Example guided walk: Bolton Sculpture
Bolton's Sculpture Trail
Please use this link for the workshop supporting this activity, taking place 18th March at 10.30 am
Zoom link for workshop 18th March
And here are the resources from the workshop on 26th March Sound and video
This page has been created as a training resource. It shows the same information in several different ways.
The aim of the training is to help members create or re-purpose simple guided walks, especally ones that look good on mobile devices (iphone, smartphone).
So as you work through these materials it will help you undertand what is achieved if you view this page on a smartphone, iphone, tablet or ipad.
The u3a Sitebuilder version of the guided walk is below
Consider for yourself how this might look and work on a small mobile device. Better still, open it on your smartphone or iphone and take a look.
Compare the sitebuilder result with a modrn web page
This link shows the same material as below, but in a modern website creator Simple modern web page
Compare this with the versions listed in the links down the right hand side of the page.
2003: Councillors in Bolton were outraged by the plans for new public sculptures.
The sculptures went ahead all the same, and they are still to be seen today.
What do you think of them?
The problem is, first you have to find them!
This walk is about a quarter of a mile in length and is entirely along paved roads and streets.
Start in Victoria Square
Find the stone building called 'The Exchange'. This building dates from 1825. In 2021 it has a Coral bookies on its ground floor.
Walk along Back Cheapside, which runs between The Exchange and Tiffany's cafe.
Stop 1: near the benches before the car park
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If you look around carefully, you'll find the first three sculptures.
You will have to look high, and low! The sculptures represent all that is left of three local enterprises - the R&G Greenhalgh Painting and Decorating Company, Kershaw's leather merchants, and the town's first library founded in 1853.
Stop 2: in memory of the ironmongers
At the junction of Cheapside Square and Back Mawdsley Street you will find the 4th sculpture. Clue? You will need a giant screwdriver.....this part of town was once full of shops selling nails, screws, and tools.
Stop 3: more reading material
The windows on the side of the AFG Law building are known to architects as 'Venetian windows'. But never mind the windows...find the books!
A point of interest on the way to Stop 4
In the 1980s the building you see on the corner of Mawdsley Street and Infirmary Street was created, sweeping away a portion of the town's heritage. That heritage included the place where Bolton's first newspaper was produced by the Tillotson family, who went on to produce the local newspaper for the next 150 years.
Another snippet on the way to stop 4: Nelson Square
Nelson Square sounds very grand but until the mid-1800's it was the pig market. Turn to your left, northwards, along Bowkers Row.
Stop 4: Everything stops for tea...
Tea merchants were among the numerous shops that once thronged this part of Bolton.
Stop 5: the ink pens
The ink pen and inkwell were the backbone of journalism before the typewriter was invented. This part of Bolton was where its first local newspaper was produced. Les Biggs, the artist, also set the pens in part of a handwritten page - can you make out the writing?
Stop 6: giant typewriter keys
On the way back towards The Exchange look out for the last remaining typewriter keys....look high and low! Once there were 26 but now there are only four to be found. The firm of Maxwell, Jones and Company once existed nearby, making typewriters and calculators.