Work on female quarry worker statue in Buxton set to start this summer

Last year the Buxton Advertiser launched a campaign to raise sufficient money for a female quarry sculpture to sit in Grin Low Woods alongside with the much loved Jack statue.

Buxton Civic Association, which manages Grin Low Woods and Pooles Cavern, had always wanted to install a female statue to honour the women who have worked in the area’s quarries but had never been able to raise the funds so the Advertiser stepped up and ran a campaign last year.

And the target of £4,000 was swiftly met within the space of just a few months thanks to generous donations from readers, businesses and charities – reflecting the community’s desire to pay tribute to the women of Buxton who shaped the heritage and history of the town.

Giving an update on how work is progressing, Alan Walker, manager of Poole’s Cavern, said the project has not been forgotten.

He said: “The civic association have been busy over winter.

“We have had other projects on in the woodland- a big one of those being dealing with diseased trees - but we haven’t forgotten about the sculpture.

“We have commissioned a sculptor who is amazing.

“She is one of the best chainsaw sculptors in Europe and because she is so good she has a long waiting list but we are definitely on it.

“She has projects she is finishing off in the coming months but we believe she will start working on our project in July or August.”

Sculptor Lorraine Botterill, who created the statue of Jack the Limeworker, which sits in the woods, will soon heading back to the area to create a female companion for Jack.

The statue will shine a light on the women quarry workers of the past who stepped up during the world wars as well as those who worked the land hundreds of years ago when lime was quarried in small cottage industries.

Donations have come from Tarmac, the Institute of Quarrying, the National Stone Centre, the Sattherthwaite Bequest and various members of the public.

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