Swan's Yard - Shaftesbury, Dorset
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 51° 00.371 W 002° 11.770
30U E 556396 N 5650819
An archway at the entrance to Swan's Yard, Shaftesbury, with a 3D swan in flight suspended from it.
Waymark Code: WMWR91
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/06/2017
Views: 0
An archway at the entrance to Swan's Yard, Shaftesbury, with a 3D swan in flight suspended from it.
"Swans Yard is named after a noted coaching inn that once stood on the site. It was more recently an electricity substation and depot until Signpost Housing Association bought the site in 1999 and developed it in partnership with Swans Trust to provide 13 badly needed affordable homes, as well as the retail units and a pedestrian link way between the High Street and Bell Street.
Swans Trust (Charity Number 1063757) took a 190 year lease in 2001 on the access and ground floor units to develop them as a craft centre, café and community office. Swans Trust is Shaftesbury’s Development Trust, set up in 1997 to promote and develop the community and facilities of Shaftesbury. The Trust have a particular interest in promoting startup Art and Craft businesses in the area, and subsidise the units in the Yard to enable and support a vibrant artistic community.
The Trustees are all local people who volunteer their time and skills to work in partnership with the local authorities, volunteers and others to develop numerous projects including Shaftesbury Contact (a monthly local newsletter), Blackmore Vale Credit Union, and Shaftesbury Local Food Festival - to name but a few.
Swans Yard is now an established and attractive part of the town but we are still working hard to enhance both the Yard itself and it's position as a focal point for top quality locally produced Art and Crafts."
SOURCE - (
visit link)
A small brass plaque near the archway tell us that the arch and swan were created by local craftsmen. The arch by David Tomlin (Blacksmith), and the swan by Andrew Du Mont (Sculptor)