Three hundred years after the first Clydesdale horse was bred at Lochlyoch Farm near Lanark, Lanark Community Development Trust has finally unveiled their magnificent Clydesdale Horse sculpture. Lanark’s Mighty Clydesdale is proudly standing on a mound overlooking the main road at Lanark Auction Market.
The Trust’s rationale for the project was to promote Lanark’s heritage and spark local interest in the Clydesdale Horse. The project provided a catalyst for the local community, local schools and visitors to learn more about the history of Lanark. It has also led to a gateway of sculptures when entering the town from the south with the Cameronian Memorial, followed by the Clydesdale Horse and then the Airshow Memorial.
A schools project has already been delivered with talks in all local primary schools and all primary 7 children given a copy of a specially written booklet about the history of the Clydesdale and Lanark’s connection to it. A Clydesdale Horse Exhibition will be held in the Tolbooth from 15th of August until 10thSeptember.
Lanark Community Development Trust first considered this project in 2018 as part of their drive to promote Lanark’s heritage and attract visitors to the town. They approached various sculptors looking for design ideas and finally chose CodSteaks who are based in Bristol and had already created a stunning Warhorse sculpture at Featherstone in Yorkshire. Their next task was to find a site and after several failed ideas, Lawrie & Symington kindly agreed to site the horse on their land. This is very appropriate since Lawrie & Symington held Clydesdale sales for over 100 years and still host two Clydesdale Shows each year. The Trust was also delighted that Mr William Reilly of Planterra Architecture firm, offered to prepare the plans for planning consent.
The Trust is very grateful to its major funders, SLC Renewable Energy Fund, Levenseat Trust, the William Syson Foundation, Lanark’s Common Good Fund, Sir Boyd Tunnock, the Percy Fallows Trust, the Guildry of Lanark, Lanark Rotary Club and the many private donors who contributed from all over the world. With the £55,000 raised the Trust were ready to kickstart the project when Covid hit and everything ground to a halt. However, it has been worth the long wait as the sculpture is magnificent. It made its way on the back of a lorry from Bristol on Tuesday 19th July and was craned into place and firmly bolted on to its plinth during the hottest day that Lanark has ever known. Dan Adams, the sculptor, was on hand to make sure everything went smoothly.
Information boards about the history of the Clydesdale and a list of the major donors can be viewed on the market car park side of the sculpture.
Deadmans
