Community and Events
Even though Ilam is a tiny village with only 90 or so inhabitants on the electoral role, it has a thriving community.
Please click on the links or scroll down to see what happens in Ilam.
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COMMUNITY
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GROUPS
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EVENTS
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 Detail from the 12th panel of The Ilam Story |
 In the heart of Ilam is the village School. Children attend from the surrounding rural areas and villages.
Head Teacher Mr Les Biddulph
+ (0)1335 350316
The Ilam School Association
Click to read the latest news of Ilam school.
Click to read about the history of Ilam School. |
Ilam School
Built in 1854 and set at the southern tip of the Peak District, just in Staffordshire, Ilam School offers a very special combination of all the benefits of a small village school, together with the advantages that a developing educational system of today can offer through the National Curriculum, set within the school's own broad and balanced curriculum.
 Children Ilam School is a focal point of the village and fosters a caring, family atmosphere, where each individual child is valued and appreciated. There is an emphasis on Christian teaching and moral standards, which encourages good behaviour, self-discipline and respect for each other. The pastoral care of the children is of a very high standard as staff and children get to know each other very easily.
 A growing community
The rapid growth of the school in recent years has meant the introduction of an admissions policy which admits up to 10 children per year. Academic standards are high and llam children are noted as diligent, enthusiastic students at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Ashbourne, to where most of them transfer at the age of 11 years. Children are also offered places at Churnet Valley Middle School in Leek.
 Opportunities The school now has 28 computers,4 interactive white boards video-conferencing equipment and is well resourced with digital voice recorders and cameras. Ilam School offers a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum with an emphasis on the enjoyment of learning. There are opportunities to join with other children within the cluster during residential field trips, sport and ict activities.
 Support
Governors, parents and staff work in close co-operation to ensure that the standards and ethos of llam School continue to develop and grow, and we greatly appreciate the support so willingly given by parents and friends of the school. In particular, the school receives tremendous support from the Ilam School Association in respect of equipment, visits and general encouragement.  |
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 We keep the Church open during daylight hours and everyone is welcome to come in to explore and pray. It is kept open in a spirit of trust and is maintained wholly by local volunteers.
Vicar: Revd Anne Ballard
Alstonefield Vicarage
+44 (0)1335 310216
Curate: Revd Arthur Hack
Dovedale House
+44 (0)1335 350365
Church Warden: Eva Tuff
+44 (0)1335 350429
Church Warden: Ian Smith
+44 (0)1335 350236
Currently there are two services held in Ilam Church each month.
2nd Sunday of the month at 11.15 Holy Communion
4th Sunday of the month at 11am All Age Worship
Click for a downloadable pdf of the Benefice Diary
Learn more about the building here |
The Church
Nestling in the grounds of Ilam Hall, frequently surrounded by sheep, our stunning Church is named to remind us of the focus of our faith, The Holy Cross. There has been a Church on the site since Christianity came to this area. The font is 12th Century and workmanship from other eras is retained in the 19th century restoration by Sir Gilbert Scott. Follow the link for a detailed description of the archaeology. There are lots of interesting things to see, and a guide is available in the Church to help you explore.
The Worshipping Community
You will have got a feel of our small, buzzing community as you read this website. The Church is very much an integral part of all that goes on in the village. If you were to join us to worship you will always find a welcome that is spiritually warm, even though currently we don’t have heating and you will need to wrap up well, especially in winter months. (To come, details of our project to install eco friendly heating). After the services we have tea and coffee, and often home~made biscuits or cake as we stay on to chat.
The school regularly uses the building and worships with us at key times. The building is also used for art exhibitions and the occasional concert.
Services
Ilam is part of the Benefice of Alstonefield and on Sundays services happen around the six Churches: Alstonefield, Butterton, Elkstones, Ilam, Warslow and Wetton.
