Made in Oldham

Photo: Stuart Bogg

Elk Mill’s “belts and pulleys” artwork. Pictured: Andy Stafford, artist Emma Hunter and writer Cathy Crabb, with park manager Derek Askew

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

A MAJOR public work of art has been unveiled at the Centre Retail Park on the former Elk Mill site in Royton.

Sculptures “The Spinners” and “Belts and Pulleys” recall the area’s historic past. When Elk Mill — on the Chadderton-Royton boundary — started production in 1928 it was the UK’s newest and largest textile mill. It is now one of the area’s most popular retail parks, so owners British Land commissioned public artworks from sculptor Emma Hunter to commemorate the site.

Emma said: “Both The Spinners and Belts and Pulleys have a motion, either actual or implied, which I hope may encourage people to think about the passage of time.

The works were inspired by research into the area’s cotton heritage gathered with the help of Sean Baggaley of Gallery Oldham and Oldham Archives and Local Studies, and visits Emma made to Helmshore Mills Textile Museum and Quarry Bank Mill.

Also to be installed at the retail park is a series of raised bronze footprints containing images relating to the mill — a memory of the barefoot workers of the past. They will be set into paving stones around the park and have been designed so children can make rubbings.

The final artwork, which will be installed when a new play park opens in the summer, is a series of cotton-like cans which will be wrapped in colourful abstract designs created by year 9 students at Oldham Academy North.