Wood carvings celebrate heritage open days

New contemporary artworks will go on display at Sleaford's Cogglesford Mill during this year's Heritage Open Days Festival in September.
Mark Steadman's Dray Horse and Wayfarer post wood sculptures. EMN-180827-191511001Mark Steadman's Dray Horse and Wayfarer post wood sculptures. EMN-180827-191511001
Mark Steadman's Dray Horse and Wayfarer post wood sculptures. EMN-180827-191511001

Heckington-based artist Mark Steadman was commissioned to create the artworks to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Heritage Open Days in Lincolnshire.

Visitors can explore the historic watermill and see the new artworks over the Heritage Open Days weekends on September 6-9 and 13-16. The Mill will also be rumbling into action on the Saturday and Sunday dates grinding its own flour.

The annual Heritage Open Days festival allows visitors free access to interesting properties that are not usually publicly accessible or would normally charge a fee. The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Picturing the Past’.

Mark has created five wooden ‘way farer’ posts, that will be situated outside Cogglesford Mill on the path leading from the car park. His sculptures are based on characters that would have worked at the mill and the wayfarers who would have travelled along the River Slea. All the works include tactile elements such as an actual old heavy horse chain on the dray horse carving.

Although the artworks were created to be temporary commissions, it is hoped that the work can find a permanent home at the mill.

Mark worked with artsNK to organise a number of craft workshops for the local community, including ceramic, printmaking and glass casting. The resulting work will be on show in an exhibition in Cogglesford Mill during the Heritage Open Days.

Visitors can also try their hands at woodcarving at a free drop-in session with local craftsman Peter Tree on the green outside Cogglesford Mill on Friday September 7, 10am – 3pm.

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