Shipwrights Way

Daisy – Did you know Spud they have made a new cycle route? So you know the South Downs Way and the Hangers Way and then of course there is the Sussex Border Path, all great walks in our area……….. Well now they have made the Shipwrights way which is a new cycle route all the way from the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth right up past the Queen Elizabeth Country Park and through Petersfield and finishing at the Alice Holt Forest. In its entirety the route is 50 miles long although there is one short section at Bordon that is not yet open. They called it the Shipwrights way because in Tudor times the oak timber required to build the ships was sourced from the Alice Holt Forest area and taken along this route to the dockyard. As well as being a great cycle route with some fantastic scenery along the way, a sculptor, Richard Parry was commissioned to create 20 beautiful sculptures to be displayed along the route. Here is a photograph of the one in Petersfield

It is a bale of wool which commemorates the weekly livestock markets that took place in the town.

In nearby Steep you can find a sculpture of a stack of books which commemorates some of the well-known people who lived in the village, the WW1 poet Edward Thomas, author of The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham and actor Sir Alec Guiness. And in Buriton there is a delightful statue of a cheese snail.

Spud – Did you say cheese?

Daisy – Yes Spud I did but it is not that sort of cheese.  A cheese snail is a tiny creature about the size of a human fingernail that lives under decaying logs, they are pretty difficult to spot and they are a protected species.

Whilst we are on the subject of sculpture, Richard Parry isn’t the only sculptor to be working in the area, we are lucky enough to have some really big names in this field living and working locally.

Take Philip Jackson for example. He is a world famous sculptor who’s works include amongst other things the sculpture of Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United Football Club, and he lives and works in West Sussex. You can see examples of his work in Chichester where there is a statue of St Richard at the entrance to the Cathedral. And you can also see a beautiful work by him inside South Harting Church where there is a sculpture of the Arch Angel Gabriel hanging suspended from the ceiling in the North transept. It really is pretty stunning. (Photograph courtesy of Philipjacksonsculptures.co.uk)

And whilst you are in the church it is also worth looking out for a small bronze figure of the Madonna and child by Karin Jonzen the daughter of Swedish parents.

As if that wasn’t enough on your way out of the church it is worth taking a look at the war memorial which was designed by Eric Gill who was born in Stenying and also produced a group of sculptures for the BBC’s Broadcasting House in London.

Then there is Elizabeth Frink’s only truly lifelike representation of a horse displayed on the steps leading up to the Richmond Pavillion at Goodwood race course.

On the western edge of our area there is an Anthony Gormley statue in Winchester Cathedral and closer to home in the square in Petersfield there is of course William III on horseback.

Also, possibly not quite as world renowned yet, there is the delightful representation of a shepherd and his dog with a sheep in Rams Walk in Petersfield which was done by Andy Cheese a sculpture and teacher at Bedales School (which is where John Wyndham was a pupil).

Spud – You said cheese again!

Daisy – yes Spud, that is because it is his name!

Spud – Daisy that is very impressive knowledge! How do you know all these things?

Daisy – Oh Spud, do you think all I do all day is lie in my basket sleeping?!