Helpston articles in the Stamford Mercury

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Front cover of Stamford Mercury 14 February 1786

BNA

The Stamford Mercury claims it is “Britain’s oldest continuously published newspaper”.

As part of the annual Heritage Open Day scheme, in September 2023, the Stamford Mercury Archive Trust opened up its air-conditioned archive and a member of Helpston Local History Group went to have a look around.

One of the earliest articles containing mention of Helpston was printed in February 1786. It is related to a property sale. ¹ (The building can now be identified as The Old Vicarage at no. 3 Woodgate).

To be Sold ……
…. a MESSUAGE or FARM HOUSE, with
convenient Barns, Stables and Outhouses, and One Hundred and
Twelve acres of Open Field Arable Land, Ten Acres of Meadow
and Four Closes consisting of Nineteen Acres, situate at HELPSTON
in the County of Northampton, and now in the Occupation of
Robert Turnill, at the Yearly Rent of Fifty Pounds.

Our village poet was first published in the Stamford Mercury.

On the 12th November 1819 (a year before his first book was published) two of John Clare’s sonnets – ‘The Primrose’ & ‘The Setting Sun’ – were first printed in the Mercury.¹

SONNETS
By J Clare, an Agricultural Labo[u]rer, of Helpston.
near Stamford.

(To read an article written following the interesting visit, download the document below)

1 With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive