Woodcarvings in Towneley Park. Burnley

Richard Colbran, one of our members sent some pictures of woodcarvings that have just arrived in Towneley Park, Burnley.

He wrote via email

“ Here are pictures of new carvings in Towneley Park, done by a chap called Richard Goodwin.  I haven’t seen them yet but the pictures look pretty good, and  we shall see how the ground level one’s fare over time! The guy called to see me a few months ago and we had a good morning talking about this and that.

A day or so later

Yesterday morning, we parked at Towneley top gate (opposite Towneleyside), and walked down to the Hall, then along the Small Lime Walk, round Thanet Lea and back up to the car. It was a tough walk for us, especially back up the hill to the Park gate, but well worth the effort. 

The carvings have been done by Rick Goodwin on a grant from Pennine Prospects, at Hebden Bridge

The head is in memory of old Mr Barwise, who ran the dahlia nursery at Boggart Bridge.- Now the car-park/play area We haven’t see this one yet.

He lived somewhere near the Royal Butterfly pub on Hufling Lane and used to walk up to his nursery every day, carrying a little case (probably his butty-box!)

He was a regular at St Stephens and I knew him quite well. He was a kindly man, and the first wood-carver to enter my life. I remember him inviting me into his little workshop hut and showing me his work on a lectern for the church, made from laburnum. I suppose I would have been .in my early teens at that time.

The two musical carvings, a violin and a treble clef, in oak, are related to the old Stocks Massey Open Air Music Pavilion, which was on the end of the pitch and putt course, and destroyed by fire in the mid 1960s.  I remember Sunday concerts being held there quite regularly..

There are three more carvings in Thanet Lea, near the Monks Well. 

It is nice to know that someone else is carrying the baton, as my carving activities become less adventurous!