Clydesdale Horse Project

Three hundred years after the first Clydesdale horse was bred at Lochlyloch near Lanark, Lanark Community Development Trust has unveiled their magnificent Clydesdale Horse sculpture in July 2022. 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 school’s project was delivered prior to installation of the sculpture 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 took place in the Tolbooth from 15^th of August until 10^th September 2022. 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 who helped raied the £55,000 needed to build the sculpture. The Trust was ready to kickstart the project when the Covid19 pandemic 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 19^th July 2022 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. LCDT was thrilled to welcome Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay to the Clydesdale Horse Sculpture at Lanark Auction Market. As patron of the Clydesdale Horse Society, the Duke has had a keen interest in LCDT’s project. The Duke was met by Chairman of LCDT, Sylvia Russell, to inspect the magnificent statue. In attendance with their Clydesdale horses were Police Scotland Mounted branch, Jim and Linzi Kennedy and the Tennant family. The Duke met Sculptor Dan Adams, from CodSteaks, who was responsible for the design and build of the mighty Clydesdale statue. Dan said it was a great privilege to meet the Duke and thanked the Trust for the opportunity. Sylvia Russell said, “it has been a very special occasion to celebrate the installation of the statue, and a nice way to finish this project. The Duke has been a great supporter of the whole thing, and has even written the foreword in the book we produced. As chairman of the Trust, I would like to thank him for taking the time to visit the statue and to meet with those who helped make it possible, it’s been a truly great day.”