Sculptor creates intricate new artwork from 300-year-old tree
A FELLED oak tree on the edge of Bradgate Park has been given new life as a beautiful public art installation.
The Stag is an intricately carved, three-metre tall, wood sculpture which now greets visitors to the popular public park’s Bradgate Road entrance, in Newtown Linford.
Created by artist and sculptor Peter Leadbeater, it was commissioned by Newtown Linford Parish Council after the oak tree, which has graced Charnwood Forest for 300 years, was deemed unsafe and had to be cut down.
Peter, who is resident wood sculptor and furniture maker at Leicestershire County Council’s Beacon Hill Country Park, near Woodhouse Eves, created the stag using a chainsaw.
He said: “I carved it in situ on the hill on the edge of Newtown Linford, where it now stands.
“It took me around eight days to make and I’m really pleased with the finished result.”
The Stag’s head is in homage to the deer that the 13th century medi- eval park is famous for.
Peter added: “It provides quite a grand view as you come into the village and is obviously appropriate to the surroundings.”
The project has been funded using donations from the community, along with a cash injection of £1,000 from the Friends of Charnwood Forest.
Paul Day, chairman of the friends group dedicated to preserving the forest environment and woodlands, said: “The county council cut down the oak tree at the top of the hill because it was unsafe.
“It left quite a large, unsightly stump and my colleague Dick Howard suggested we get it carved into a stag’s head which would be very appropriate for the park.
“We searched around and were lucky that Peter agreed to do the work, which was commissioned through the parish council.”
The cost of the £1,500 artwork was paid for with the help of coffee mornings, raffles and other fundraising events organised by the community – including a ‘puddings and music’ evening in the village hall featuring a performance by The N‘ukes, Leicester’s premier ukulele group.
Paul said: “The events were very well supported and there was a bit of money left over which we put towards planting copper beech tree saplings in All Saints Church to replace one that also had to be felled recently.
“I think the Stag sculpture is fantastic. We’ve had lots of compliments from people visiting the park and taking photographs.
“It’s a wonderful piece of sculpture and I’d like to thank Dick, who was the driving forced behind the whole thing, for his efforts – and the generosity of the village community.”
Newtown Linford Parish Council has also given the sculpture the thumbs up.
Clerk Pam McMorran said: “We are delighted with this impressive Stag’s head.
“We’d like to thank Friends of Charnwood Forest and the local community that raised the funds for this work, in particular Dick Howard who spearheaded the fundraising.”
She added: “Peter has done a great job and it’s an impressive work of art, preserving the old tree that had reached the end of its life and symbolising the natural beauty contained within the parish.”