A NEW BOOK about the landscapes and legends of Stamford, Bourne and the Deepings has just been published, written by local historian Rex Needle and illustrated with a series of watercolour paintings by the Rutland artist Alan Oliver.
The two have been working together for the past year to complete the book and the result is a beautifully produced volume of almost 100 pages in full colour and printed on art paper to ensure that the paintings are shown to their full effect.
The subject is that segment of South Lincolnshire countryside which embraces the three communities, outlining their histories, development and how they appear today and taking a closer look at some of the more interesting places that are worthy of investigation.
The book explores the nooks and crannies of lesser travelled roads to provide a deeper understanding of the link between the three places, each having an aspect of life past and present which identifies one with another yet all separated by short drives through attractive countryside interspersed by interesting villages thus bringing together the stately charms of Burghley House and Grimsthorpe Castle with the simplicity of the Baptist Chapel at Haconby and the ancient stocks at Witham-on-the-Hill.
The 39 paintings reproduced include the Town Hall, St Leonard’s Priory, Browne’s Hospital and The Meadows at Stamford, the Red Hall, the Abbey Church, St Peter’s Pool and the woods at Bourne while the high locks, the River Welland, the market place and the old stone lockup are among the views of the Deepings.
Alan Oliver is recognised as one of the leading landscape artists in the Midlands as his work in this volume amply demonstrates, while Rex Needle, a retired journalist, has been chronicling the history of Bourne and surrounding area for the past decade and already has several publications to his credit. This book is a must for anyone interested in the three places, a delightful and elegant gift or addition to any bookshelf to be treasured and admired for many years to come.

Copies may now be obtained from Walkers Books, 19 North Street, Bourne
and other selected retail outlets or by post direct from the publishers at
Cottage Publications