Having secured our show space early, the Mid-Lancs Branch wanted to create a feature that would not only attract interest from showgoers but also withstand the attentions of the field’s year-round residents – the sheep.
The construction of a stone bench incorporating a feature within the backrest, possibly including a vintage wheel and Indian stone flags to create an attractive seating area was proposed. The concept was well received as a feature that would enhance both the appearance of the site and visitor interest. However, due to the scale of the project, it was agreed that the bench could not be fully completed during the three days of the show. Instead, work would begin this year, with the intention of completing and developing the feature further at next year’s event.
Saturday started under dull, overcast skies, with visitor numbers steadily increasing as the morning wore on. Our attention was focused on repairing part of the tap surround built in previous years, which had failed to withstand the constant pressure of sheep leaning, resting and rubbing against the cheek end of the structure.
There was considerable interest from visitors throughout the day, with a number of enquiries about beginners’ courses and future Branch activities. Together with the many regular showgoers who return each year, this provided an excellent opportunity to share Branch news, promote our work, and demonstrate the dry stone walling skills and techniques that had attracted visitors to our stand. Meanwhile, the repair work progressed well and was successfully completed during the course of the day.
Sunday morning, a slightly smaller team relocated to the other side of the showground, to begin work on the seat, using stone kindly donated by the show organisers. Taking advantage of the dry, sunny conditions, we completed the base of the seat before the heat of the day made further work less practical. For the remainder of the day, we sheltered under the gazebo and continued to engage with visitors, discussing the Branch and demonstrating the craft of dry stone walling.
Overall, the show was a great success, providing plenty of interest, ideas and projects to take forward into 2027, including a request from the show organisers to build a new wall near the toilet block.
See you next year!
Mike Tighe