPITALITY
If you want to take a break for food and drink, there’s no shortage of options in the local community.
Heckington Pavilion is an independently-run café bar set in 12 acres of playing fields including a children’s play park, and makes the perfect place to meet with family or friends.

The outdoor seating area makes enjoying British summers easy, whilst the internal log burner creates the perfect cosy retreat.

A variety of private hire function spaces for those special occasions and a calendar of activities and classes running throughout the week means there’s something for everyone.

The bar is open Monday to Friday 11am to 11pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 11pm; although the closing times may alter if there are no customers in at 9pm.

The family-run Mountain’s Farm Shop is firmly established as a traditional butcher and popular farm shop serving high quality meats, delicatessen produce, and much more.

Firm favourites in the restaurant include the famous Boston Sausage and mash, full English breakfast, beer battered haddock, as well as a daily chef’s selection.

The farm shop’s delicatessen section offers a wide range of cheeses, including Brie de Meaux, Smoked Lincolnshire Poacher, Cote Hill Blue, Snowdonia Black, Délice de Bourgogne and many more.

Inside the farm shop there’s a wonderful selection of giftware, cakes, jams, chutneys, gins and local delicacies; customers can also enjoy a “grab ‘n’ go” snack at the Feast food stall which serves gourmet burgers, hot dogs, weekly specials, tasty tray bakes and cakes, with a superb picnic seating area, children’s play area and dog walking paddock.

Mountain’s Farm Shop is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm and Sunday 9am to 4pm. For more information visit www.mountainsfarmshop.com

The Nags Head Inn on the high street is a Grade II listed building with low-beamed ceiling and stone-tiled floor. The pub, which is family and dog-friendly, seems to have changed little over the years and still holds its old world feel and serves good quality home-cooked food and Cask Marque approved ales.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/TheNagsHeadHeckington

Another popular village local is The Royal Oak which features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a garden and a bar.

This traditional country pub/restaurant serves freshly made to order food with the finest ingredients locally sourced and also provides guests with a children’s playground.

For more information visit www.theroyaloak.bar

SET SAIL FOR HECKINGTON WINDMILL
In the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside 15 miles south of Lincoln is the magnificent 8-sailed Heckington Windmill.

Built in 1830, it offers a glimpse into the history of milling and an opportunity to explore this unique piece of Lincolnshire heritage, showcasing the story of grain from field to fork.

There is a visitor centre where children can get hands-on with exhibits and can hunt for mice around the windmill, while adults can explore the five floors of the windmill.

Visit the shop selling flours that have been stone-ground on site, along with a selection of gifts and local foods. And before you leave, make sure you visit the award-winning Miller’s House Tea Rooms with delicious cakes (baked on site), lunches and then drop in at the 8 Sail microbrewery.

The perfect location for a family day out, why not add Heckington Windmill to your list of places to visit this summer?

For more information visit www.heckingtonwindmill.org.uk

EARTHWORKS MADE EASY WITH S E HILL LTD
Established in 1973, S E Hill is a highly regarded family-run business offering a range of professional earthworks and groundwork services, together with cost-effective equestrian and agricultural constructions, such as specialist arena builds, forestry and clearance projects.

With a longstanding reputation for delivering high quality workmanship, the reliable and professional team will help resolve your residential and commercial landscaping challenges and help find you an affordable solution.

Free consultations are offered for all services, followed up by a quote and the expert landscaping team are fully licensed, bonded and insured.

“We love to take pride in the work we do, which brings us many repeat clients,” says managing director Steve Hill. “Each project is finished in time and budget making sure each job is completed above and beyond your expectations.”

For more information visit www.sehill.co.uk

PAMPERED POOCHES
Established in 2022, Barks & Bubbles Heckington offers caring, quality dog grooming with a low stress service for canines of all shapes and sizes, perfect for anxious or nervous dogs.

Owned and run by qualified groomers and best friends Claire Coleman and Chloe Hewitt, who are both trained to OCN Level 3, this friendly grooming salon which is fully insured features a “no cage” policy, allowing dogs to roam free under supervision, with five star treatments including a hydro bath.

“We pride ourselves on stress-free grooming for all breeds, from Chihuahuas to Caucasian Shepherds; we love them all. We aspire for every dog to leave our salon happy and wanting to return.

“We have worked with many dogs who are petrified of the grooming experience but in time, through showing them understanding, patience and the love they deserve, their fears have turned into a fun, happy grooming experience in our salon.”

For more information tel: 01529 460110 or find Barks & Bubbles on facebook, barksandbubblesheckington

HOME ENTERTAINMENT MADE EASY
Located on the Revesby Estate in Moorby, Expressive Audio is a specialist independent family-run business with more than 30 years’ combined experience in quality HiFis and home cinema.

If you enjoy excellent quality sound and superb cinema visuals in the comfort of your own home, the expert team at Expressive Audio can help you create your own tailored experience.

The company offers a range of products, featuring British brands, including Arcam, Cyrus, Chord Company, Fyne Audio, KEF and Rega.

Don’t miss the free upcoming event on 7th July featuring a new product range launch for home cinema products. This will be followed on 18th August with a special music evening featuring products from Innuos and Iso Acoustics which promises to be a great night.

For more information, call 01507 499047, head over to the showroom at Moorby Yard, or visit www.expressiveaudio.com

WELCOME TO HECKINGTON SHOW!
Visitors to this year’s annual event can look forward to an exciting line-up of displays, performances and attractions.

In Lincolnshire’s we’re fortunate to have an event on our doorsteps which is enjoyed by thousands of people every year – our own Heckington Show.

It offers a wonderful blend of displays and attractions all served up with the special atmosphere of a village show, unique for an event of this scale. An occasion that appeals across the generations, it’s no wonder that for many families it is as much a part of the family calendar as Christmas.

That special feeling springs from the passion of the show organisers – all local volunteers – who work hard all year to stage the event and then delight in sharing it with visitors from far and near. That volunteer input also helps keep prices down and makes it an amazing value day out.

Show classics
The village show classics such as the horticulture show, Shire horses (Saturday) and farm animals (Sunday) are enriched by music from the concert marquee, a Heritage Village showcasing living history, an Activity Zone with hands-on fun for all ages, scores of trade stands, rural craft stalls, and a Victorian fairground boasting a steam carousel and a big wheel.

There’s even more excitement in the main ring with the breathtaking Squibb Freestyle Motorbike Stunt Show and pony scurry competition on Saturday, the JC Balls Digger Dance on Sunday and top Madness tribute act Gladness headlining Saturday night’s Firework Concert. Saturday sees cycle racing on Heckington’s rare grass velodrome – it’s also the world’s oldest cycle race, going back to 1869 – with top-flight showjumping on Sunday.

The Area Trial showjumping attracts Olympic riders – yet another aspect of the special mix that is Heckington Show, with events of the very highest standard.

Saturday’s cycling includes a national championship, the Shire horse classes are a qualifier for the Horse of the Year Show, and the Lincoln Longwool sheep section is no less than the National Show for our unique county breed. This sums up the magic that is Heckington Show – the very best events in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere thanks to the amazing Heckington team, who together organise Britain’s largest volunteer-run show.

Heckington Show always takes place on the last weekend in July – this year that’s Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th.

Discounted advance tickets are available online now. There’s so much to see, why not get the special value two-day passes?

Visit www.heckingtonshow.org.uk to find out more and buy your tickets

Photographs: Mick Fox

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