At last this wonderful project has come to its end. To celebrate the months of workshops, walks and community, we held a celebration party at Poles Coppice, the site of the Oak Palisade and the Poetry Bench. Around 55 people turned out to share food, fun, stare over at the Iron Age ramparts on Earl's … Continue reading The End! And a celebration!
The Poetry Bench
A sturdy Poetry Bench, made from huge planks and boles of oak from Poles Coppice itself. We are so thrilled with this! Ruth inlaid it with ceramic roundels onto which she printed extracts from our poems. It's very, very beautiful. Come along to Poles Coppice and sit on it, and look over at the Iron … Continue reading The Poetry Bench
Installing the Oak Palisade
A lot of very hard work - and the beautiful finished result!
Our Celebration Party at Poles Coppice!
Everyone is very welcome to come and join us at Poles Coppice Picnic Site to celebrate the end of this wonderful project and the completed installation of the Oak Palisade and the Poetry Bench. Come along anytime on Friday 14 July between 4pm and 7pm. You can pick up your original tile to take home … Continue reading Our Celebration Party at Poles Coppice!
I jumped over molehills one by one
A warmer day in March found Ruth and I setting off across the fields for Callow Hillfort, accompanied by 30 children from Minsterley Primary School's Y3/Y4 class, and their enthusiastic teachers. We talked about the people who lived on this landscape so long ago, how they farmed and how their chiefs lived in the highest … Continue reading I jumped over molehills one by one
The sky daubed with woad
The lively Home Education group returned for a second workshop, indoors this time, to follow up our explorations on the hillfort. Archaeologists Mike and Teri returned in full handwoven costume, and the children ground corn in the quern, handled Iron Age (replica) tools, bowls, even a beautiful bronze mirror. Then we made use of our … Continue reading The sky daubed with woad
Out of an owl’s eye
A big, varied group of families and individuals from the local community converged to meet Ruth and I in Pontesbury last Saturday. We all walked up through the green lanes and footpaths to Poles Coppice. Ruth got people making clay impressions, and I handed out Poem Notes booklets. Everyone set off to explore and make. out … Continue reading Out of an owl’s eye
Ramparts, ash, mud, water
Yesterday Ruth and I enjoyed a wonderful outdoor workshop with a group of home educating families. We met in the car park at Poles Coppice on Callow Lane above Minsterley, and walked over to Callow Hillfort, finding huge oaks with beefsteak bracket fungus, a badger skull and plentiful squelchy mud. At Callow Hillfort we charged the … Continue reading Ramparts, ash, mud, water
From the Hillforts, Clay Pressings and Roundels
Here are beautiful and rather magical clay textures gathered from their surroundings out on Poles Coppice and Lower Camp, Pontesford Hill by children from Minsterley Primary School and a local Woodcraft Folk group. In freezing conditions this February, clay artist Ruth Gibson encouraged the children as they pressed clay balls into bark, plants, leaves and … Continue reading From the Hillforts, Clay Pressings and Roundels
I punched my clay into the eye of an oak
Cold, damp, we entered the dented slope into the hillfort. We hunted for something for our clump of clay. On Friday Ruth and I spent a wintry morning on Lower Camp at Pontesford Hill with Y5 and Y6 children from Minsterley Primary. Archaeologists Mike and Teri Greene made a dramatic appearance, waving spears and shields, and … Continue reading I punched my clay into the eye of an oak
Impressions of the past 