A full list of the monthly services list will be found on the website. We keep our services simple and accessible, using Common Worship creatively. Children are always welcome and encouraged to worship alongside us, although there is no Sunday School. In our monthly Communion service we usually use fresh home~baked bread. And we have an open table policy ~ everyone is welcome to join us to receive the bread and wine as a sign of Christ’s sacrificial love offered to us and among us. At Christmas, Harvest and Holy Week and Easter we run a programme of services across the Benefice and Ilam plays a full part in that, often hosting some of the most creative services, for instance, on Palm Sunday a Walk of Witness with a donkey from Blore to Ilam, on Good Friday a procession with a cross from Dovedale House up to the top of Thorpe Cloud.
Clergy
Rev Anne Ballard is the Vicar for the Benefice and lives in Alstonefield. (See the small character in top right corner of the last page of the 'Ilam Story' Bonad with dog).
The ministry is shared with Rev Arthur Hack who is full time Warden at Dovedale House. Phone or email either Arthur or Anne on questions of faith or ministry. Any other enquiries, please contact a Church Warden. |
  Detail from the 12th panel of The Ilam Story |
 A residential youth centre belonging to the Diocese of Lichfield in the heart of the village of Ilam.
Contact: Dovedale House, Ilam, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2AZ
+44 (0) 1335 350365
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Dovedale House
Although Dovedale House is principally a residential youth centre belonging to the Diocese of Lichfield, it does in a very real sense belong to the community too. Playing host to numerous local events is just part of that role which also includes the lending of equipment and even staff to help out, with team members being involved in every aspect of village life.
In recent times Community First Responder training sessions have been held at the Centre and monthly whist drives were also a regular feature. The real “biggie” is the annual Dovedale Fete, taking over the entire site as we welcome huge crowds to enjoy a great day out amidst stunning scenery, and raise much needed funds in the process. Being a Registered Charity that aims to enable everyone to come and stay, and even offering bursaries to some of our young guests, we inevitably find ourselves financially challenged! The Fete is thus an important fund-raiser and we are delighted that the whole community comes out on the day to offer help and support. In 2009 as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations we were also very pleased indeed to announce the re-launch of the “Friends of Dovedale House”. As a Christian Centre Dovedale House is most definitely “open to all” and is at the very heart of much of the worship that takes place in Ilam. We host the Palm Sunday and Good Friday walks, winter services when the church is just too cold, and special outdoor events for visiting groups (which even include baptisms in the icy waters of the River Manifold!).
Dovedale House is extremely grateful for the local support it receives and is always open to offer hospitality and resources for organisations, families and individuals from Ilam and its neighbouring villages. |
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 You can stay in an 18th Century Gothic Mansion set in 85 acres of National Trust Parkland.
For more information enquiries and bookings call 0845 371 9023, visit www.yha.org.uk or call into reception. |
Accommodation
YHA Ilam has undergone an extensive £2 million refurbishment programme over winter 2008/2009 and now offers an excellent standard of accommodation for families, individuals and school groups. The majority of bedrooms offer ensuite accommodation with a mixture of double, four and six bedded rooms. There are two ground floor bedrooms with ensuite disabled facilities. Food and Drink Our restaurant serves great tasting dishes at affordable prices, produce is sourced locally from Staffordshire and the Derbyshire Dales. Quality wines, draught , bottle beers and soft drinks are served from our well stocked bar. The bar is open to non-residents. Great for kids During school holidays we run fun afternoon and evening family activities. Free activities for a family who eats with us in the restaurant. School Groups, Private Functions and Conferencing School groups can look forward to a safe educational environment, with three secure zones enabling different groups to stay at the same time. YHA Ilam offers a wide range of both educational and fun activities delivered by our trained activity staff. Available for residential and non-residential groups. Enquire at reception for more information. YHA Ilam is and excellent venue for hosting a wide range of events from Wedding Receptions and Birthday parties to Business Meetings and Conferences. The Hall boasts a large function room capable of seating 100 people with excellent views across Ilam Park and the surrounding area. There is also a smaller classroom which can seat upto thirty people which is ideal for small residential and non residential groups. We offer a wide range of catering packages to suit every occasion whether it be a wedding reception or a small business meeting. |
 Ilam Parish Council
Chairman: Terry Prince
+44 (0)1335 310274
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 Ilam Art Club is a friendly group meeting in the National Trust Learning Centre at Ilam Hall (by kind permission of the National Trust South Peak Estate). They meet on Thursday evenings 7pm til 9pm.
