After the three benches it was time to move on to the “Toblerone-esque” sculpture, a double-sided piece which is to be set on a corner and be viewed from two directions; there was a little more freedom for me here, as benches have a slight restriction with designs ~ usually requiring simple, bold images which don’t impose too much on the comfort of those sitting on them!
The starting point for the design was a book entitled “Stepping Back in Time” by 5th-generation Scawby resident Greta Burkinshaw, which shared memories, history and photographs of the village. Greta was kind enough to help with ideas and her input was invaluable, and very fitting given her association with Scawby; a poem included in the book was the basis for the design, and a couplet was chosen for each side of the sculpture.
The first side I tackled illustrated the trades of the village ~ the blacksmith , joiner, forestry and farming, with the text from the verse weaving amongst the carvings.
The first few hours was used to set out the design from my preliminary drawings, and to level out the face of the timber to some extent, as the surface was quite uneven after the chainsaw work.
I then worked on getting the cows established ~ they were to be looking over a wall, representing the village Pinfold, which still remains. Real cows have been a fixture during my time in Scawby, with them regularly watching me over the fence of the adjoining field.
Carving the joiner’s plane, the woodsmen’s saw and axe, and the blacksmith’s anvil and furnace. I was honoured to visit Mike Chatterton’s workplace, “The Forge” ~ just a few yards away from where I was carving. I took some photos of the anvil and tools and it was a wonderful experience ~ like stepping back in time, as the forge has been here for over 200 years.
Mike’s father and grandfather were blacksmiths, as are his sons and grandsons ~ and while we were there we witnessed Mike’s three year old great-grandson trying out his new hammer on a horseshoe!
Adding Greta’s words.
