Whitwell, Rutland

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Whitwell is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.

It is located about four miles east of Oakham, on the north shore of Rutland Water. A pleasure boat known as the Rutland Belle operates from Whitwell Harbour. It is also a popular sailing and water sports area. In 2001 it had a population of 42.

Whitwell claims to be twinned with Paris, France. In the 1970s, regulars from the pub, the Noel Arms wrote to the then Mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac proposing the link and with a tight deadline for a response. As no answer arrived from the Mayor's office by the set date, the village unilaterally declared itself to be twinned and erected roadsigns to that effect. The original wooden signs were later replaced in metal by Rutland County Council.

[edit] External links

• Official story of how Whitwell came to be twinned with Paris, as told to Parliament. (Scroll down to bottom of "Column 1137").
• A story from the Guardian covering the story of how Whitwell became twinned with Paris. (about 2/3 of the way down).