Babworth Arts Festival 2022

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Saturday 19th November 10am-4pm & Sunday 20th November 12-4pm

All Saints’ Church, Babworth, DN22 8EP

A brilliant display of quilts to complement the usual excellent pieces of artwork will be on display at the 2022 Babworth Arts Festival. Contributions from Retford U3A and individual quilters will test the ingenuity of organisers to display these works to their full effect.

Quilts created by the U3A

There will also be a range of paintings and other works from artists and art groups in and around Retford – some of which will be for sale.

Mayflower by Gerry Fruin

At 10am on Saturday 19th November, Bassetlaw District Council Chair, Madelaine Richardson will officially open the Pilgrims Trail and the Babworth Arts Festival. The Mayflower Pilgrims story has deep roots in and around Bassetlaw, with Babworth forming the “crucible” where the key elements of Richard Clifton, John Robinson, William Brewster and William Bradford met and started to form their ideas. Bradford and Brewster went on to found and run Plimoth Colony in America, and Robinson supported the expedition to Holland, and also founded the Congregational Church. Pilgrim Churches at Austerfield, Scrooby, Sturton le Steeple, and St Swithun’s Retford which form the Pilgrims Trail will also be open to visitors.

At 10.30am on Saturday 19th November, Retford Business Forum will present cheques worth £200 each to local charities, Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw, and Bassetlaw Hospice. Mayor of Retford, Cllr Sue Shaw will accept on behalf of Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw and Bonney Baggaley will accept on behalf of Bassetlaw Hospice.

At 11.00am on Saturday 19th November, local author, and historian Adrian Gray, will give a talk on “Rebellious Women of Nottinghamshire”.

At 12 noon on Sunday 20th November, local tour guide and Pilgrims expert, Maggy Watkins will also give a talk on “Mayflower New Beginnings” with an emphasis on the characters and what happened on the voyage and arrival in America.

Babworth Church is part of the Pilgrims Trail

Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend and there is free parking in the car park. Any artists wishing to show their work should deliver items to Babworth Church between 10am and 3pm on Friday 18th November. BCH is very grateful to Cath Ray Studios, Jenny King, Adrian Gray, Maggy Watkins, Brushstrokes Art Group, Bassetlaw Museum, and all at Babworth Church for their support.

The Pilgrim Roots Heritage Project display during the art exhibition

The theme for this year’s Arts Festival is “New Beginnings” which is reflected in the overall approach of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was a meal which was shared between the newly arrived settlers to North America – the Mayflower Pilgrims – and the local population (the Mashpee Wampanoag) who had formed an alliance with them. However, Thanksgiving has been marked, since 1970, among many Native Americans as a National Day of Mourning.

Millions of Americans mark Thanksgiving as a celebration of family and an opportunity to give thanks for what they have. People travel across the country to enjoy a meal together, usually featuring turkey, but the original meal would probably have consisted of shellfish and cereals.

Babworth Church wardens Peter Swinscoe welcomes the art exhibition

The Babworth Art Exhibition has been a collaboration between BCH, All Saints’ Church Babworth, and Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) for over five years commemorating the story of the Separatists and Mayflower Pilgrims. The theme of Thanksgiving which became popular in North America developed from these stories. Today its relevance is perhaps broader and can be seen as an opportunity to give thanks more widely.

BCH and BDC are partners within Pilgrim Roots.

Thanksgiving/Illuminate 2021 Art Exhibition

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Babworth Art Exhibition returned to Babworth Church again this year.

On Saturday 27th November 2021, the exhibition was opened at 10am by Isabelle Richards, Heritage Engagement Officer at the Pilgrims Gallery in Bassetlaw Museum, and Revd David Gough, Area Dean, Bassetlaw & Bawtry Deanery.

There were fifty-seven outstanding paintings and pottery exhibited from nineteen talented artists, on the themes of Thanksgiving, Mayflower Pilgrims and the Separatists. Artists who exhibited included Shaun Clark, Gerry Fruin, Margaret Harrod, Jenny King, Elaine Nash, Margaret Presley, Helen Richards, Paul Straker, Mick Thomas, Ann Wildgust, and members of Brushstrokes Art Group.

