A new sculpture celebrating local sporting history has been unveiled in Chesterfield. Located at Harron Homes’ Heritage Green development, the sculpture named ‘A Day at the Races’ is inspired by Chesterfield’s history of horse and dog racing.
The brick sculpture depicts a traditional carousel blended with race horses and dogs, drawing from the history of horse racing in the town, and the former Chesterfield Sports Stadium previously known as Wheeldon Mill, which opened in around 1939. The stadium previously hosted horse racing and later greyhound racing, before closing in 2000.
Back in the 1940s, race days were often a huge occasion for both the local community and those travelling into Chesterfield, with Wheeldon Mill train station decorated for the occasion. Before moving to the stadium, the horse racecourse would often incorporate a wide area of Chesterfield, with it crossing close to the rail tracks, over The Sheep Bridge and past Brimington station. Race days would also involve a large travelling fair, providing local artist Sue Gould with the inspiration for the carousel-style design.
The brick was designed and created by Sue, with design assistance from friend Angela Evans, using wet blank bricks which were provided and fired by Ibstock Brick. The sculpture also takes inspiration from an autobiography by author Lynn Knight called ‘Sherbet Lemon and Dolly Blue’, with Sue citing that the book gave her a real insight into the life and times of local people during the 1940s.
Sue said: “It’s been a great experience to be able to commemorate our local history through art. Working with Harron has been fantastic. All of the staff I’ve encountered during the project have been really enthusiastic and patient. We really are so appreciative of their help and support.”
Natalie Griffiths, Sales and Marketing Director at Harron Homes North Midlands said: “We are delighted to have worked with Sue and Angela on this project. It is really important to us that we are involved with the local communities surrounding our developments, and by having this sculpture at Heritage Green, local history has not only been documented but also celebrated.”
The sculpture at Heritage Green is a part of wider contributions made to the local community by Harron Homes, totalling £135,000. The funds will go towards other community amenities with an emphasis on the environment, including an investment into local green spaces, Tapton and Thistle parks, and the implementation of a cycle path.
Consisting of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes, Heritage Green is a development with luxury family living at its forefront, with prices starting from £275,995. For more information or to book an appointment to visit the development at https://www.harronhomes.com/find-a-home/derbyshire/heritage-green/.
For further information about the project and Sue’s other work, please visit her website, www.suegouldart.com.