Southam Heritage Trail
(2005/2007)

Location : Southam, Warwickshire

Materials : European Oak

Funding : Heritage Lottery Grant/Vision4Southam

Southam Holy Well

I was commissioned by Vision4Southam to create a series of functional pieces for the planned Southam Heritage Trail. In tandem with the trail project I created Southam Stories which is sited in the town centre. The ancient Holy Well is the main focal point along the trail. Here I created a stockade effect using multiple posts to enclose the Holy Well. I also made two gates, a seat and an interpretation panel frame.

It was my intention to create works which held a strong Saxon/Norman quality in their mass and form. The designs are thematically and visually linked, taking the idea of the eye both seeing and reflecting the world around about. These eye forms are found in the gate posts and seat to the Holy Well, as well as in the Southam Stories sculpture. The carved bosses set into the seat and gate posts refer to points along the trail and the Holy Well itself. The designs were created by children from the local primary schools as part of the residencies connected to the Southam Stories project. All the boss carvings at the Holy Well were done by Georgia Wright.

Holy Well Seat

Several unique waymarker posts help guide the public around the trail. Two seats of similar design are sited along the trail. Carved on their backs are both the ancient and modern names of the fields in which they sit.