At 12noon on Saturday, local tour guide, Maggy Watkins gave an informative talk on the Separatists and Puritans entitled Saints and Strangers. On Sunday 28th November, at 3pm, local historian and author, Adrian Gray gave a fascinating talk on the myths with The Afterlife of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

This popular exhibition has now been established for six years with only a pandemic-enforced break in 2020. The weather did its best to deter visitors, threatening everything from storm to snow, but over fifty people found their way through to enjoy the building, artworks, talks and refreshments. The online exhibition will continue until the end of the year at www.pilgrimroots.co.uk.

The next major event at Babworth Church will be the Snowdrops Festival in February 2022 – an opportunity for a healthy walk from Retford with some great scenery.

Background

On 25th November 2021, the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving meal was commemorated.

This was a meal which was shared between the newly arrived settlers to North America – the Mayflower Pilgrims – and the local population (the Mashpee Wampanoag) who had formed an alliance with them. However, Thanksgiving has been marked, since 1970, among many Native Americans as a National Day of Mourning.

Millions of Americans mark Thanksgiving as a celebration of family and an opportunity to give thanks for what they have. People travel across the country to enjoy a meal together, usually featuring turkey, but the original meal would probably have consisted of venison, shellfish and cereals.

The Babworth Art Exhibition has been a collaboration between BCH, All Saints’ Church Babworth, and Bassetlaw District Council for six years, commemorating the story of the Separatists and Mayflower Pilgrims. The theme of Thanksgiving which became popular in North America developed from these stories. Today its relevance is perhaps broader and can be seen as an opportunity to give thanks more widely.

Thanksgiving/Illuminate 2021 Art Exhibition

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Online: 15th November – 31st December 2021

At Babworth Church: 27th & 28th November 2021

Open to the public on 27th and 28th November 2021, Babworth Art Exhibition is planned to be back in Babworth Church this year – save the date today!

We are inviting artists, historians and musicians to produce artworks, and give talks and recitals….whatever would be fitting and suitable to be exhibited or performed in Babworth Church to communicate the theme of Thanksgiving, however that is interpreted.

Previously created Mayflower-themed artworks will also be welcomed and, as before, there is no selection process, and all are invited to participate.

In 2020, Covid 19 set us significant challenges, however, technology came to the rescue and we went online – this year we are again asking artists to record and curate their work online.

A full brief for artists and performers will be available until 30th October 2021 from info@pilgrimroots.org

The Mayflower by Gerry Fruin

There will be an opportunity for local artists to engage with members of the Wampanoag people who are visiting Retford in September as part of a cultural exchange. They will be building a Wetu, a traditional dwelling used by some of the Native American people, in the garden of Bassetlaw Museum between 21st and 25th September 2021. Artists interested in meeting with representatives of the Wampanoag should contact info@pilgrimroots.org.

The Pilgrim Embroiderers

Background

On 25th November 2021, the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving meal will be commemorated.

This was a meal which was shared between the newly arrived settlers to North America – the Mayflower Pilgrims – and the local population (the Mashpee Wampanoag) who had formed an alliance with them. However, Thanksgiving has been marked, since 1970, among many Native Americans as a National Day of Mourning.

Millions of Americans mark Thanksgiving as a celebration of family and an opportunity to give thanks for what they have. People travel across the country to enjoy a meal together, usually featuring turkey, but the original meal would probably have consisted of shellfish and cereals.

The Babworth Art Exhibition has been a collaboration between BCH, All Saints’ Church Babworth, and Bassetlaw District Council for over five years commemorating the story of the Separatists and Mayflower Pilgrims. The theme of Thanksgiving which became popular in North America developed from these stories. Today its relevance is perhaps broader and can be seen as an opportunity to give thanks more widely.

Thanksgiving/Illuminate 2021 Art Exhibition Brief for Artists

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Online: 15th November – 31st December 2021
At Babworth Church: 27th & 28th November 2021

Thanksgiving

The theme for the Art Exhibition this year is that of thanksgiving – however artists wish to interpret that.
Previously created Mayflower-themed artworks will also be welcomed and, as previously, there is no selection process, and all are invited to participate.

In 2020, Covid 19 set us significant challenges, however, technology came to the rescue – this year we are again asking artists to record their work and give some background information to it.

There is no selection process or fee to enter. Artists may offer their work for sale or not as they wish – if they are selling, they will need their own means of doing so. No commission will be charged for work sold. There are no age limits.

