An impressive labyrinth sculpture has been built on the Middlewood
Way close to Grimshaw Lane to
celebrate the hugely popular Bollington
Festivals and their founder, Dr
John Coope MBE.
The sculpture has been designed by local and internationally renowned
artists, Jeff Teasdale and Lorna Green, and has been built in Kerridge
stone with the help of local stonemason Robert Sharpley. "The sculpture
measures 15 metres in diameter" says Jeff, "so it creates a wonderful
impression as people walk or cycle along the Middlewood Way."
The Festival Labyrinth complements the sculptural mileposts already
in place, which Jeff designed a few years ago (see
Middlewood Way). "It’s intended that the Middlewood Way will eventually
form part of Route 55 of the National Cycle Network," says Jeff. "This
is being developed by Sustrans,
the UK’s leading Sustainable Transport Charity
." The
Cycle Network already has a rich heritage of site-specific art throughout
the UK and it is intended that the labyrinth should become an interesting
addition.
The sculpture was also registered as part of the 'National Campaign
for Drawing' that ran throughout October 2009. It can be viewed as
a huge participatory drawing that people become a part of when they
enter it, rather than just a work of art merely to be looked at. Also
as part of the Big Draw, Jeff and Lorna worked with local primary
schools on labyrinth-related education and drawing events.
The project has been managed by Deborah Roberts and Emma Houghton from
local arts group, Magpie, with the support of Cheshire East Council.
The main cost of the Labyrinth construction was funded by The National
Lottery, Awards for All.
The labyrinth was officially opened on
22nd November 2009 ...
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22 November 2009, the grand opening!
The opening event was introduced by Andrew Roberts, chairman
of Bollington Festival Committee, who thanked those
many who were involved in the inception, design, planning and
construction of the Labyrinth. Geoff Teasdale and Lorna Green,
designers and builders of the piece, then described the place
of labyrinths in world heritage and history and expressed their
pleasure in building this one in Bollington.
The formal opening was performed by local poet
Michael Symmons Roberts with his reading of his
fine sonnet to commemorate the site and the day ...
Once in this place a river splayed its hand,
spread fingers out across the burning sand
to feed into an ancient tropic sea.
And now that buried delta is cut free,
in dry stone walls that cross the rain-soaked hills,
in serried rows of houses, churches, mills,
in doorsteps, in the slabs to mark our dead,
this valley town was built of riverbed.
And here we set these gritstones in a curl,
a spiral eye to look out at the world,
to wonder at the distance we have come,
to map the route we travel to come home.
So take the track and let your steps unwind
the twisted pathways of your heart and mind.
Michael Symmons Roberts
© 2009 Michael Symmons Roberts. |
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The completed labyrinth sitting proud on the bank above Grimshaw
Lane, looking strangely like Stonehenge at this distance, protected
by the arc of a rainbow.
There is an article on the building of the Labyrinth in Bollington
Live!, issue 47, Autumn 2009. |
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A big turnout to view the labyrinth on its first weekend after
completion. The earth mounds between the stones will green
up over the winter. The paths between the circles of stones are
paved and should remain hard and dry to walk on.
The middle is close to the largest stone. There are 148 stones in
total. |
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A lost soul, in pink, seeks the way out of the labyrinth! This
little girl was doing just what it is all about - stretching
her imagination and running round the circular paths looking
for the way in and the way out.
The labyrinth is not a maze, you won't get lost in there! But the
paths circle round and double back as they take you from one
of the three entry points to the middle. And once you find
the middle then you turn around and trace your way back out again.
Endless fun for children of all ages! |
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There is a curved and raised path between banks at each end of the
labyrinth providing entry and exit points. Shrubberies will be
grown on these banks in due course. |
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End of the first week of construction and more than half the
stones are in place. They are all well buried in the ground to
withstand years of being studied, walked around, leant on and
generally mulled over.
What is it? Why is it? Where do the paths lead? Will the sun
shine on the big stone at sunrise on the summer solstice? Just
some of the questions that will surely be asked!
In the picture are artists Jeff Teasdale (back right) and
Lorna Green (back), together with Robert Sharpley (left) and
Bollin Valley Community Projects Officer, Emma Houghton (front
right). |
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End of the first day - with the massive and impressive central
stone and 20 others erected today. |
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Early start - the labyrinth is marked out on the ground and digging
for the middle stone is underway. |
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Another load of Kerridge stone from Endon Quarry is added to
the pile. 147 good stones are required, plus a really big one for
the middle stone. |
The poem is reproduced by kind permission of Michael Symmons Roberts.
