Progress

  • The following artworks have already been created as part of a pilot stage funded by local businesses and festivals:
  • ‘Nelson the Elephant’ – a full-sized Indian elephant puppet commissioned by the Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair in 2015 to celebrate the Town Hall’s 250th anniversary and created by local artist Bamber Hawes;
  • Nelson’s daughter, ‘Little Lucy’ was created by Bamber Hawes in 2018;
  • Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair has developed a partnership with Circus Raj and the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band from Rajasthan in India. These amazing performers have brought their shows to the Town on several occasions
  • ‘Winnie the Wintles Mammoth’ – a giant brushwood sculpture created by Bamber Hawes and sited on the Wintles hillside. This was featured extensively on BBC TV West Midlands ‘Today’ and Shropshire Radio in May 2019;
  • A giant LED-lit elephant lantern by local artist Ellie Tarratt was commissioned by the Michaelmas Fair in autumn 2019;
  • Local poet Jean Atkins was asked to be BBC Local Poet for Shropshire for National Poetry Day 2019. Here is her poem about elephants strolling down Shropshire lanes, all the way from Dawley to Bishop’s Castle YouTube Video
  • Local artist Bamber Hawes has painted a highly professional and very large mural of a standing elephant on the side of a building in the Town Centre. This is a highly visual landmark that will definitely put Bishop’s Castle on the map;
  • An interpretation panel commissioned by Bishop’s Castle Town Council and in partnership with Bishop’s Castle Civic Society, Bishop’s Castle Heritage Resource Centre and Shropshire Museums has been installed near to the Clive family crest monument in the Square to mark the start of the trail;
  • Two new sculptures have been installed on buildings in the High Street:
    • The ‘Entwined Elephants’ was designed and made by Chris Groombridge and cast in Bishops Castle’s Jesmonite and located on Chloe Yoga opposite Drovers Travel;
    • The ‘Marching Elephants’ was designed and made by Bamber Hawes and located at 11 High Street;
  • Local artist Nancy Farrington has painted a cheeky elephant holding a pint of ale on the wall of the 6 Bells Pub at the bottom of the Town;
  • Shropshire artist Grace Jandrell has painted an elephant mural on the Gatehouse at the Castle Hotel – “I’m so pleased I was asked to paint one on the original home of the elephant!”
  • The March of the Elephants has aquired the following amazing elephant made by artist Jill Impey. It is on occasional view at The Castle Hotel.
  • A painted stained glass window panel designed and led by Bishop’s Castle artist Helen Robinson as part of a community project sponsored by the Bishop’s Castle Arts Festival.  Members of the local community helped to paint the panels. The panel has been installed across a window in the Town Hall.