All work should be inspired by the Thanksgiving / Wampanoag / Separatist / Mayflower Pilgrims Stories – this does not mean they have to be pictures of Mayflower ships – they should be inspired by the stories; however they are interpreted. After the time of the exhibition images and recordings may be retained for ongoing reference and communications.

Any medium may be used with due regard to its suitability in the environments and locations exhibiting the work and the health and safety of the public. The organisers reserve the right to take down any unsuitable materials.

Work for the online exhibition should be sent to Isabelle.richards@bassetlaw.gov.uk by Friday 5th November; with each piece should be the artist’s name and contact details, a title/short description (200 words max.) of how the work relates to the Thanksgiving / Wampanoag / Separatist / Mayflower Pilgrims stories, the medium used, and a price (if offered for sale). All work supplied (photographs, films etc) will become the property of the organiser and will be used entirely at the organiser’s discretion for publicity and communications purposes in line with the theme of the exhibition.

Work for the exhibition at Babworth Church should be delivered between 10am and 3pm on Friday 26th November and collected between 4pm and 5pm on Sunday 28th November 2021.

Programmes will be created from the information supplied and these will be made available.

In 2021, we are also inviting talks, performance and music recordings with some relevance to the story of the Thanksgiving / Wampanoag / Separatists / Mayflower Pilgrims stories, however connected, and these may be included in the exhibition. Please let us know by 30th October if you would like to take part.

Please also see www.pilgrimroots.co.uk/stories and www.bassetlawchristianheritage.com or contact isabelle.richards@bassetlaw.gov.uk.

Mayflower painting by Gerry Fruin
The Mayflower by Gerry Fruin

Thanksgiving/Illuminate 2021

This year, we will be working with Bassetlaw Foodbank to deliver an opportunity for people to provide gifts of food to help those less fortunate. This will be a way for people to give thanks for their own lives whilst helping others to survive in modern hardship. We think this would be a good way to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving.

We will be giving donors battery candles to display in their windows on 25th November (Thanksgiving in 2021) and will be inviting them to post photographs of these to reflect the theme of Illuminate. We will also support schools in creating their own Illuminate features and will invite them to send photographs for our online display.

Background

On 25th November 2021, the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving meal will be commemorated. This was a meal which was shared between the newly arrived settlers to North America – the Mayflower Pilgrims – and the local population who had formed an alliance with them.

In the first year, half of the passengers from the Mayflower had died, having arrived at the start of winter, ill-prepared for what was to come. Members of the native population showed them which crops to grow, and how to go about it. A year on from their arrival a celebration meal took place with the settlers and the leader of the local Wampanoag people and one hundred of his warriors.

This anniversary is not celebrated by the Wampanoag people today. The successful establishment of the Europeans was followed by large scale incursion across the continent. Thanksgiving has been marked, since 1970, among many Native Americans as a National Day of Mourning.

Millions of Americans mark Thanksgiving as a celebration of family and an opportunity to give thanks for what they have. People travel across the country to enjoy a meal together, usually featuring turkey. The original meal would probably have consisted of shellfish and cereals.

Cultural appropriateness

It is important to be aware of the cultural sensitivities related to the characterisation of the Native American People. Steven Peters (www.smokesygnals.com), provides this perspective for artists:

“We are asking them to create art that reshapes UK history and culture and not native culture. The history is intertwined but simply asking them to do it from their perspective and not to appropriate native culture.

Art Challenge: Reshaping History and Culture

Popular culture has grossly appropriated stereotypical elements of what we perceive as traditional culture. It has normalized racially insensitive media portrayals such as the “Piccaninny Tribe” in Disney’s Peter Pan. Many contemporary Native American artists are now using their work to challenge the way we look at history and culture. Creating multi-disciplinary work that bucks the demeaning notion that Native Art is all “beads and feathers.” Often this new artwork is a mix of entirely contemporary-looking aesthetics with historical or traditional elements of Native culture. These works can be in the style of Pop Art or films with contemporary dance over traditional songs or repurposing objects.

How will the artists of the UK challenge the history they learned and reshape our understanding of the historical events that have shaped the world we live in today?”

