A portrait of a town – Spalding

With cloudy skies and drizzle 7 Deepings NWR members http://nwr.org.uk met in Spalding at the Winfrey Avenue carpark. Our monthly self-guided walk for 2nd September 2024 brought us to the Joseph Hillier and ARTeFACT trails which wind through the town centre, along the riverbank, through Ayscoughfee and finally past Bookmark to our starting point in the Sheep Market.

With downloaded leaflets and notes in hand, we had the enjoyable challenge of discovering the miniature bronzes depicting Spalding townsfolk from the art project undertaken in 2016.  Each bronze is about a handspan tall and situated in an everyday place on the side of buildings. Most are affixed about chest height and very easy to walk past.   There are 14 sculptures in total. They began as 3-D body scans of the local residents which the sculptor made into maquettes from which the 14 were finally cast in bronze – the choice of subjects was made with the help of the Grammer Schools pupils.

Doing this kind of walk is really good fun with a group of friends, partly from the task of finding the objects; the interest it sparked in their subject matter but also from the side conversations that resulted at each stop. For example at the Red Lion Hotel where the Blue Plaque to the stay by Jimi Hendrix in 1967 after appearing in the Spalding Barbeque Gig (where Pink Floyd and Cream also performed), Jilly told us how she went to the gig with the young man whom she later married. She was just 16 when she was there watching Jimi.  We also noted the JJ Rousseau of French Revolution fame had stayed at a nearby hotel most likely as a result of the Spalding Gentleman’s Society which at the time was on a parr with The Royal Society in London attended by the most learned men of the day.  The SGS is still operating in Broad Street and has to be one of the most interesting museums (free) you can visit.

Jimi Hendrix blue plaque
Jimi Hendrix blule plaque 1967
Jean-Jacques Rousseau blue plaque 1767

Spalding Public Art Trail – 14 miniature bronzes

8 Brass Plaques

The plaques were drawn digitally before being etched into brass and are accompanied by animations that can be viewed on a smartphone or tablet.

The choice of brass is inspired by the monumental brasses found in churches across the county.

The 8 Brass Plaques which comprise the ARTeFACT Trail combines history, art and augmented reality technology. Created by artists Neil Baker and Steven Hatton of Electric Egg in a collaboration between the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Museum and Transported, ARTeFACT is a dynamic and interactive trail of brass plaques that explores the museum’s collection and connects people to the area’s history.

ARTeFACT plaques in brass are designed for rubbing – we didn’t bring a roll of tracing paper and crayons, but we should have. Something to do with the grandchildren next time!

We enjoyed bringing the digital images to life using the ARTIVIVE mobile application – just scan the QR code in the app. I think we all learned what Gleaves are too.

The route took us past the Chain Bridge Forge, where we met the blacksmith’s volunteer who generously told us all about the living forge and the work they do there along with its rich history and heritage. Situated on the river Welland the first forge dated back to the 1700s although the building you enter today is well over 100 years old. The forge was owned by the Dodd family who worked from these premises for three generations from 1899. Evidence of the chain bridge that spanned the Welland can still be seen in the wooden pilings among the undergrowth on the riverbank.

We learned that once a shipwright premises existed next door to the forge and a hole in the partition wall allowed the ship’s mast to pass through from the shipwright to the blacksmith to have the ironwork attached at the appropriate point in the building process and then back again.

A view throughout the forge

We had a wonderful day and the sun came out too.

We found all 14 bronzes and 8 brass plaques.

6 complete the trail quest

The end of the trail

Of course no Wednesday walk would be complete without some refreshment. This time we enjoyed great door-step sandwiches, beverages and cake in Harringtons café at Ayscoughfee Hall park.

https://www.visitlincolnshire.com/food-drink/ayscoughfee-hall-cafe/

I entitled the article 'portrait of a town' because the trails took us on a journey into the living history of the townsfolk who helped Joseph Hillier create the sculptures. 

Thanks to everyone who made this day so memorable and especially to Jilly who made me think of my brother Glyn whose teenage hero was Jimi Hendrix. The last word goes to Jimi...

"Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things, they don't seem the same
Acting funny, but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

Purple haze all around
Don't know if I'm coming up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me
Help me! Help me!
Ah no, no

Yeah! Purple haze all in my eyes
Don't know if it's day or night
You got me blowing, blowing my mind
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?

No, help me
No, yeah purple haze
Oh no, no
Oh, help me
Tell me, tell me
Can't go on like this
You make me blow my mind
No, no, no
No, no, purple haze