Linking your communities A Commemorative Book

National Cycleway Route 47www.caerphilly.gov.uk/loopsandlinks

Loops&Links | inTRoDUCTion

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The mid Valley’s Rural Village strategy, known by many as Loops and Links, opens up accessibility to Route 47 of the national Cycle network (Celtic Trail) between Risca and nelson.

prior to the scheme being introduced the cycleway skirted around most towns and villages. now access to these and tourist attractions such as sirhowy Valley Country park that lie along its route has been improved.

Community artworks developed by artist michael Disley, in conjunction with local schools and residents, lie along the route of the cycleway. This commemorative book has been published to celebrate these artworks and showcase not just those artworks that you chose, but also those that never made it off the drawing board.

i recommend that you walk or cycle along the route and discover more about the county borough and perhaps spot the artworks that ended up being sculptured!

Cllr. Harry Andrews,

Leader of Caerphilly

County Borough Council

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The woRkshops | Loops&Links

Michael Disley

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“seven primary schools, eighteen stone benches,

each carved on four sides and six sculptures!

The loops and links project was never going to

be easy! it began in the summer of 2006 with a

series of tile carving workshops, seven schools had

expressed an interest in taking part so i set aside

a seven day period arranged for the 140 stone

tiles to be dropped off and turned up to face

eager and excited children aged between 6 and

11. The schools involved were; Llanfabon infants

& Llancaeach Juniors in nelson, maesycwmmer

primary, ynysddu primary, Cwmfelinfach primary,

Cwmcarn primary and ysgol Cwm gwyddon in

abercarn.

The children were asked to carve into the surface

of the stone taking the local area as a theme. There

were quite a few sheep, a few landscapes and any

number of mining images. each school was very

different, the children were a joy to work with and

the schools were left with around 20 -30 carved

stones. some decided to set them into paths and

walls to form a sculpture trail. others were going to

build them into the school itself by setting them into

the walls in the school hall.

Commissioned artist

the artist

Children enjoying carving workshop.

proud children with finished pieces.

Fresh air and fresh ideas. Tools of the trade.

michael Disley - artist.

even adults get involved.

Loops&Links | Linking yoUR CommUniTies

at each school i talked to the teachers and pupils

about the project and let them know the dates for

the bench carving workshops, taking place later in

the summer and as it worked out only finishing in

november

The bench carving workshops took place at

different venues around the valley, including

Llancaiach Fawr and ynys hywel activity Centre and

proved very popular. here three cubes of limestone

half a metre square were provided per workshop.

The stones were craned on to wooden pallets to set

them at a height for people to carve them. i also

realized that these workshops could last up to 4

days so i purchased a 3m x 6m gazebo to keep the

welsh weather at bay. The design themes for these

benches were again the local area and people were

invited to come along and spend some time carving

into the surface of the stone to create a bas-relief

carved image. some came for a few hours but

others stayed for days, finding as i do that it is very

easy to become lost in the activity of carving!

The finished stones were topped with polished

granite slabs and sited in six groups of three at sites

near the villages. my time in Caerphilly was over for

a while but the project continued back in yorkshire

where i had eighteen designs to work up and six

sculptures to carve. as i said it was never going to

be easy.”

the workshops the artwork

proud as punch!

small groups work in harmony to produce final pieces.

Nelson

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initially three designs were produced for the nelson area and each was intended to combine the railways with nelson in an imaginative way and complement the seating in wern woodland park near the cycleway.

the concept

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Design 1

‘nelson’s Train’ depicts a stone train carved with

nelson as its driver. This sculpture would be sited

in front of the line of benches creating an image

of a train pulling wagons. The granite tops on the

benches suggest coal in the wagons.

Design 2

‘The Boy nelson’ is a humorous piece showing nelson

as a boy. he is seen leapfrogging a train with nelson

inscribed into the front of the engine.

Design 3

‘nelson’s hat’ is a sculpture of nelson’s head and

shoulders. his hat echos the shapes of the hills

around nelson and a train can be seen running along

its edges.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Maesycwmmer

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all the designs for the maesycwmmer link reflect the history of the village and incorporate the viaduct and the woollen mill, which can be found beneath it. each design would stand approx 1 metre high.

the concept

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Design 1

shows a stylised sheep standing on top of the

viaduct.

Design 2

shows a train running over the viaduct, whilst carved

underneath are sheep on bicycles.

Design 3

shows two sheep standing on top of the viaduct

knitting.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Ynysddu

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The inspiration that the artist mike Disley has used to design the possible sculptures for ynysddu is a poem by Reverend william Thomas called ‘early and Late Trains.’

The Reverend Thomas is better known by his bardic name islwyn and the poem used by the artist includes the lines ‘travelling, in a later train, Thou shalt join thy friends again.’

the concept

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Design 1

The artist’s first idea shows a train and a cart

together with a figure on top of the cart reading. The

sculpture would be around 1 metre high and 400mm

thick and would be inscribed with part of the poem.

Design 2

‘This design uses an image of the mountain

mynyddislwyn, from which the poet took his name,

to frame images carved on either side. The one image

shows a figure leaning against some trees and the

other the railway and river. The stone below carries

quotes from the poem.

Design 3

The third image shows a figure in a rail cart leaning

against some books. again the sculpture would carry

some lines from the poem.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Cwmfelinfach

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The village of Cwmfelinfach takes its name from a flannel mill that once stood close to the nant Draenog (or brook) where in the 18th and early 19th century many baptisms took place. it’s this history of the area that provided the inspiration for the proposed sculptures.

the concept

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Design 1

‘Baptism in the mountains,’ shows a baptism taking

place in the nant Draenog. The whole design is

framed by the mountain itself.

Design 2

‘The flannel mill,’ shows an image of the flannel mill

with an oversized wheel, standing on a second stone

carved with flowing water.

Design 3

‘Baptism in the brook,’ shows a figure about to

perform a baptism in the nant Draenog.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Wattsville

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wattsville provided homes for many workers at the numerous local collieries and the artist mike Disley has used this information as his inspiration for the designs for a sculpture for the village. all three designs would stand approximately 1.5 metres high.

the concept

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Design 1

The first design, sculptured in bas-relief shows miners

in a ‘cage’ being lowered down into a mine.

Design 2

This design shows a miner drilling at the pit face at

the very bottom of the mine.

Design 3

The village of wattsville sits at the top of the

sculpture with a band of bas-relief carving along the

base of the stone showing a miner at work.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Cwmcarn/Pontywaun

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The monmouthshire and Brecon Canal played a central role in the industrial revolution and the history of Cwmcarn/pontywaun. it provided an economic lifeline connecting communities along its 11mile length. nineteen metre long boats carried cargo from newport to Crumlin and the artist has drawn on this colourful past in his designs. it’s the influence of the canal on the nearby local villages that influenced the designs of the proposed sculpture. the

concept

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Design 1

The artist’s first design shows the canal/water flowing

through the nearby villages highlighting how the

canal connected the communities. The sculpture

would be a bas-relief and be about 1.5 metres tall.

Design 2

This idea also shows the canal, but is more

representative of the night of the flood disaster in

1875 when the force of the water washed many

properties and vegetation away. again the sculpture

would be a bas-relief and be about 1.5 metres tall.

Design 3

This design shows the local villages on a barge,

floating along the canal. This sculpture would again

be 1.5 metres tall.

Can you find which design was chosen and made? the designs

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Artwork locations

Nelson Maesycwmmer Ynysddu

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Artwork locations

Cwmfelinfach Wattsville Cwmcarn/Pontywaun

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www.CaeRphiLLy.goV.Uk/LoopsanDLinks | Loops&Links

Notes

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