Latest news with #DedhamVale
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fury as tourists and daytrippers overrun beauty spot close to river immortalised by iconic British painter John Constable
Tourists have overrun a riverside beauty spot close to the rural scene immortalised by famous British painter John Constable. The village of Dedham in Essex, just half mile away from the iconic scene of Constable's The Hay Wain, has seen an increasing number of tourists visiting during the hot weather. And the mess left behind by those enjoying the scenic views has been likened to ' Glastonbury '. Dedham Vale nature reserve is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, famous for its water meadows and the River Stour, painted by British artist. The small village, which has a population of just 1,907, has been tarnished in recent weeks by tourists littering and engaging in 'reckless behaviour' during the heatwaves. And locals have expressed frustration at the disregard to their local area with Conservative Councillor Darius Laws demanding something be done to curb overflowing bins and cars parking on the green spaces. In an expletive-filled ranting video posted on social media on June 30, Councillor Laws said: 'You'd be forgiven for thinking that I'm in Glastonbury. 'No, f*** that, left-wing, so-called green, hippies. No, I'm in Dedham.' Local residents have blasted visitors for spoiling their local area and likened the mess left behind Glastonbury due to the amount of litter The campaign video was accompanied by the social media tag line 'you'd think there was a headline act performing' and calls on tourists to start 'following the countryside code' and pick up litter. In the video, councillor Thomas Rowe also adds: 'Just remember, this isn't a festival, it's a village'. Councillor Laws added: 'Hopefully, it gives people the confidence to tell people to pick up their litter and act appropriately. 'The amount of rubbish and reckless behaviour we are seeing is really concerning. 'It looked like a mini-Glastonbury. Bins were overflowing, people had dumped empty crates of beer, vape wrappers had been dropped on the ground. 'We see people jumping off the bridge into very shallow water and they could so easily break their necks. 'This is a beautiful part of the country, and it's not ok, it makes local wildlife sick and ruins nature. 'We do approach it in a friendly way because people may just be ignorant of the damage they're causing. 'The video was provocative to get people's attention and if people think twice then it's worked. 'We live in a beautiful village in a beautiful part of the world. We're welcome to visitors but they've got to be responsible.' John Ward, the independent leader for Barbergh District Council told the BBC that the council were looking in to solutions including double yellow lines and help from police and praised the landowner. He explained that he was doing his best and has installed portable toilets and cleans up litter after visitors have left but said it wasn't enough. He added: 'You're welcome to enjoy the beautiful Stour Valley, but we can't get to the litter every night, we don't have the staff to do it as often as we can.' Mr Rowe also hit out those he believed were dressing inappropriately and visitors endangering themselves. He told the Daily Gazette: 'People are going into the local co-op without a T-shirt and kids are jumping off the bridge, which I know is something the council are talking to the police about. 'It's only a matter of time until someone hurts themselves. 'I also don't think people realise about the water quality. I wouldn't let my kids paddle around in there.' Last year, the Environment Agency said the water could contain 'levels of sewage, faeces from livestock and pollution from farming or industry' Councillor Laws also believes the nearby sewage water treatment plant, plastic pollution and animal waste have contributed to the water becoming contaminated. Colchester County Council said that they support the campaign and are calling on visitors to remove their waste.
Telegraph
08-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Littering tourists turn riverside beauty spot into ‘mini Glastonbury'
A riverside beauty spot close to a rural scene has been likened to a 'mini Glastonbury' after being blighted by litter. Dedham Vale nature reserve is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, famous for its water meadows and the River Stour. The village is half a mile from the iconic scene of Constable's 'The Hay Wain' – a famous landscape painting by John Constable from 1821, which depicts the river glistening in the sun. The small village in Essex has seen an increasing number of tourists visiting because of the recent spell of hot weather. Concerned residents said the village has been tarnished in recent weeks by visitors littering and engaging in 'reckless behaviour' during the heatwaves. In a video posted on social media on June 30, Darius Laws, a Tory councillor, likened the scenes to last month's Glastonbury festival. He joked: 'You'd think there was a headline act performing. You'd be forgiven for thinking that I'm in Glastonbury. No, f--- that, Left-wing, so-called green, hippies. No, I'm in Dedham.' Cllr Laws called on tourists to start 'following the countryside code' and pick up any litter. Thomas Rowe, a fellow Conservative councillor, echoed the concerns, saying: 'Just remember, this isn't a festival, it's a village.' Cllr Laws added: 'Hopefully, it gives people the confidence to tell people to pick up their litter and act appropriately. 'The amount of rubbish and reckless behaviour we are seeing is really concerning. It looked like a mini-Glastonbury. Bins were overflowing, people had dumped empty crates of beer, vape wrappers had been dropped on the ground.' He added: 'This is a beautiful part of the country and it's not ok. It makes local wildlife sick and ruins nature. We're welcome to visitors but they've got to be responsible.' Colchester county council said that they supported the campaign and called visitors to remove their waste. Elsewhere, rubbish and discarded camping gear in the Lake District led to a surge in complaints from residents who claimed they had been left 'heartbroken' by the behaviour. Campers using sites around Ullswater Lake and Glencoyne Bay in Cumbria were accused of chopping down trees for firewood, playing loud music through portable speakers, smoking cannabis and harming wildlife. One resident claimed that they found a discarded 12in zombie knife at one of the sites.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dedham 'a village not a festival', says councillor
