The nationwide heat wave relented on Saturday, 15 August, for Show Day in Rosedale which enjoyed a warm, dry day for the large crowds who turned up for a record breaking entry programme of agricultural, horticultural and industrial exhibits and arena events, along with a wide variety of trade stands, bands and food outlets. A few initial shots from a highly successful Show Day:

One of the riding classes being judged in the main arena

Mothers and babies in the very popular Baby Show!

Sean Doughty up on his Excelsior.

As ever, many thanks to Sam Dring and her organising committee and the many volunteers who turned out to help set up the Show site, ran the programme of events to time and safely, and whose vital contribution made Rosedale Show 2026 one of the best in its 155 year long history – and the ‘best show in the county’ according to many visitor comments on social media!

The next quarterly meeting of the Rosedale History Archive will take place in the Updale Reading Room/Village Hall on Sunday 7 June from 2.00 to 4.00pm. Entry is free but donations to maintain the work of the Archive would be welcomed.

An interesting new addition has been made to the collection of Rosedale historical artifacts on display in St Mary and St Lawrence Church, Rosedale Abbey, in the form of a diorama of an ironstone miner with a tub load of ironstone coming out of a mine entrance:

The lovely diorama was skillfully made by Mark and Muriel Scaife, residents of Hill Cottages, Rosedale East, and donated to the Rosedale History Archive in May 2026. More detail can be read in the notice above the model.

As we are heading into the usual Christmas busy period it would be useful to have some dates in your diaries to help plan for the season:

Saturday 29 November, from 8.00 pm – Christmas Charity Auction, Coach House Inn

Sunday 30 November, 8.00pm – Pub Quiz, Coach House Inn

Saturday 6 December, 10.00am to 12.00 am – Coffee Morning, Coach House Inn, in aid of the Rosedale History Archive

Sunday 7 December, 2.00 to 4.00pm – Rosedale History Archive Tea and Chat, Updale Reading Room

Sunday 7 December, 8.00pm – Pub Quiz, Coach House Inn

Tuesday 9 December, 4.00pm – Father Christmas Visit to Rosedale Abbey, School Gates

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12 to 14 December – Christmas Tree Festival, Rosedale Abbey Church from 11.00am to 7.00pm each day. Light refreshments will be available in the church throughout each day and the festival will culminate with a carols service on Sunday at 5.30pm accompanied with mince pies and mulled cider.

Sunday 14 December, 8.00pm – Pub Quiz, Coach House Inn

Friday 19 December time TBC – Church Carol Service, Rosedale Abbey

Sunday 21 December, 8.00pm – Pub Quiz, Coach House Inn

Sunday 28 December 8.00pm – Pub Quiz, Coach House Inn

If you have any other major dates you think need including email hpmc27@hotmail.com

Around fifty members of the Rosedale Show Committee, their families and friends and Show staff attended the annual Show Supper held in the Coach House inn on Friday 14 November.

Sam Dring, the Chair of the organising Committee, said that the 2025 had been very successful, with many favourable comments having been received from those attending the Show. Entries for most classes had been the highest or near highest on record, all due to the hard work of the Committee over the preceding year and to the many volunteers helping out on the day. Work had already stated for the 2026 Show and she asked if anyone should want to volunteer to join the Committee as there was one vacancy or help out again on the day, to contact any member of the Committee.

The Chair also thanked Dave Oakey and his team at the Coach House for their hard work in setting and running the supper.

There will be a Remembrance Sunday Service at St Mary and St Lawrence Church, Rosedale Abbey on Sunday 9 November 2025, starting at 1030am in the church and continuing at the War Memorial for the Act of Remembrance.

All are most welcome to attend this important event when we remember and pay homage to all who died and suffered in the service of our nation.

The quarterly meeting of the Rosedale History Archive will be held in the Updale Reading Room/Village Hall on Sunday 7 September from 2.00 to 4.00pm. There will be the usual extensive range of historical and archive material available long with excellent tea and cakes, so come along if you want to research family background or the social and industrial history of the dale. Entrance is free but donations in aid of the running of the archive would be welcomed.

The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day was marked in Rosedale by taking Winston Churchill’s advice with ‘a brief moment of celebration’ in the form of a picnic on the village green on Thursday evening, 8 May 2025. As well as the picnic on the green, the community school set up a teddy bears’ picnic and later in the evening the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee memorial was illuminated as part of the national beacon lighting campaign.

The Picnic on The Green

The Rosedale Beacon

With heartfelt thanks to Lorraine Dale for organising the event, Lorrie Westwood for the wonderful poppy displays and to David Simons for the evocative wartime musical soundtrack, all a fitting local tribute to the Greatest Generation.

Bring a bottle, a snack or two and a blanket to the village green at 8.30pm on Thursday 8 May 2025 to join with others in commemorating the end of the war in Europe on 8 May 1945. The Crown beacon will be ceremonially re-lit at 9.30pm in line with the the national beacon lighting and there will be appropriate music and song, and maybe some dancing!

See you all there for a good knees up.