Fenwick Weavers' Co-operative Heritage Trail
Introduction
MGH Consultants were contracted to project manage and develop the interpretation panels, information plaques and a heritage trail leaflet for the Heritage Lottery Fund funded Fenwick Weaver's Co-operative Heritage Trail, Fenwick, Scotland.
The heritage trail links nine key locations connected with the Fenwick Weavers’ Co-operative and other important events and figures in the radical heritage of the village (apart from the Covenanters and John Fulton, these also include the visit of the famed anti-slavery campaigner Frederick Douglass in 1846) through a trail leaflet, deep-etched zinc panels and plaques.
Considering the Historic Environment
Many of the sites are in conservation areas and are Listed Buildings. The panels and plaques were likely to require advert consent. Therefore, successfully negotiated planning and Listed Building consents were key to the projects' success. A comprehensive design statement and visual mockups supported these applications.
Delivering the Heritage Trail
Trail content was first gathered, disseminated and designed into a trail leaflet (download a lo-res leaflet) after which work was begun on the design of 5 200mm x 300mm plaques (maximum negotiated size under Listed Building consent) and 4 x A1 lecterns and panels. Working with deep-etched zinc allows for a very restricted pallette and requires distinctive and exaggerated designs to make them stand out. However, the final results look stunning.
At every point through the process each of the project development phases was carefully managed by us right through to final delivery and installation, with MGH Consultants being on-site to oversee and ensure that plaques and panels were placed in the correct spots, at the correct orientations and to the upper-limit heights specified as a condition in the planning and Listed Building consents.
About the Fenwick Weavers' Co-operative
The original Fenwick Weaver's Co-operative was established in 1761, and began trading in foodstuffs in 1769. It is now generally accepted as the first co-operative in the world for which proper records exist (the Society’s founding charter and minute book are held in the National Library of Scotland).
The directors of Fenwick Weavers Co-operative re-established the group in 2007 with the aim of promoting awareness and recognition of the achievements of the original Fenwick Weavers’ Society in the field of co-operative enterprise and more widely.
Fenwick Weavers Co-operative also seeks to highlight the radical heritage of the Covenanters in Fenwick, which undoubtedly helped to shape the birth and activities of the Weavers’ Society, and the general culture of self-improvement exemplified by John Fulton, the celebrated orrery maker.
About Fenwick, nr Kilmarnock
Fenwick, a small town near Kilmarnock, Scotland, is packed full of interesting history and events and we are delighted to be appointed the preferred bidders and excited to deliver such an important heritage project.
For more information on how we can help you develop your interpretive materials as well as develop supporting digital and online materials please contact us.
