Fabulous Folklore: The Land I Live On

I’m a “Raddleman” which means I’m an inhabitant of the smallest county in England - Rutland - which is nestled between Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. We measure 18 miles from north to south, and 17 miles from east to west.

We are a beautiful county, steeped in history, folklore and tradition. Much of our county is taken up by Rutland Water, a huge reservoir, which is an important nature reserve serving as an overwintering site for wildfowl and a breeding site for ospreys.

Along with two towns we boast a handful of beautiful hamlets, a flag featuring an upside-down horseshoe and 13 acorns, and our Latin motto: Multum in Parvo which means “much in little”.

Our agricultural landscape boasts hills and valleys, sacred wells, a labyrinth, yew topiary, a Sheela na gig, a castle, a viaduct, a windmill, a Bede house, and lots of churches. Our older cottages are built from local ironstone and many have roofs of Collyweston stone slate, or thatch. We have lots of old inns and public houses.

We have loads of legends, most of them in the form of ghost stories and there are some corkers! From the spectral lady who walks through Braunston holding a candle in front of her, to the haunted HMP Ashwell which now stands empty and hosts ghost hunting evenings, to the magic hedge that would bow down whenever someone walked past it.

This is such a magical little place, and in every sense Rutland lives up to its motto.

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