News / Arts
Putting Ashton Gatehouse on the map
The team behind the hugely popular Briswool have turned their sights on a new project – immortalising the Ashton Gatehouse.
The derelict gatehouse in the grounds of Ashton Park School is due to open this winter after a £555,000 facelift.
As part of a series of community activities to celebrate the restoration process Vicky Harrison at Paper Village on North Street in Bedminster has once again teamed up with a group of volunteers but this time instead of recreating Briswool – a knitted version of Bristol – they are using embroidery needles.
is needed now More than ever
Vicky said she took up the challenge after realising that the gatehouse was not on Google Maps, “and so the idea to put it back on the map was born”.
The team are creating an embroidered pictorial map taking in the local sights of Long Ashton, Bower Ashton, Ashton Vale, Southville and Bedminster.
“There will be a nod to the key roads but scattered all over it are landmarks and points of interest such as peregrine falcons in the gorge, deer in the park and hot air balloons floating above Ashton Court,” said Vicky.
“There will be some familiar sites such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Matthew sailing up the docks and Clifton Observatory with Ashton Gatehouse in pride of place in the middle.”
The map is being created by local volunteers who either have creative skills they want to revive or by complete beginners who want to learn how to embroider. Vicky is running free workshops funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
“So far we have run five very successful workshops during which volunteers learn various stitches and gain ideas about how to turn little doodles into beautiful elements for the map,” she said.
“It’s fun and we are all learning lots of new things.”
Read more: Briswool back on display