Sutton Manor Woodland
Talk on Mining & Sutton Manor Colliery
26 November 2007
It's a free heritage event and free refreshments will be served in the Coffee Bar from 10.15am. Everyone is welcome. For more information you can call 01744 677081.
Don't forget Sutton Beauty's own page on Sutton Manor Colliery and our own Colliery Photo-Album
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Manor Big Art Project Commissioned
23 July 2007
See here for more on Jaume (click on his name) and here for samples of his work. Click on the Crown Fountain picture below for a montage of images.
Jaume Plensa's installation, Crown Fountain, in Millennium Park Chicago
Sutton Manor Colliery DVD and Book
21 June 2007
Sutton Manor Primary have announced that they will be launching a DVD and book on Sutton Manor Colliery on Thursday June 28th. Last year the pupils made an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and were awarded £34,000. For the last nine months the girls and boys of the Forest Road school have been very busy recording the social history of the colliery which closed in 1991. Presumably the fruits of their labours will be available in Wardleworths, WH Smiths et all on the 28th for us all to enjoy.
Incidentally Sutton Beauty has just added a dedicated page devoted to the Sutton Manor Colliery which includes a 23 picture photo album.
Big Art Site Tour and Big Art Booth
13 June 2007
We'll all be invited to record our views on public art and ask out about the progress in creating the work of art that's set to be unveiled at Sutton Manor Woodland in 2008 as part of a primetime C4 series. This will be in a Big Art Video Booth and in a Big Art Record Book. Visitors to the architruck will also be able to sign up to become a volunteer Big Art Ambassador and help with future consultation events. The event will run daily from 9am - 5pm and will also host an exhibition on the Channel 4 Big Art Project which will, of course, include our own site at Sutton Manor Woodland and the work of a range of artists who've all been shortlisted for the commission.
As the formal launch of the Big Art Project at the end of March was a private event, it's clearly positive that community engagement is finally happening. For me obtaining any information about developments has been difficult. I've just been monitoring the Council's news pages on a daily basis on the off-chance that some information might be imparted that I can relay in this site. I do hope that we'll all be able to find out much more at these events and that there will be a decent turnout. You can find out more about this story here.People are invited to take a stroll and find out more about the site’s past from former miners who worked there. There will also be more information about Channel 4’s Big Art Project in St.Helens and developments so far.
Eight Mile Manor! (S. Manor Woodland)
27 March 2007
On a side note, St Helens Council have yesterday publicised a meeting to be held tonight at the World of Glass in St.Helens to launch the Channel 4 Big Art Project at Sutton Manor. It seems, however, to be a private launch for invited guests from the region's business, arts and regeneration communities and attended by a Channel 4 executive. Hopefully what's revealed at the launch will be comprehensively put into the public domain. You can read the council news story HERE.
Edit A somewhat potted version of what happened at the presentation can be found HERE.
Sutton Manor Colliery Pictures
20 February 2007
They are mainly taken just before and after the mine closed in 1991 and Frazer has published them in two parts. You can view the first part here and the second part here. Thanks to Frazer for making these publicly available.
Sutton Manor Rabbit Fencing Removed
06 February 2007
OK, that's not exactly the most tantalising of headlines! However, the large-scale work taking place this week at Sutton Manor in removing all the rabbit fencing, does suggest that the woodland is maturing. It's less than six years ago that thousands of saplings were planted under the stewardship of the Forestry Commission.
Huge quantities of rabbit fencing were introduced all over the 230 acre site to stop the critters from causing damage to the young trees through browsing and bark stripping. The trees can now, it seems, withstand the work of the pesky rabbits, so the process of converting a former pit into a place of beauty is nearing completion.
Some of the rabbit fencing is being removed by a digger, the rest by hand
Forestry Commission Update
07 January 2007
At present there is work to improve and secure the entrances on Jubits Lane and work around the old loading bay [or as the children delightfully call it - the "Echo Wall"]. Bulbs and other flowers have and are being planted by school children to add colour and scent to some of the paths. I'm hoping that a couple of damaged seats can be replaced soon, so that young and old alike can sit and rest whilst admiring the views [or reflecting on life!]. Unfortunately the ground is like concrete so replacement is not quite as easy as it first appears!! You'll also see some of the rabbit fencing being removed soon, now that the trees are established.
Duncan mentions that he's aware of two instances of former colliery workers ashes being scattered at the site, one by the shafts and the other at the top.
As someone who very regularly sits on the benches staring at the Winter Hill TV transmitters and the chimneys at Fiddlers Ferry, it's good to know that repairs to damaged benches will soon take place. Plus I have always wondered what all that fencing was for. Now we know it's to keep away rabbits while the saplings are growing. The bulb planting is very welcome and it's great to have the kids involved.
With the recent news of the Manor site being selected for the C4 Big Art Project this is all very promising for the future of the site.