Big Green Week at Higham Ferrers’ Chichele College brings croquet competition and kids' activities as Historic England approves use of lawn

Chichele College hosted a handful of events and activities recently, with croquet for the adults, and history and nature workshops for local schoolchildren.

Higham Ferrers Tourism organised the first croquet tournament of the summer between four teams after English Heritage gave permission for the Chichele College lawn to be used as a playing field.

Carol Fitzgerald, chairman of the Chichele College Management Committee, said: “It took us many years to get permission to stage croquet on the lawn.”We needed the go-ahead from Historic England as the site is a scheduled monument.

“We eventually got permission to play last year on the condition the hoops are not inserted too far into the ground.”

Following a training session by expert, Susan Perkins, the teams representing the Tourism Committee, the Chichele College Management Committee, the Bedesmen and the Volunteer Gardeners began playing.

Earlier in the week, 80 Year 5 pupils from Higham Ferrers Junior School spent the day at the college, learning about medieval farming.

With music provided by English Heritage, pupils were shown how to make a bug hotel and hedgehog nests, as well as how to position a hedgehog house.

Students also had the opportunity to plant a mini floral meadow, helping Higham Ferrers to help towards King Charles III’s wish to increase local meadow areas.

To finish off the week a planter, which doubles as a bike rack, was ordered for the college, courtesy of English Heritage.

Carol added: “The idea is that with somewhere safe to store their bikes, more people will be encouraged to visit the site.”