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What's new?   2nd September 2026 A major rethink of why Muston and Long Clawson are elongated villages. Revisions to Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale now that the long-awaiting Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture Vol.15 East Midlands has been published.   12th August 2026 Some thoughts about where the River Devon met the River Trent in Roman times added to the end of the boundaries and rivers of the Vale. The Google Search box on each page has been upgraded from http to the more secure https.   19th July 2026 More details about Belvoir Priory and Belvoir Spa. New information about the Second World War Starfish decoy sites in the Vale. A lengthy article (only part of which is about the Vale) describing Leicestershire's north-south prehistoric routeways.   15th June 2026 The Vale's very own Iron Age hillfort Just discovered there was once an Iron Age hillfort immediately to the south of Belvoir Castle. See prehistory in the Vale. I've also added a brief summary of the geology of the Vale.   18th April 2026 More recent research about the Bottesford witchcraft trial is summarised in this Lincolnshire Folk Tales Project article. I've added a link in the right-hand navigation column to my new Rutland Village by Village website which is a 'sister' site to this one.   4th March 2026 Added a short section about 'Why were new fonts needed?' to the end of the five rare C17th fonts in the Vale page.   31st January 2026 I've added a link to a YouTube video about RAF Bottesford in the entry about Second World War airfields and pillboxes in the Vale. The video briefly mentions three dummy airfields at Belvoir, Foston and Tythby which were set up 'deflect' German bombing away from operational airfields.   As this Chronicle does not have village-by-village entries, I'll use this page to pass on the following: At Hose in the Vale of Belvoir work has been underway to strip an area of village earthworks to the north of the present village. This has been challenging as the earthworks contain features but also seal features cut into the natural below. Cobbled surfaces and possible structural remains have been identified on top of the earthworks, while a series of ditches and discrete features including several stone-lined pits appear to be predominantly located in the lower lying areas beneath the earthworks. A large ditch runs around one of the earthworks and a cobbled trackway has been revealed that runs up to the top of the mound. The work so far has produced large quantities of pottery from the Saxo-Norman period onwards and well-preserved animal bone. source: Mathew Morris in The Fieldworker January 2026   I've also updated the entry about the former lace factory in Stathern.   In 1944 the British Ministry of Information commissioned a film called 'The Grassy Shires' which is mostly about Leicestershire and Rutland. The film highlights the gently undulating countryside, rich farmlands and quiet villages. Additionally, it covers the impact of ironstone quarrying on the land and the efforts to restore farmland after quarrying. The film also delves into the dairy farming practices in the Vale of Belvoir, famous for producing Stilton cheese, and the various breeds of cattle raised in the region. It also touches on the changes brought about by the Second World War, including the ploughing of grasslands and the involvement of the Women's Land Army and other 'alternative' labour sources in farming. Yes it's all veiled propaganda to 'normalise' what was new. But eighty years later a fascinating insight into what, at the time, were radical changes.   26th November 2025 In the prehistory in the Vale entry I've added a link to an in-depth analysis of 50,000 fieldwalking finds from Bingham parish. More slate carvers of the Vale, based on recently-published research by Roderick Cave. I've added a photograph of what's left of Bottesford railway station. I've created a link in the right-hand navigation column to the section on named bridges in the Vale. Nothing new, other than the navigation link. And the home page has had a new coat of paint. been partly rewritten. After compiling 71 'entries' and 240+ photographs in a little over two months it's now time for other folks to chip in with notes, articles, photos, etc. Please email me if you can help: bobtrubs@indigogroup.co.uk.   21st November 2025 Three more photographs of bridges in the Vale and another here.   18th November 2025 Finally I've got to grips with some of the more recent history of the Vale. Turnpiking the Vale Changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale And a speculative thought about a possible earlier name for the Vale of Belvoir.   14th November 2025 Overviews of the Vale in Tudor times, the Vale in the seventeenth century and the Vale in the eighteenth century. Some short accounts of 'the great and the good' of the Vale. I've added the Holy Well at Woolsthorpe to the entry about springs and spas.   9th November 2025 Medieval gargoyles of the Vale About twenty curious carvings from the Leicestershire part of the Vale from three more guest contributors, this time photographers rather than writers. Granby was a remarkably important place by 1086. I've delved into Domesday Book and place-names trying to find out why. Lots and lots of minor updates and additions to the original fifty-or-so entries because I finally got my hands on Michael Honeybone's 1987 book called The Vale of Belvoir. I'm glad I didn't see this book before starting to put together this web site as a lot of what I put together in October would have seemed like plagiarism. The scope of Honeybone's book is surprisingly wide and he did a thorough job of researching. Bearing in mind that historical research was far more difficult and time-consuming in the early 1980s. This book remains a very important resource. I've not created a list of all the Chronicle entries that have been updated because, frankly, Honeybone's research doesn't undermine anything I'd written, so I've merely added details, nuances or more examples. Three entries have benefited most. Honeybone brought to my attention several more dovecotes and allowed me to write something more informative about lacemaking in the Vale. I've also used his information about St Guthlac and St John of Beverley to create a 'footnote' about early church dedications in the Vale. Honeybone's summary of the Dissolution in the Vale enabled me to put together an even shorter account. The main impact was a major shift from arable to pastoral farming. And part of a sentence in The Vale of Belvoir is the basis for a new entry for the Chronicle about eleventh century watermills.   3rd November 2025 Don't say that this Chronicle is getting too predictable! Here's a mixed bag of curiosities. Daffy's Elixir The Chronicle's second guest contributor, Joyce Lee, divulges a seventeenth century cure-all brewed in Redmile. Outstanding pipe organs in the Vale The Vale's medieval tile collection Well the Vale's former medieval tile collection, now known as the 'Rutland Collection' and residing in London. Stathern's purpose-built lacemaking factory   29th October 2025 Folklore of the Vale The Chronicle's first guest contributor, Joe Earp, helps shed light on the lore and customs of the Vale. The Vale's very own regicide A since-demolished house at Stathern once was home to the Colonel who supervised the execution of King Charles I. Big thanks to Richard Pincott and Catherine Pincott-Allen of The Field Detectives for bringing Colonel Hacker to my attention and correcting duff information on Wikipedia. The Marquess of Granby The man and his many, many pubs. Location shooting at Belvoir Castle From Little Lord Fauntleroy to The Crown the Vale's eponymous castle has been a frequent cinematic stand-in for Windsor Castle.   22nd October 2025 Seeing the Vale as a verb not a noun a.k.a. 'Places as processes'.   20th October 2025 Windmills in the Vale Brick and tile works in the Vale – with a link to details of Bottesford's unique blue pantiles. Colston Bassett's ruined church Possible dates for when the Catholic chapel at Eastwell closed. And some newly-discovered pinfolds.   16th October 2025 One addition to the 'long ago' section: Granby's lost castle. Twenty-two additions to the 'not that long ago' and 'seems like yesterday' sections.   1st October 2025 Everything's new! Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland