The Nether Heyford playground was created on the village green sometime in the 1950’s. The M1 motorway opened in 1959 and during construction of the motorway and junction 16 some of the earth extracted was brought down to the village to landscape a section of the village green to create an area for a playground.
By the 1970’s at least, Nether Heyford had a fully equipped playground consisting entirely of play equipment supplied locally from Wicksteed in Kettering. Two Wicksteed benches still remain along the edge of the village green.
Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse
Nether Heyford Playground
The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw was once part of the Nether Heyford Playground on the village green from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. It was invented and built by a local British engineer, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is best known as a manufacturer of playground equipment and as the founder of Wicksteed Park.
Charles Wicksteed was the pioneer of the playground, the inventor of children’s play, created the first ever free play park for the people in 1921 with the biggest of public playgrounds. Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
He sold his playground equipment all over the world, invented the water chute (now log flume) and made sure every playground had a proper good slide.
Nether Heyford Wicksteed Playground Horse
Once broken it was decommissioned from the green and ended up in the garden at The Olde Sun pub on middle street – half buried and used as a children’s seat for decades.
Sadly The Olde Sun pub came to a close late 2023 and an auction was announced to sell off the contents. It was then that a group of village residents who remembered the rocking horse all those years ago, decided to rescue it.
Here is the story so far and the updates below ……..
November 2023
The Olde Sun Pub in Nether Heyford closes and announces a grand auction of all the contents in the pub. The auction is to be held at the pub on Friday December 1st with viewing available Thursday November 30th. All the contents of the village pub will be sold, including ornaments, chairs, tables, vintage signs, catering equipment, skittles table etc. before keys are handed back the following Monday.
Wednesday 29th November 2023
The evening before auction viewing. Thanks to a very lucky conversations with Jakki, Frances and Pete just before midnight, permission was agreed to rescue the horse back for the village and raise some money for charity too. An online fundraiser was set up and the mission to rescue the horse from the pub garden before the auction and before the keys are given back at the weekend. “Help raise £100 to save the Nether Heyford Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw to keep in the village.”
I feel duty is calling…..I am going to have a go with some village friends to keep this in Nether Heyford. I might need a hand or two over the next 3 days as we are on a deadline and have some digging and shifting to do. It was made in England by Wicksteed (Kettering, Northamptonshire) and is the Rocking Horse See Saw. Many of us remember it.
Some friends and I are looking to rescue this from the pub garden before midday on Sunday (when the property exchanges hands following the auction of its contents on Friday following its closure) and relocate it within the village somewhere so it remains as a piece of local history rather than scrapped. We hope to reach £200 with £100 for Air Ambulance, £100 for The Pub. Anything over £200 will now go towards spare parts and renovation costs. Volunteer help would be appreciated along the way if you can help lend a hand.
Thursday 30th November 2023
Rescue Mission accomplished – From Pub to Youth Club.
The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw has been saved for the village community.
Thank you to Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates & Pete, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes (Youth Club), Ian Jenner, a driver from K.G.Smith & Son, plus, or course, all those that contributed to the JustGiving fund raiser.
Following the successful rescue – 1st online fundraiser is closed at £265.
Thank you to all those that donated cash to the fundraiser: Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh & 7 anonymous donors
£100 delivered to The Olde Sun Pub (Dec 23′) & £100 donated to The Air Ambulance (Feb 24′). Leaving £65 towards restoration & repairs.
NEW fundraiser: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse
February 2024
Permission is provisionally granted by the Parish Council to place the horse back at the playground as a non-rocking bench.
Saturday 9th March 2024
The horse leaves the village for the first time in over 50 years. Moving from the Village Youth Club to the Blacksmith, for shot blasting and metal work to make it structurally sound for placing back on the green as a static bench.
Thank you to all those that came to help get the horse in the van: Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, Jason Kelly, Ian Jenner & Son.
Saturday 16th March 2024
I had the pleasure of meeting up with our village blacksmith for a project meeting to decide next steps after a full assessment of the horse after some initial metalwork and disassemble for easier transportation for the next stages. Thank you to J.E.Matthews of Northampton for letting Ian Jenner our village blacksmith to use their historic foundry workshop established in 1883 which was very fitting given our metal horse design dates back to around 1920 in the next town Kettering.
Thanks to our village blacksmith Ian Jenner and J.E.Matthews & Son in Northampton
Following this short trip to town to the specialist, after over 50 years in the village, the horse is then returned the same day back to the village.
Sunday 17th March 2024
We have reached a stage where we understand the estimated costs of restoration options and placement on the playground. A new online fundraiser set up:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse
Ongoing in March and April 2024
NEW – We also have space for about 15 Sponsor Plaques which will be embossed / engraved metal and attached to the final finished horse. All funds raised by these also go into the fundraising pot for restoration etc.
Available for local businesses, charities & individuals. Please contact me directly if you are interested in one.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think you can assist us with the project, either hands on, time, materials, shot blasting, sign writing, painting, graffiti, woodwork etc or perhaps you know someone who would like to sponsor of a plaque on the side of the horse.
We are considering a design competition with Bliss School for a possible custom paint job.
We have some suggestions for a name for our Horse, more are welcome and we shall put it to the vote closer to the unveiling. So far: Heather Neighford / Sunny / Neddy Hayful / Magnus the Marvellous
All comments, suggestions, ideas, offers help are very welcome and much appreciated.
Please share with your friends. All donations are appreciated, now matter how small.
To send a donation online please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse
To donate off line or to discuss sponsorship opportunities please contact me via email / phone / social media.
Happy Days,
Jez Wilson 07761 672376
Last updated 07.04.2024
The ever growing project Thank You list:
Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates, Pete Yates, Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes, Ian Jenner & Son, Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh, Christian Finley, Gareth Arthurs, Darren Royle, Rick Lindon, Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, J E Matthews & Son (Northampton), Nether Heyford Parish Council, Nether Heyford Youth Club……..
The Nether Heyford Prattler 