Visit some local sculptures
With their air of permanence, their impressive size and their artistic genius, the area’s sculptures are a sight to behold and have quickly become landmarks. Features Writer Rob Bullock looks at some of our most impressive.
Although our district does not have many sculptures, the ones we do have are generally regarded as being representative of our regional history and culture, and some are even famous, becoming well-known landmarks. Here are a few of the most impressive!
Venus and Cupid
Shane A. Johnstone’s amazing Venus and Cupid sculpture stands on a slight promontory beside Morecambe Bay on the eastern approach to Morecambe. It is a former wartime gun emplacement, but it now welcomes visitors to the town with one of the area’s most famous views. Originally the sculpture was due to rest on St George’s Quay in Lancaster and commemorated the 24 cockle-pickers who tragically died in Morecambe Bay in 2004.
Half Moon Bay ‘Ship’
Anna Gillespie’s astonishing sculpture Ship at Half Moon Bay celebrates Morecambe Bay’s landscape and maritime heritage, reflecting the importance of seaborne trade to the area. The sculpture is an outline of a ship’s hull and is mounted with two opposing figures at each end, one facing ‘the new’ of Heysham Nuclear Power Station and the other facing ‘the old’ of the ancient monument of St Patrick’s Chapel.
Mythic Coast Artwork Trail
Mythic Coast Artwork Trail, which is a picturesque walk with a fascinating collection of sculptures on Cleveleys seafront. The sculptures magically bring to life the children’s book ‘The Sea Swallow’. This is a children’s book that was specially commissioned for the project and combines local folklore, myth and legend about Wyre’s coastline. The artworks were designed by North West artist Stephen Broadbent. Why not take your own journey along the Trail.
The Tern Project
You cannot miss it! Celebrating the various birds and other diverse wildlife of Morecambe Bay, the Tern Project is a stunning series of various award-winning sculptures situated along Morecambe’s seafront and promenade. There are steel cormorants, gannets and razorbills and they sit proudly on the roundabouts on Central Drive and on top of bollards on the promenade railings.
Beacon Fell sculpture trail
The sculptures at the beautiful Beacon Fell Country Park in the south of our district were carved by local artist Thompson Dagnall, and they depict different types of wildlife, including a snake and an owl, which sit looking across the stunning Forest of Bowland from the 266m summit.
Eric Morecambe statue
We conclude this brief look at the area’s iconic sculptures with the Eric Morecambe Statue, unveiled by the Queen in 1999, the slightly larger than life-sized statue depicts the beloved comedian, Eric Morecambe, in one of his characteristic comic poses with a pair of binoculars around his neck. The looking glasses are there because Eric was a keen ornithologist. Although damaged in 2014, it has now returned to its proud central position.
Whichever sculpture you decide to visit, why not take the time to look up the artist that created them and why they were commissioned, very often they are a story in themselves!
Read more articles in our Summer edition of Lancaster District Magazine:
Tucked away behind a quiet residential street in Kendal lies the Alphabet Trail. A beautiful meandering walk through the Serpentine Woods that follow a trail of 26 outdoor sculptures that depict letters of the alphabet. See our previous article by clicking the image below:
