Forward Together

I like the idea of public sculpture better than the reality. Why? Because really good public sculpture, it seems to me, is quite hard to find. So much of it offers too little in the way of interest or challenge, or is gimmicky, or weathers in a way that changes its essence. So, when I come across a piece that I appreciate I'm both surprised and pleased. A recent example is "Forward Together", a piece by Luke Perry in Victoria Square, Birmingham. It is a representation of people literally pulling together on a chain to achieve a goal. The figures seem to be made of CNC-cut metal and based on high contrast photographs. It is, I'm sure, a sculpture that will repay several visits.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Looking up in Ludlow

The Shropshire town of Ludlow has many interesting old buildings with a cluster of them visible in this photograph taken from Broad Street near its junction with the High Street. From left to right they are: The Butter Cross, a classical-style market hall of c.1746; No.1 King Street, a plain, brick-built late Georgian (c.1829), former house, now with a ground floor shop inserted; the tall and imposing C15 crossing tower of St Laurence, the parish church of the town; and Bodenhams, an ornate, timber-framed shop and dwelling of c1462.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Look up to see the past

On 5th January 2006 I published an early blog post entitled, "The best is often over our heads". The theme of the piece was that the original architecture of commercial buildings has often been replaced by cheap, plain, fashionable work and that if we wish to see the best of what remains we must look at the upper storeys. I was reminded of this when looking at the timber-framed upper storeys of the Boots shop in Ledbury. The ground floor is C20 corporate in style with the late 1500s work exposed above (the sash windows excepted: these are C18 or C19). But, I now ask myself, is this what was on show in 1600? It could well have been covered in stucco quite soon after construction and the woodwork revealed centuries later. Many Herefordshire buildings have timber framing hidden under later modernisation. Incidentally, these upper storeys can be seen in this photograph of the High Street

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Hollins memorial, St Paul in the Square, Birmingham

The Georgian church of St Paul in Birmingham is located in the city's last remaining eighteenth century square. It has a number of interesting features but on our visit to the building what caught my eye was a stained glass window flanked by a portrait bust on one side and carving in the splay of the other side. The dedications are to the architect-sculptor, William Hollins (d.1843), his wife Catherine (d.1831), and their children. These are decorated with beautifully carved vines and is the work of William Hollins' sculptor son, Peter. I don't recall ever having seen carved memorials in window splays before. The way the light caught the carving was very appealing.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

The Cathedral of the Forest

The village church of All Saints at Newland, Gloucestershire, is known as "The Cathedral of the Forest." It was given this name due to it being one of the biggest and most ornate churches to be found in the Forest of Dean. Construction began just before 1216. Much of the main structure dates from the C13 and C14.

The most notable work of the C15 is the pierced tower parapet and the ornate pinnacles. The photographs also show a preaching cross. Its base of five steps was rebuilt in 1864. It was presumably at this time that the column and cross were added. The sun dial on the exterior was donated by villagers to mark the millennium.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

High Street and The Homend, Ledbury

Ledbury's town centre main street has two names, the High Street and The Homend, the change coming at Bye Street, a side street by the clock tower across from the Market House. High Street is one of the two most common road names in England (the other being Church Street). However, The Homend is the only such named street that I can find, though the name is used by a cottage in the nearby Herefordshire village of Stretton Grandison. The Victoria County History says this about the probable derivation: "The name of The Homend is first recorded in 1288 derived from an Old English word 'hamm'  or 'hom' probably meaning ‘land hemmed in by water or marsh’, or perhaps ‘river meadow’. Interestingly, the other end of the High Street connects with a road called The Southend.

 The first photograph shows the Market House and part of the north side of the High Street. The second shows the Market House and The Homend.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

The Shell Store, Hereford

During WW1 the government built around 240 "national factories" for the manufacture of munitions, of which about 20 were engaged in the filling of, mainly, artillery shells. One of the latter was at Rotherwas on the outskirts of Hereford where a very large building engaged in this work was called the "Shell Store". These buildings were, understandably, built very quickly.

The Shell Store took only four months. At the end of the war most munitions factories were closed. Rotherwas was one that was retained, and with the onset of WW2 it once again filled shells and bombs. In the years following the war these buildings were either demolished or used for light industry. The Shell Store lasted longer than most but eventually became derelict.

Recently it has been the subject of a major renovation costing over £7 million and is now ready to undertake its role as an incubator site for small businesses. We went to see it recently and got these photographs of the exterior.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Zip wire - no hands

The Forest of Dean has two commercial "adventure" climbing sites for children and adults. After having been clipped on to a wire so that falling becomes impossible, people can traverse various kinds of pathways through the tops of coniferous trees. The experience ends with a zip wire ride that takes the participants back to ground level. Some of the most intrepid undertake the ride using no hands. On the day we were there I had my small Sony camera, not the one I'd have chosen for this subject. However, it acquitted itself quite well, helped in no small measure by the complementary colours of the rider and the background of trees.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Plastic Pavilion, Forest of Dean

"Plastic Pavilion" is the name of one of the new exhibits that have been added to the Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. It is, to quote the official description by the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trust, "an undulating, 16-square metre canopy made of 1,600 recycled plastic bottles. Filled with coloured water, the bottles glisten in the sunlight and sway in the breeze. Inspired by stained glass windows, the multi-coloured mosaic transforms public space into a serene oasis, encouraging people to slow down and enjoy a sensory experience." The artist is Seyi Adelekun, who says of her work: "My installation takes a lot of inspiration from the natural world, so it is an amazing opportunity to be part of this commission. I am so excited to install Plastic Pavilion in the mystical Forest of Dean this summer. I find a lot of solace being in nature, so I hope it provides people with a space for mindfulness underneath the floating cosmic eye."

 photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Walking disused railway lines

Disused railway lines can be found across much of Britain. The rise of the motor car led to fewer people using the railways and the politicians' answer to the problem of funding lightly used lines was to axe them. Many became cycle paths and footpaths. They were a welcome addition to the web of public rights of way, although they do have one disadvantage. Because they are straight or gently curved to accommodate trains, and have no sudden change of altitude or direction, they can be visually quite boring. Today's photograph shows dog walkers on a disused line near Ross on Wye, Herefordshire. This track stops where it used to cross the River Wye on a bridge (which is now gone): another drawback of disused railway lines.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2