Sheep sculptures celebrate town's wool heritage

The Cotswold Sheep sculpture was designed by Jonathan Sanders

A Wiltshire town's woollen industry heritage is being marked with a distinctive statue of a sheep.

The Cotswold Sheep sculpture will stand on a plinth at Corsham's Cross Keys junction on the A4.

The bronze-coloured sculpture highlights Corsham's links to the woollen industry.

Artist Jonathan Sanders said he wanted to make something that "paid tribute to Corsham's history as a wool town".

Bronze sheep decorated by schools in Corsham will also take turns on the plinth

The project will also give local schools the chance to get involved and "showcase their talents," Mr Sanders said.

Every school in the town has been challenged to decorate a sheep of their own which will take its turn on the plinth.

Corsham School has already taken delivery of their sheep and was running a competition to choose the design, which will then be applied by the winning artist, with help from A-Level students.

Mr Sanders said he hoped it would "encourage many young and up and coming artists".

'Very exciting'

Town Council chair, councillor Alan Brown, said he was "delighted" to celebrate two parts of Corsham's history with the Cotswold Sheep project.

He said: "The wool industry was hugely important to Corsham until the Industrial Revolution, with Flemish weavers based in the town.

"The fact that we are also able to give our young people a chance to have their artwork at a site that will be seen by thousands of people every day is very exciting.”

It is hoped the Cross Keys plinth would continue to be used in the future for art projects.