Illuminate “One small candle” Thanksgiving success

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

People from across Bassetlaw (North Nottinghamshire), Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and beyond took part in the ‘One Small Candle’ event on Thanksgiving evening last week (Thursday 26th November). Many of them photographed their lanterns and shared them with the Pilgrim Roots project and on social media using the hashtag #OneSmallCandle. There were even photographs from Edinburgh, North Wales and Plymouth.

#OneSmallCandle beneath the William Bradford window at St Helena’s Church, Austerfield

Although Thanksgiving is an event celebrated mainly in the United States, organisers of this year’s Pilgrims Festival suggested that people in the UK might use it as an opportunity to give thanks for something in their own lives, whatever that might be.

The Pilgrim Roots areas of Bassetlaw, West Lindsey, Boston and Doncaster are central to the story of the Mayflower Pilgrims. This year, which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the arrival in North America of the Mayflower Pilgrims, was meant to include many parades and events as the ‘grand finale’ following six years of events building up to it. This was not to be.

An Illuminate lantern jar by Stephanie Baines

However, not to be deterred, the teams at Bassetlaw District Council’s Pilgrims Gallery in Retford, and at West Lindsey District Council, assisted by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage, took the Illuminate ‘one small candle’ events out to people through a combination of locally distributed publications and online.

Bassetlaw Christian Heritage also worked with Bassetlaw District Council’s Pilgrims Gallery on putting together the Online Babworth Arts Festival. Prevented by COVID-19 from holding the usual annual exhibition at Babworth Church, it went online and features paintings, photographs, videos, audio, music, and poetry. This proved so popular that the event has been extended through to Christmas 2020.

Pilgrims Gallery Heritage Engagement Officer, Isabelle Richards, said: “It has been great to work together to reach out to people in this 400th anniversary year of the Mayflower Pilgrims. The ‘One Small Candle’ project has gone really well, as has the Online Arts Festival, and has enabled us to connect with one another positively while we are not able to join together in the usual way.”

A lantern outside St Swithun’s Church, Retford

The Illuminate “One Small Candle” activity in Bassetlaw, North Nottinghamshire has been organised by Bassetlaw District Council Pilgrims Gallery at Bassetlaw Museum, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and supported by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage.

Pilgrim Roots is a regional partnership including Bassetlaw District Council, West Lindsey District Council, Bassetlaw Christian Heritage and other organisations in the Lincolnshire, Bassetlaw and South Yorkshire area.

Babworth Arts Festival opens online!

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

The annual Pilgrim inspired art event at Babworth Church near Retford is brought to you online for 2020.

Babworth Church Warden Peter Swinscoe at the 2017 arts festival

This popular event usually takes place in All Saints’ Church, showcasing pilgrim inspired art by local people. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the exhibition is being hosted on the Pilgrim Roots website, where it can be enjoyed from the safety of your own home.

There’s a fantastic collection of entries related to our local Pilgrims’ stories and their wider context. Entries feature the Pilgrim Churches, the Pilgrims themselves, and include photography, paintings, illustrations, and embroidery.

Scroll through the exhibition and perhaps listen to a talk as well.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower Pilgrims’ arrival in North America and the exhibition can be viewed until Saturday 28th November 2020. If the number of visits is high enough, it may be extended – so why not visit today?

All work on display in the exhibition was inspired, in some way, by the Separatist and Mayflower Pilgrims stories. There is a range of paintings, music and other art forms many of which have not been displayed before – certainly not in this format.

The Pilgrim Embroideries are included, as is a link to a video of Jenny King, the lead embroiderer, explaining about their work. Thanks to everyone who contributed a stitch over the years and to those who bought cards or who donated to the framing.

There are videos about the role of Babworth church from “Where it all Began”; on the Carlton Prophetess by local historian and author Adrian Gray; a music performance from the Doncaster Waites; and from international musician, Leah Stuttard, singing an early 17th century hymn, followed by a 13th century harp instrumental.

This exhibition has been kindly hosted by Babworth Church for the past four years, and has been an important part of the Pilgrims Festival which has commemorated the Mayflower Pilgrim Families’ journey to North America in 1620. Anyone wishing to support Babworth Church can get in touch via the Pilgrim Roots website ‘Get in Touch’ form at the end of the Art exhibition.

Bassetlaw Christian Heritage (BCH) is delighted to have received support from Bassetlaw District Council which, in turn has been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Pilgrim Roots. Extra special thanks to the team at the Pilgrims Gallery at Bassetlaw Museum for their hard work and inspiration and to all of the local artists for their brilliant work.

