Winsford Town Park art project to celebrate town’s salt history

Liam Hopkins, of the contemporary creative studio, Lazerian, has been commissioned by Cheshire West and Chester Council to create a series of sculptures for the re-development of the town park.

Liam has been working on the project since July 2017.

He told the Guardian that he carried out extensive research on the town’s heritage as part of the project.

“I didn’t realise how big the salt industry and the salt mines were in the town. It is massive really, it helped shape the town.

“That is one thing that I'm really excited about it.”

The project – which will be called Seven Sisters – is inspired by the salt chimneys in the town during the 1800s.

Liam said: “All the chimneys were prominent in the town along the Hamlett salt works. At one point there was about 11 chimneys and they were nicknamed the Seven Sisters.

“I was taking that and decided to bring it back and call this the Seven Sisters artwork.”

Last month, the first prototype chimney as part of the series arrived on-site.

Liam said the project is on course to be completed and installed in time for the town’s planned re-opening in April.

Mark Bailey, Winsford Town Council Clerk, said: “The artist commissioned to do work on the town park is in the process of making the prototype of his artwork at present and the first prototype chimney arrived on site this week.

“The prototype will provide a guide on where the chimneys are best located and how they will be fitted to the plinths. Once the first is in place, then the others will be installed.”

He added: “Work on redeveloping the town park is continuing, having been held up by the unpredictable weather we have been seeing since the start of the year.

"In terms of the work being done, work on the main pathway from the top of the park nearest to the multi-storey car park is now underway.

“The stone work for the main entrances has also arrived on site and will start to be installed in the next couple of week.”