Contact secretary:
Cathy Rowlinson +44(0)1538 308223
2010 Exhibition:
Ilam Church 29th May to 2nd June 2010 |
Ilam Art Club
Ilam Art Club started in September 2001 because a group of local people wanted to explore art and creativity. Leek College of Further Education and School of Art helped to design an initial programme of work. Many participants had left school convinced that they were no good at art, others loved art but had no time or space to be creative.
They are ordinary Peak District people, sharing their passion for their much visited landscape, as well as their enthusiasm for each other's work. Since 2001 Ilam Artists have steadily gained confidence in their work and their ability to express what is important to them.
Thank you
Over the years different organisations have been kind enough to give grants to Ilam Art Club: Peak District National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. The National Trust kindly allow Ilam Art Club to use their learning centre at Ilam Hall every Thursday. We are very grateful for all contributions and support which make Ilam Art Club possible.
Activities
As well as getting together every Thursday evening, the Club also organises various trips and events. They have an annual exhibition in Ilam Church, and in the last year or so have visited the Liverpool Tate, the Birmingham Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, to see the Staffordshire Hoard in Stoke-on-Trent. |
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 Find the full story behind Ilam Cross and the efforts to repair and restore this magnificent architectural gem.
Click here to learn, join or donate:
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Ilam Cross
In a dominant position in the centre of the village of Ilam in the Peak District National Park in Staffordshire, is a striking and beautiful Victorian monument, in the style of an Eleanor Cross. It is modelled on one of the crosses which Edward I had erected at each stopping place of the body of his queen, Eleanor of Castile, on its progress from Nottinghamshire, where she died, to its tomb in Westminster Abbey, in 1290.
Jesse Watts-Russell and the Gothic Revival
In the case of Ilam Cross, it was built as a memorial to Mary the wife of Jesse Watts-Russell, the squire of Ilam, when she died in 1840. A product of Gothic Revival architecture in the first half of the nineteenth century, its perfect proportions and graceful carved decoration have earned it great affection and admiration as well as the distinction of a Grade II* listing. It has been described as 'one of the finest Gothic Revival monuments in the country.' For more than a century and half it has become not only an iconic presence for the village community and visitors, but also a work of art of national importance, a status confirmed by its Grade II* listing and inclusion in the English Heritage, Buildings at Risk Register.
The Ravages of Time
When coming across it for the first time, the beauty of Ilam Cross is very striking, but even a cursory inspection makes it obvious that more than 160 years of neglect has caused serious damage and general deterioration. Damage to many features, ranging from large fragments coming loose and some falling off the monument and being lost, to the more insidious gradual erosion of much of the carved decoration, have gravely affected the Cross and are causing great concern. There is also considerable anxiety about possible hidden decay caused by penetration of water into the inner parts of the monument which, if not repaired and prevented, could lead to the structural integrity of the whole monument being compromised. Author Phil Mottram |
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 A peal of church bells being rung in a 17th-century woodcut Photo: The Stapleton Collection/The Bridgeman Art Library
Ilam Bell Ringers meet at Ilam Church on Wednesday evenings from 8 to 9pm
To find out more contact Vera Nottage
+44 (0)1335 350227
To book the Ilam Bell Ringers for a wedding contact Ian Smith
+44 (0)1335 350236 |
Ilam Bells Bell no 3 was cracked in the 1900s. It sounded like a wet fish on a tin bucket! Ian Smith, David Frith and Robert White led the team who restored the bells in 1990s. There was lots of fund raising including a duck race on the River Manifold. Welcome
The Bell Ringers are a keen group that practice most weeks and ring for Sunday services and special occasions. If you are interested in the bells or would like to know about ringing, please get in touch.
