Eyebrows were raised yesterday when the good folk of Middlewich saw this large slab of sandstone being delivered to Salinae field.

The sandstone will be used to create a lasting monument for Middlewich, carved with images depicting the area’s boating heritage by Cheshire stone carving artist, Andrew Worthington.

The idea is part of a number of events and activities running across the Weaver Valley delivered by the Saltscape Landscape Partnership.

Visitors to the Folk and Boat Festival this weekend will be able to try their hand at stone carving and help create the overall design.  The carving will evolve throughout the three years of the Saltscape project and work will be completed at the Folk and Boat Festival in 2017.

Saul Burton, Project Officer for Saltscape said,  ‘We are delighted to be working with local people to create this monument to the area’s important canal heritage.  The canals were key to the success of the salt industry in the region and that’s something we’re keen to commemorate.

The sandstone has been brought in from Cumbria ; it’s a very good match to local sandstone, but it has a lighter grain, more suitable for carving.’  If you’d like to find out more about the carving, come along and visit the Saltscape team at the Folk and Boat Festival this weekend.

Saltscape is a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund,  led by Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside with key partners Cheshire West and Chester Council, Canal and River Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, The Mersey Forest and a range of other local groups and organisations.  www.saltscape.co.uk  @salt­_scape.

Contacts about the stone carving at Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival : Saul Burton, Saltscape  07972 681743

For further information about the Saltscape Landscape Partnership, contact Manager Alison Lomax on 01606 723 160