|
The gateways
on Berryhill Fields
In
the year 2000 the Stoke-on-rent City Council commissioned three
"gateways" at Berryhill Greenway on the edge of the
Bentilee/Ubberley Estate.
A
design theme was chosen, focusing on the idea that the Greenway
follows an imaginary Time Line which runs north west from the
Scheduled Ancient Monument Area within Berryhill Fields.
Three gateways were constructed (Stone, timber and metal). The Stone
Gateway is the nearest to the Scheduled Ancient Monument, and was
intended to commemorate the earliest history of the area before it
was settled by farmers.
There was a strong emphasis on community involvement throughout the
project, and the Berryhill Friends Group played a key role in its
management.
Stone Gateway -
Sculpture by Peter Price
Berryhill Greenway - at
the entrance to the park nearest to Trimble Close
Three large boulders appear behind a smaller, lower stone block
whose sides are carved to suggest a stone wall.
The
smaller block is inscribed on its top surface with a child-like
picture of a girl with a pony tail in T-shirt and shorts, and carved
with a snail on the left. Of the other boulders, one is carved with
a snail, two leaves and a standing figure in robes (probably a
woman, but the face is too worn to be certain) at the corner; the
tallest one is carved with a lizard, a bird, a hunting scene of two
men on foot chasing a pair of wild boar, and the head of a bearded
figure with curly hair wearing what appears to be a bobble hat; the
third is carved with a Daliesque melting watch, with a snail on the
other side.
Timber Gateway
panel by Anthony Hammond
at Berryhill Greenway - at one of the entrances to the park nearest
to Uffington Parade
The wooden panel consists of six
wooden planks supported between two upright wooden poles, with a
circular roundel of a bird on the front face at the top. The bird is
flanked by a flower and a bird. Below is a butterfly, flanked by a
dragon fly and a flower. Beneath is an owl, another bird, and a
heron. Below are several animals, including a rabbit, a hedgehog, a
lizard and another bird. At the bottom of the panel are two working
men, one a farm labourer with a scythe, the other a miner with pick
and shovel.
The panel is intended both to
commemorate the past history of the site and to celebrate the
variety of wildlife found there today.
Metal Gateway -
Sculpture by Phillip Hardaker
Berryhill Greenway -
cycleway at entrance to park nearest to Wadebridge Road
This
grey steel archway stands on two circular brick plinths either side
of the path at one of the entrances into Berryhill Fields. It is
decorated with animals and birds to be seen in the local area.
Two
rabbits appear on either side of the arch, while along the top of
the arch from left to right are a snail, two birds either side of an
owl and a fish. A bat hangs from below the archway.
|