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 Detail from the 12th panel of The Ilam Story |
 Photo courtesy www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk
Sheep Dog Trials in the lovely area around Dovedale on the Staffordshire Derbyshire border.
Contact secretary Nigel Davis
+44 (0)1335 372889
Dovedale Sheep Dog Trials 2010
24th and 25th August 2010
To find out more about Sheep Dog Trials click here:
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Sheep Dog Trials
Sheep dog trails in the glorious Staffordshire Peak District countryside around Ilam.
Local Trials
August 24th, Local Trials from 2.00 pm onwards, featuring Nursery, Novice and Open competitors from the Local Area.
Open Trials August 25th, Open Trial, from 7.00 am onwards with up to 90 competitors, from all areas of England and Wales in the Open Singles and also the highlight of the day, the Doubles Competition, which takes place around lunchtime, when 5 or 6 of the top dog runners in the country compete for the Doubles Trophy and prize, this is always a great spectator event, no matter what the weather and should not be missed. |
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 Always on the Bank Holiday Monday at the end of May, always in the country garden of Dovedale House......
Contact: Dovedale House, Ilam, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2AZ
+44 (0) 1335 350365
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Dovedale Fete
........Always welcoming and great fun, the Dovedale fete raises money for Ilam Primary School and Dovedale House. It is the perfect village fete, with children's maypole dancing, fantastic cake stall, live music, wonderful plant stall (manned by experts!), delicious food, entertainments and weird and wonderful country games.
A real community event
The fete sees the whole community helping out and is dependant on the generosity of local people with their time, and visitors with their cash, to generate much needed funds for Dovedale House and the Ilam School Association.
Both organisations are really grateful to everyone for that help and to the Hudson family for the use of the field for ample car parking. The event, which incidentally started life many years ago as a gymkhana, carries on regardless of inclement weather … although to be honest the sun always shines!
Men called Morris
Over the years we’ve had escapologists being shot from canons, men called Morris with their flailing hankies, rock bands and classics, maypoles and mayhem, duck races and “Daisy’s Dollop”, a billion burgers and countless cakes … but most of all, a great time for everyone. |
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 A real, old fashioned country show with everything from handicrafts to prize bulls!
The Manifold Valley show is always on the first Saturday in August
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The Manifold Valley Agricultural Society
The 2010 Show will be in Saturday 7th August on the showground Ilam Moor Lane
The Society was formed to foster competition and fellowship within the rural community of the parishes bounding the course of the River Manifold.
Generally, entrants at the Show are limited to those who reside, own or rent property in these parishes. There are exceptions to this rule for the Heavy Horse section, the Rare Breeds, a number of the Cattle Classes and for all of the Pet Classes.
It is hoped that this policy will encourage local youngsters and new entrants to the showing world.
Membership of the Society has many advantages, including free admission to the Show for you and your family, free tea and coffee in the Member’s Marquee and the use of the Marquee and it’s bar. There is also the benefit of reduced Entry fees. |
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 The National Trust
South Peak Estate Office
Property Manager: Russell Ashfield
+44 (0)1335 350503
Click for a downloadable pdf of the National Trust Events List 2010 |
National Trust Events at Ilam
From Breakfast with Birds, a Walk Through Time and digital photography to mining, caving and Art in the Park, the National Trust has a programme full to bursting with activites and events for everyone, including families and dogs!
Having the tearooms at Ilam Park, food is often a major part of the event- 'Roast and a Literary Ramble', 'Bangers and Bats' being just two of the delicious treats in store.
Special events to look forward to are:
Click to download a full list of events and activities for 2010 |
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