A £10,000 community grant has helped create a stunning monument near to the centre of Kirton in Lindsey, celebrating the town’s agricultural heritage and its long history.
The monument was designed and created by Tony Bartlett, a local resident who lives near to the monument located at Traingate within Kirton in Lindsey.
The installation features a restored potato plough recovered from local storage and a sculpture of a farmer mounted onto a brick plinth.
A plaque says ‘Chirchetone’, an ancient name for the town.
Other plaques explain the parts of the plough and the meaning of the monument, which is designed to represent all the people who have worked the land around Kirton in Lindsey, including through times of war, and kept the spirit of the town going.
The sculpture of the farmer was created by Harpswell-based artist James Sutton.
Tony Bartlett named the monument Grandad’s Plough as a mark of the heritage and a link to many families’ relatives throughout the town.
It was funded by a community grant from the SSE Sustainable Development Fund along with financial support from Kirton in Lindsey Town Council and generous donations from townspeople.
Local contractors were engaged to carry out the work wherever possible, and the monument was completed despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
An official unveiling by Mayor of Kirton in Lindsey Cllr Pat Frankish and local children, and attended by Deputy Mayor of North Lincolnshire Cllr John Briggs, took place on 12 June 2021.
Cllr Frankish said: “Grandad’s Plough is the brainchild of Tony Bartlett, who lives close by and has been planting beautiful flowers here for some time.
“Tony came to Kirton in Lindsey Town Council with his idea which gained popular support within the town. The Town Council supported the project by applying for planning permission and sourcing funding to enable the commemorative sculpture to happen.
“There has been support from North Lincolnshire Council Highways department and ward members, especially Cllr Trevor Foster, funding from the SSE Fund, Kirton in Lindsey Town Council and donations from local residents.
“We say a big thank you to Tony and his wife Jean, who have led this project through lots of stages and here we are at last.”
The SSE Sustainable Development Fund supports non-profit making groups with social aims. Visit the community funding page on the North Lincolnshire Council website for more information, alternatively please call 01724 297000 or email: communitygrants@northlincs.gov.uk.
