Plans go in for sheep and cattle statues in Spalding

Sheep and cattle sculptures will honour a town’s heritage while also being a visitor attraction, a planning application states.

Spalding and District Civic Society is looking to celebrate the town’s livestock markets by installing stone statues in Sheep Market and New Road - which used to host these sales.

The society received money from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for the statues as part of it’s Mark-It trail and has now lodged a planning application with South Holland District Council to make the project a reality.

A planning statement lodged with the application states: “The project offers the prospect of a major uplift to the town centre. As well as enhancing its attractiveness for all who live and work here, it has the potential to become a visitor attraction, increasing footfall in the town.

“Within living memory, the town centre had a weekly livestock market, full of jostling animals and auctioneers, with sheep in the Sheepmarket, cattle in New Road, and pigs in Red Lion Street. New Road was the site of a twice weekly cattle market held on the public highway until 1938, when a purpose built indoor livestock market opened. This closed in 1992 and as a consequence the importance of livestock in the town’s history is rapidly being forgotten.”

The society has commissioned Graeme Mitcheson to five white and one black Longwool sheep sculptures to sit on around the tree outside The Pied Calf and Prior’s Oven premises in Sheep Market.

He will also be create a 2.4m bull and 2.2m cow to replace the planters which sit on the pavement outside Longstaff’s in New Road.

The application states: “This location is a priority for intervention by South Holland District Council as the current flower bed planter is at the end of its life and is in urgent need of replacement. SDCS have secured support from key local councillors for the project and an indication that the proposal for this site would be firmly supported.

“The scale of the sculptures is in keeping with the proposed locations, creating visible, accessible artwork that will not be unduly prominent or distracting. The sculptures as stonework have been selected as appropriate materials for these locations.

“When seen and experienced from the pedestrian areas, pavements and highways, the sculptures will add interest without diminishing the special interest and significance of nearby Grade II listed buildings.

“The sculptures will not cause harm to any other heritage assets and will otherwise preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area. They will contribute to representing an important heritage narrative for Spalding through the medium of high quality public art.”

This latest trail follows on from Joseph Hillier's small bronzes Portrait of a Town artworks which were commissioned in 2016.

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