Upcoming Events
Bulrush Workshop: Making Mats and Small Containers with Maggie Cooper
On this course, participants will have the rare opportunity to work with English bulrushes harvested from local rivers. Weaving with bulrushes is deeply satisfying. The material is soft and silky, carrying the scent of fresh meadows, with beautiful hues of green and gold.
You will learn a range of simple weaving techniques, including over-and-under weave, check weave, strong twining weaves, plaits, and rope-making. The day will be one of experimentation and exploration of form. You may choose to create one larger piece or several smaller samples to take home.
The workshop will be delivered by Maggie Cooper, who has been making baskets and studying the ancient art of basketmaking for nearly four decades and is one of the foremost artists in this craft working in Britain today.
Date: Saturday 10th October
Time: 10am-4pm
Price: £65
The Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk War Memorials Project Talk
“See to it that his name is not forgotten”: The work of the Leicester City, County and Rutland At Risk War Memorials Project.
This talk examines what constitutes a war memorial, from their traditional forms to a few surprising variations. Which is Leicestershire’s oldest war memorial and where is the largest? We proceed to discuss why war memorials matter and why they should be preserved. Then we shall consider the role of the At Risk War Memorials Project and how it started. We shall encounter some tragedies and some triumphs and see where the Project is going next.
We look the work of the Project and at a few examples of war memorials in the Project’s care hearing how they came to be preserved and some of the stories they tell. There will be an opportunity to sign up for further contact with the At Risk War Memorials Project and to get involved in its important work.
Archive volunteers will display documents, books and artefacts relating to Fred and Digby Marriott of Cotesbach who both lost their lives in WWI, in whose memory the stained glass window at the east end of St.Mary’s Church Cotesbach was created.
Date: Wednesday 4th November
Time: 7-8.30pm
Price: £8 (+booking fee)
Enclosure Riots: The history of land and our relationship to it
Join us for an evening with Leonard Holden as he talks us through the famous enclosure riots that took place here in Cotesbach in 1607.
In Cotesbach in 1607 a huge gathering of 5,000 people took place. This was surprising as the village had less than 90 inhabitants. Why had they gathered on a day in June?
Throughout the 1600's enclosure riots sprung up across the country, displacing thousands and severing our ties to the land, nature and food. These cruel rulings saw ordinary people driven off of their land and out of their homes, leaving them desititue and with no where to go.
A rising had been building in Warwickshire, Northamptonshire & Leicestershire and communities were ready to make a stand, but with tensions at breaking point, the riots decended into violence and many lost more than just their homes.
Date: Wednesday 18th November
Time: 7-8.30pm
Price: £8 (+booking fee)
Festive Wreath Making
Learn how to make your own festive door wreath from locally foraged materials.
Join expert Louisa who will guide you through the process of making a beautiful festive wreath. Unlike many other wreath classes, you will start from scratch by first making the hoop, and then decorating it with your choice of foliage and natural decorative elements. Much of the foliage is foraged from around the Cotesbach Estate. The wreaths are biodegradable, with the exception of the wire and ribbon, which can be re-used. No experience is necessary, you will be guided through every step of the process, in a small, friendly and informal group setting. Ticket includes mulled wine or hot drink on arrival. If you have a favourite pair of secateurs, bring them along!
Dates:
Monday 30th November
Tuesday 1st December
Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm
Price: £40 per person (all materials and refreshments included)
