Display of Public Art in Kington
In a corner of the Market Hall is a display of Public Art Work in Kington
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Boots The Walking Dog of Kington by Rachel Ricketts RBSA In the best oral tradition, the legend of Thomas (Black) Vaughan (died 1469) and his hound vary with the telling and you can read the story when you visit this display in the Market Hall during the Festival. Black dog folklore was already strong in the 1300s, appearing in the Red Book of Hergest, the Mabignogi, as Cwn Annwn. Conan Doyle is reputed to have been told the Black dog stories whilst staying as a guest of the Baskerville family at Clyro Court, prior to writing the Hound of the Baskervilles. Now Boots the Walking Dog of Kington, with his fly motif talisman, is a further incarnation. This time he is a cheerful walker's companion and possibly a standard for the mis-represented! |
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Here on display in the Market Hall during the Festival, is the armature, which acts as a 3D drawing as well as being the supporting inner structure of the sculpture's maquette, with some additional work in place. When complete he will go to a bronze foundry where a mould will be made and a cast produced in bronze and set on a stone base to be sited near the museum. A very limited edition of further castings will be made available to order.
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The Walking Family - by Paul Baines This family made entirely from willow is quite a feature and talking point around Kington. It has been seen in Hergest Croft Gardens, in the Made in the Marches Gallery and the window of the Walking Hub. During the Festival weekend, they will be taking a turn in the Market Hall with other pieces of Public Artwork. |
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The Walker
Paul Baines is a willow sculpture artist who regularly shows his work in the Made in the Marches Gallery. His pieces range from tiny creatures like dragonflies and moths, through to rabbits and pheasants and up to full sized human sculptures. At the beginning of 2020, Paul embarked on an ambitious project to cut a giant figure into the bracken on Bradnor Hill. This walking figure can be seen from miles around. Information and photographs of this venture are being displayed in the Market Hall during the Festival weekend. |
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Walkers are Welcome "Walkers are Welcome is a nationwide initiative launched in 2007 to be ‘welcoming to walkers’. They enable the development of over 100 accredited Towns and Villages members to assist with their communities’ economic, physical, health and mental well-being through walking." In 2021 the organisation is visiting us here in Kington and to mark this event, a textile panel has been designed and created which will be sewn into a large wall hanging containing panels created by other Walkers are Welcome towns. Here you can see the original design for our Kington panel created by Kathryn Moore and below it, the interpretation of the original design stitched by Helen Smith. For more information about Walkers are Welcome, visit their website here. |
Kington's Art and Nature Walk
Kington has a well-established and proud identity as a Centre for Walking Town. It straddles the beautiful border countryside between Herefordshire and Radnorshire and is situated on the famous Offa’s Dyke National Trail, and many other long-distance footpaths.
In 2011, Kington Walks was established, and Kington became a Walkers are Welcome town. In 2012 the first Walking Festival was held in September, and this has now become a twice-yearly event. The Festival has produced a walking booklet entitled Six Great Walks around Kington to promote the town to locals and visitors alike, and encourage us to enjoy the physical and spiritual benefits of exploring the countryside around us on foot.
The year the Made in the Marches Gallery has adopted Walk 6, which traces the route and history of Kington’s Mills and Weirs. We quickly realised the walk also encompasses many inspiring elements and places of art and craft beauty and skill, and this has led us to begin to develop an Art and Nature Walk, based on the same route. The initial map has now been drawn by Rebecca Finney and points out some of the sites and things we have spotted and would like to share with you.
We hope for this to become a community participation walk, with transitory changing activities led by the seasons and festivals that happen in and around the town. Please join us now by using the stick-it notes to add objects of interest or different places the map might include as the Art and Nature path develops over the coming months.
With thanks
Ali Allen, The Walking Hub and Kington Walks
Rebecca Finney, Arts project walker and cartographer
Annie Gamble and the co-op team at Made in the Marches Gallery
In 2011, Kington Walks was established, and Kington became a Walkers are Welcome town. In 2012 the first Walking Festival was held in September, and this has now become a twice-yearly event. The Festival has produced a walking booklet entitled Six Great Walks around Kington to promote the town to locals and visitors alike, and encourage us to enjoy the physical and spiritual benefits of exploring the countryside around us on foot.
The year the Made in the Marches Gallery has adopted Walk 6, which traces the route and history of Kington’s Mills and Weirs. We quickly realised the walk also encompasses many inspiring elements and places of art and craft beauty and skill, and this has led us to begin to develop an Art and Nature Walk, based on the same route. The initial map has now been drawn by Rebecca Finney and points out some of the sites and things we have spotted and would like to share with you.
We hope for this to become a community participation walk, with transitory changing activities led by the seasons and festivals that happen in and around the town. Please join us now by using the stick-it notes to add objects of interest or different places the map might include as the Art and Nature path develops over the coming months.
With thanks
Ali Allen, The Walking Hub and Kington Walks
Rebecca Finney, Arts project walker and cartographer
Annie Gamble and the co-op team at Made in the Marches Gallery
