The Stories in stone project is being run by two different schools, along with Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Jefny Ashcroft. Here Stephen Brazier from Madeley Academy talks about his experience of being part of this Engaging Places project.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery wrapped in ribbons © Heather’s delights, flickr.com
Written by Stephen Brazier
In Wolverhampton
When we went to the museum in Wolverhampton we met a lady called Jefny who was to be our guide around the city. She was going to be working with us on the “Stories in Stone” project as part of our construction course at Madeley. This would help us to understand the built environment. She took us for a walk around the High Street, but before we left she gave us a camera so we could take some pictures of the historical buildings e.g. Beatties, and the bank, and the church with the old statue in front of it. We then went back to the educational classroom at the back of the art gallery to print off the pictures we had taken. We put them on a time line showing when the buildings were constructed.
In Madeley
When we went to Madeley we took a walk up the high street with our guide, Jefny – from the bottom of the high street to the top. On the walk we spotted many houses and drew them with information about the house recorded, e.g. what age the building was when it was built and what materials were used during the building process. I was amazed at the different types of buildings. There were old miner’s houses and big merchant houses in white with black wood on. We learnt that people have shaped the built environment over time.
We also learned that many windows were filled with bricks or stone because of window taxes, and that some of the walls were made from the materials left over from the fires used to make iron.
Beatties, Wolverhampton © Teckie Kev, flickr.com
In the Madeley Academy construction units
We built replica cardboard houses, we painted them and added the necessary attachments. We have done different house designs; some have brick effects and some are white with the black lines to represent the wood. The idea is that we can make a model of the high street we looked at. We will then bring it to life with stories from the past and make a film of it.
The Engaging Places network
To find out about other partnerships and projects developing through the Engaging Places network visit the 2009/10 Engaging Places network article
