"Sustrans' Portrait Bench series is a national public art project that is unique to each local area. Communities across the UK are nominating local people to become the figures on their local Portrait Bench. When complete there will be a national collection of over 230 portraits.
The benches are part of a national Sustrans project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, delivering new walking and cycling routes that bring the National Cycle Network into the heart of communities across the UK."
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Sustrans is a national charity that works with local council to promote and develop safe cycling and walking routes. This bench was installed when the new bridge was opened across the River Goyt at Chadkirk. It was built to carry National Cycle Network route 55.
THe silhouettes of these portraits are not solid, but have holes which give a contrast of light and dark areas of the portrait. In This particular set of portraits however there are some bushes behind the portraits. The broken outline of the leaves of the bushes do not unfortuantely provide a good background for them.
"The people chosen to be honoured for this particular portrait bench are St. Chad, Douglas Tattersall and John Bradshaw"
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St.Chad
St Chad was the youngest of four brothers in
Northumbria. They all became monks and studied
at Lindisfarne under the watchful eye of Saint
Aiden, which secured the brothers’ careers as
priests.
St Chad is most famous for being the first Bishop
of Mercia and Lindsey at Lichfield, but also has
close links with Stockport, specifically, Chadkirk.
Chadkirk Chapel is linked to Saint Chad, as it is
believed that the Chapel occupies the site of an
old monastic cell of his which dates back as far
as the 7th century. Today you can visit Chadkirk
Chapel to learn more about St Chad’s links with
the area.
Douglas Tattersall
Douglas Tattersall was a former clerk to Bredbury
and Romiley Urban District Council. He arranged
the purchase of Chadkirk Estate and Etherow
Country Park for the people of Stockport before it
was disbanded in 1974.
Chadkirk Estate and Etherow Country Park provide
visitors with wonderful environments in which
people can walk, picnic and relax. The purchase
of Chadkirk Estate ensured the protection of
Chadkirk Chapel, with it’s links to St Chad and the
purchase of Etherow Country Park is now a Nature
Reserve and home to many natural habitats,
attracting thousands of visitors each year.
Both of these places are still widely loved and
enjoyed today
John Bradshaw
John Bradshaw was an English judge who was
born in High Lane near Stockport.
He went to school in Macclesfield, Bunbury and
Middleton. After studying law in London, he
returned and became Mayor in 1637. He was
then appointed as Judge of the London Sheriff’s
Court, a position he kept until his death. Marple
Hall (demolished in the 1950s and now the site
of Marple Hall school) was the family home of his
descendants.
In 1649 Bradshaw was appointed to try the King,
Charles I. Bradshaw declared the King guilty,
brandishing him as a tyrant, traitor, murderer and a
public enemy.
He died on 31st October 1659 and was recognised
for his work with great honours at Westminster.
Abbey."