(1888PressRelease)
June 05, 2007 - Anyone booking a table at The Maynard up until 15 June and mentioning ‘Welldressing’ will receive a complimentary dessert or main course, on the house. To take advantage of the offer, you need to call The Maynard on 01433 630321 by 15 June and reserve a table; bookings can be made in advance up to the end of August. The offer applies to everyone, not just those taking part in Ashford’s welldressing week.
Liz Downing, marketing manager for The Maynard, said: “I am originally from Ashford and the tradition of welldressing has run in the family for generations. I used to help out my mum with the welldressing, and in recent years my daughter Daisy has helped out, too. Hence, there is a real family connection with the welldressing and we thought it would be nice to have a special offer at The Maynard to commemorate welldressing week.”
Liz’s mum, Pat Paulett, this year clocked up an impressive 40 consecutive years doing the Sheepwash Bridge welldressing in Ashford. The task of producing the finished floral arrangements takes hundreds of hours, around eight local women teaming up to produce the welldressings for each of six separate wells in Ashford.
The welldressing in Ashford and other local Derbyshire villages is a community activity, which historically came about to give thanks for the plentiful supply of fresh water which allowed agriculture and village life to flourish.
Pat Paulett said: “The welldressing is in our family blood and I can’t imagine what summer would be like without welldressing week. We have produced 40 unique designs over the past 40 years and the welldressing committee make sure that we never duplicate a design being planned by another of the six welldressing teams.”
The welldressing labour of love starts with a sketch drawing of the design ‘template’, followed by the ceremonial soaking of the boards in the river Wye in Ashford. The boards are then prepared with clay and gradually over several days and nights a range of natural materials – from tea leaves, coffee beans, pulses, parsley and other herbs – are used to construct the ‘hard edges’ to the image. Fresh flowers are then overlayed to produce the striking and beautiful designs synonymous with the welldressing. The welldressings remain in situ for a whole week, and are at their best at the start of the week when the flowers are at their freshest.
The Maynard boasts picturesque gardens and panoramic views of the Hope Valley, best admired from its AA rosette restaurant, and is an extremely popular wedding venue. It is licensed to hold civil ceremonies and can accommodate seated parties of up to 130 people and evening receptions for 350.
To find out more about the facilities available
telephone 01433 630321
or log on to www.themaynard.co.uk
