Southam Stories
(2005/2007)

Location : Southam Library, Southam, Warwickshire

Materials : European Oak

Funding : Warwickshire County Council

In 2005 I was commissioned by Vision4Southam to create a significant sculpture which would link to another project I was undertaking for Southam - the Southam Heritage Trail commission. As a development of earlier projects I wanted to explore the idea of heritage in the broader sense of our personal and collective sense of place and belonging. Heritage typically will focus on the ‘main events’ that have occurred - a battle here, a visit by a famous person there etc. These elements are included, but I wanted to look into the life of the community, and explore something of the multitude of events that occur which form our collective memories and stories. These many and disparate events when seen together combine to create a particular sense of community and place. I set about designing a structure which could incorporate a series of woodcarvings to be designed and carved in oak by the local community.

Southam Stories in its original location

The commission incorporated an extensive oral history project, where I encouraged participants to explore their own stories and memories, as well as those of friends and relatives. I devised and ran a series of workshops which took the form of short residencies, working with all four Southam schools, and adults at the community college. An extraordinary range of recollections came out of the project, the participants sharing memories across time and generations. All the gathered stories were read out and discussed in the workshops. The chosen stories were translated into drawings, refined into concise designs and then carved by both children and adults into the thirty wooden bosses that are set within the sculpture.

'The Burnt Figure'

'The Eye Hospital'

The sculpture was originally sited directly outside the main library in the town centre. In 2022 I undertook a restoration of Southam Stories and re-located it with the help of volunteers from the local community at another site close to the library in 2023.

The restored sculpture

'Southam Holy Well'

'Peeping Tom'

'Old Brazen Face'

I created the fifty page booklet 'Southam Stories' which was published thanks to a heritage lottery grant. The booklet gives an insight into the project, showing the hand written stories, drawings, all the carved bosses, as well as referencing the Southam Heritage Trail project. The booklet is still available and can be viewed online. Click on the links below for more on the project.