To find out more about the story, please take a look around our website, or Pilgrim Roots for the Pilgrims Gallery in Bassetlaw Museum, Retford, the Mayflower Pilgrims Visitor Centre at The Hub in Churchgate, Retford, and the Mayflower Room at the United Reformed Church in Gainsborough (Government restrictions allowing – please check before travelling).

Pilgrims Festival 2020: Online Babworth Arts Exhibition, 21-28 November

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Our vision is to successfully deliver an exhibition of arts and craft works and performances inspired by the Separatists/Mayflower Pilgrims stories in Bassetlaw, North Nottinghamshire, as part of the Pilgrims Festival activities in November each year.

In 2016, the first event took place at Babworth Church and there has been an event each year since, with increasing numbers of exhibits from a wider range of artists and larger numbers of visitors.

In 2020, Covid 19 has set us significant challenges. However, technology comes to the rescue – this year we are asking artists to record their work and give some background information to it. The exhibit may be the photograph of the work and/or the work within an environment – artist’s choice!

There is no selection process or fee to enter. Artists may offer their work for sale or not as they wish – if they are selling, they will need their own means of doing so. No commission will be charged for work sold. There are no age limits.

All work should be inspired by the Separatist/Mayflower Pilgrims Stories – this does not mean they have to be pictures of Mayflower ships – they should be inspired by the stories, however they are interpreted. After the time of the exhibition, images and recordings may be retained for ongoing reference and communications.

Any medium may be used with due regard to its suitability in the environments and locations exhibiting the work and the health and safety of the public. The organiser reserves the right to take down any unsuitable materials.

Work should be sent to bchristianheritage@gmail.com by Friday 13th November; with each piece should be the artist’s name and contact details, a title/short description (200 words max.) of how the work relates to the Separatist/Mayflower Pilgrims stories, the medium used, and a price (if offered for sale). All work supplied (photographs, films etc) will become the property of the organiser and will be used entirely at the organiser’s discretion for publicity and communications purposes in line with the theme of the exhibition. The organiser of this virtual event is Bassetlaw Christian Heritage CIC.

Programmes will be created from the information supplied and these will be made available.

In 2020, we are inviting talks and performance recordings with some relevance to the story of the Separatists, however connected, and these may be included in the exhibition.

North Nottinghamshire’s Pilgrim Embroideries & a new book

Posted on by Bassetlaw Christian Heritage

Five new Pilgrim-themed Embroideries have been produced for the Mayflower 400 commemorations featuring churches associated with the Pilgrim story in North Nottinghamshire.

The Pilgrim Embroiderers at work

The five embroideries depict the local village people near each of the main Pilgrim churches, with hand-stitched text about their inspirational preachers. The featured churches are All Saints at Babworth, St Helena’s in Austerfield, St Wilfrid’s in Scrooby, St Swithun’s in East Retford and St Peter & St Paul’s in Sturton le Steeple – these can all be found along the Pilgrims Trail.

Babworth Church Pilgrim embroidery

The embroideries were created by a local group of talented embroiderers, who met most Friday mornings to stitch for two years, in a small but very supportive group. They also took their work out to local community functions to raise awareness of the heritage of the area and encourage participation by asking people to add a stitch.

Pilgrim Embroiderers at Misterton Show

The works have been embroidered on specially woven fabric using woollen threads. They have been carefully framed in oak for protection, as they will eventually be donated to the respective churches along with a map of the trail and the locations of the other embroideries. 

Prior to this they can be viewed at Bassetlaw Museum in their exhibition called ‘Where It Began’ from Saturday 17 October 2020 – Saturday 9 January 2021 (when open – please check opening times given changes in opening hours due to lockdown and/or local restrictions).

Rick Brand (BCH Chair), Cllr Hellen Richards and the Pilgrim Embroiderers at Babworth Church

Jenny King, one of the Pilgrim Embroiderers, has written a book charting the making of the Pilgrim Embroideries to commemorate the Mayflower 400 anniversary.

The book explains the processes undertaken and the embroidery stitches used, and it especially highlights the development of community involvement and friendships made during the two years of construction from idea to completion. It can be ordered via the publisher Bookworm of Retford.

Order Jenny King’s Pilgrim Embroideries book from Bookworm of Retford