New female quarry statue for Buxton’s woods nearly finished

More than £4,000 for the new statue was raised through a Buxton Advertiser campaign for the Buxton Civic Association to create a piece of art which celebrates the role local women played in the area’s rich quarrying history.

The money was raised within just months from businesses and private donations and now the sculptor says it is due to be finished in a couple of weeks.

Award-winning chainsaw carver Lorriane Botterill, who created both Jack the Lime worker and the neanderthal man in the woods owned by Buxton Civic Association, said: “She has been wonderful to carve.

“From the very early rough cuts it looked like what it was going to look like and it has been great to watch her come to life.”A large spruce tree is being used and Lorriane says this is a strong wood which will mean the quarry worker will be here for a long time.

She is a busy sculptor with a long waiting list and has also made Wombles for Wimbledon and before starting on the quarry worker was working on a giant troll which took up all the room in her workshop.

She said: “There have been some hiccups along the way but only minor ones.

“The wood had saw flies in it which had to be be treated and there wasn’t enough timber to incorporate a shovel but she does have a basket of rocks and a sledgehammer and I think I’ve managed to give her skirt lots of movement which I’m happy about.”

The quarry worker has also had a complete face lift after Lorraine looked at pictures of her work away from her workshop and realised her face was too far forward.

“So I I carved it off and took it back a bit,” she said.

She expects the statue will be ready in a couple of weeks and then will be installed in the woods in the summer where there will be an official unveiling.