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is being treated more like a "festival" and not a place that deserves "special attention", a councillor has said. Darius Laws, a Conservative councillor on Colchester City Council, lives by the River Stour, in the Dedham Vale, and is urging people to be "responsible" when they visit the said crowds flocked to the waterway on the Essex-Suffolk border, immortalised by painter John Constable, and there was an increase in issues including litter and bad parking."Don't go into the local shops with hardly any clothes on," he said. "It's a village where people live all year round. It isn't a festival it's a village." The river has seen an increase in visitors partly because of the rise of stand up paddleboards and inflatable kayaks. But Laws said "a minority of people" were not treating the area with the respect they should, as first reported by the Daily Gazette."When the bins are overwhelmed, people think it's alright to leave the rubbish next to the bins, but if you have a gust of wind it goes into the river and animals can come along and eat discarded food waste, and can become ill," he also said people might not be aware how close the river is to a sewage treatment works, with recent cases of illnesses including Weil's disease. Laws continued: "We need everyone to take responsibility for their footprint, if the bins are overwhelmed, then please take your excess litter home."I'm worried the natural landscape is being challenged by a minority of people who aren't being as respectful as they could be. They think it's OK to have the odd disposable BBQ, it's a place of beauty, we want to keep it that way."We welcome visitors, but they need to be responsible." John Ward, the independent leader for Barbergh District Council, said the number of visitors had "rapidly increased" since the Covid-19 lockdowns and "every year people were flocking to the area". "We're doing the best we can to try and manage the problem, we're talking to local councils, police and have installed double yellow lines to enforce parking," he says the landowner is "doing his best" and clears up litter, has installed portable toilets and has allowed cars to park on his field at certain times of the year to "help with traffic management". "You're welcome to enjoy the beautiful Stour Valley, but we can't get to the litter every night, we don't have the staff to do it as often as we can," he said. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X and follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Yahoo
Wine lovers invited to raise a glass for good cause at Essex vineyard
WINE lovers have been invited to raise a glass for a good cause at a charity walk in Essex. The inaugural Dedham Wine Walk, taking place at Dedham Vale Vineyard in Boxted, will be held on Sunday, July 13, in support of St Helena Hospice's 40th anniversary. Organised by St Helena Hospice, the event promises a scenic 5km stroll through the vineyard's 40-acre estate, with two glasses of wine included in the ticket price. Kayleigh Jowers, senior events fundraiser, said: "Join us as we celebrate our 40th anniversary with a walk around the picturesque vineyard and raise a glass to St Helena Hospice. "Dedham Wine Walk is a perfect chance to gather friends or family together to sip local wine and enjoy breathtaking views as you meander through nature." Walkers will enjoy views across the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as they pass through woodland and pasture. A glass of locally produced wine will be served during the walk, with another waiting at the finish line. Guests can also pre-order a charcuterie picnic box, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available. After the walk, participants can enjoy live music from Paul Steven Wood and explore further refreshments, including additional wines, cocktails and sweet treats from Gaia Suffolk's Eton Mess dessert bar. The walk begins at 11am at The Vineyard, Green Lane, Boxted, Colchester. Tickets are available at
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Previously unknown Constable work sells for £300k
A previously unknown work by one of the UK's best-known landscape painters has sold for more than £300,000 at auction, beating forecasts. The sketch by John Constable, titled Dedham Vale looking towards Langham, sold for £320,000 at a North Yorkshire auction house on Saturday, far surpassing its estimated price of £150,000-£200,000. The work, which is believed to have been painted between 1809-14, had been kept in a private family collection before being put up for sale at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn. Jane Tennant, director and auctioneer at Tennants, said the discovery of the painting had been a source of "great excitement" in the auction world. She said: "It's certainly exciting that it's a painting that hasn't previously been recorded in any of the Constable literature." Constable, who died aged 60 in 1837, lived and painted in the Dedham Vale on the border of Essex and Suffolk, and is known for his depictions of the surrounding landscape. He is best known for his 1821 oil painting The Hay Wain which became a sensation in the art world after winning a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1824. Dedham Vale looking towards Langham, measuring 12in by 15in (30cm by 38cm), is thought to be the basis of Constable's oil painting Dedham Vale, which was completed in 1825 and is part of the Scottish National Gallery's permanent collection. Ms Tennant said: "Oil sketches, much like drawings, have an immediacy – a direct link to the mind and working practices of an artist." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Constable sketch expected to fetch up to £200k Tennants Auctioneers
