From Katie Anderson – Lead Artist for Tattiefields Tattiefields has awakened a true fascination with all things tattie-related as I’ve spent the summer working and re-working ideas for a new public space as part of a housing development in North West Dumfries. From the names of potato breeds, to their origins, growing seasons and varieties, good recipes to creative projects – I’ve started to go a little tattie-mad.
We decided to host an evening to share this new obsession, towards creating a bit of identity for the Tattiefields site, and also to become the first point for sharing the proposed designs for the location. Exciting times.
The evening included a creative workshop inventing potato men, women, children, animals and aliens…, a curry cooking workshop, the sharing of new designs, a tattie buffet and ended up with some film screenings and the impromptu judging of the best tattie people creations. The event allowed Kirsty Turpie and I to really embrace our love of food as art and art as food, with (I hope) excellent results!
I’ve had some really great feedback to the designs, and now looking forward to getting into the production phases for the project! I am still very keen to speaking to anyone who is interested in developing a project to support vegetable growing, either in gardens in and around Lochside, or on site at Tattiefields in the Spring. If you have an idea or are interested in sharing some vegetable growing skills, please get in touch by email katie<at>thestove.org.
Tattiefields is part of The Stove Network’s Lochside Public Art Project, working in partnership with DGHP and Creative Futures Lincluden and Lochside.
Big thank you to project assistant Kirsty Turpie, Michael, Liam Templeton, Agne and Jimmy and Matt B for all the support in pulling the evening together. Thanks and image credits to Kirstin McEwan and Michael. To see the extended picture gallery, visit our Flickr page here
Second Place was awarded to Andie Cooke, Megan ward, Cara Brunton and Ashley Mitchell.
Our recent exhibition in the Stove cafe is now on the move! Following a two week show in Dumfries, the exhibition is now installed and available to visit in the Southblock, in Glasgow during regular cafe hours.
The Midsteeple Quarter Ideas Exhibition features 15 different submissions to our Architecture Ideas Competition that was launched in April in partnership with the Glasgow Institute of Architects.
The winners were selected by our panel of judges (see here for details) and are as follows: Winner – First Place
Gordon Fleming, ARPL Architects Second Place
Andie Cooke, Megan Ward, Cara Brunton and Ashley Mitchell Third Place
Pioneer Landscape Architecture Drawing Commendation
Ryan Canning and Titas Grikevicius, Holmes Miller
Following the close of the Dumfries exhibition our People’s Choice Winner, selected by popular vote, has also been announced:
Gordon Fleming, ARPL Architects
Exhibition Dates:
Friday 30 June – Wednesday 12 July 2017
Exhibition Venue:
South Block, 60-64 Osborne St, Glasgow, G1 5QH
MQIC Winner’s Presentation and Debate:
We invite you to join us on Thursday 6th July, between 6-7.30pm, to see presentations by the winning 3 entries and to discuss the possibilities of architectural responses to the decline of our high streets. Free to attend with complimentary wine but please book here
If you missed seeing the exhibition in Dumfries, and can’t make the Glasgow venue, the competition entries are available to download as a pdf, available here
The results of our Midsteeple Quarter Architecture Competition have been announced, with Ayr based ARPL Architects winning the 1st prize of £1000. Gordon Flemming from ARPL Architects stated, “We are very pleased that our ideas for the Midsteeple Quarter in Dumfries were recognised by the competition judges. The challenge of ensuring regional town centres stay viable and lively is a great task and we hope our contribution to the discussion helps add a new dimension to this.”
Gordon Fleming’s entry wins First Place
The Midsteeple Quarter project is an important part of a national debate about the future of town centres as traditional retail declines everywhere, the architectural ideas submitted are not proposals of what will be built, but a way of continuing the conversation of how the Midsteeple Quarter could develop as a new heart of our town centre.
The judging panel consisted of John Dowson, a Dumfries High Street Resident; Melissa Gunn, Lecturer in Business and Enterprise at the University of the West of Scotland & Chair of the Board of Directors at The Stove Network; Tim Gray, Director at Holmes Miller Architects & GIA President; Iain Monteith, Director at Loader & Monteith Architects and Tutor at the Mackintosh School of Architecture and David Cowan, Head of Regeneration Unit at the Scottish Government.
Second place was awarded to a group of young female architects who focused their entry on the social aspect of regenerating Dumfries High Street, providing solutions which introduced both day and night time activity. Their reimaging of the town centre sought to provide an achievable, affordable and permanent solution to empty shop fronts whilst integrating student accommodation into the heart of a potentially thriving community. Third place was awarded to Pioneer Landscape Architecture, who looked at the unique nature of the site and its spaces to guide their response. Their aim was to revitalise the Midsteeple Quarter by making proposals on both a regional and local scale, reinstating the importance of Dumfries as a regional capital in a post retail society. In addition to the cash prizes the Judges wanted to commend Ryan Canning and Titas Grikevicius from Holmes Miller with a Drawing Commendation.
Second Place was awarded to Andie Cooke, Megan ward, Cara Brunton and Ashley Mitchell.
Sam Patterson, who coordinated the architecture competition on behalf of the Glasgow Institute of Architects, commented, “The GIA are delighted to have worked with The Stove Network on developing such a rich and challenging competition brief and we are thrilled with the range of ideas that were received across the 15 submissions. The quality of the submissions exceeded our expectations and we hope will stimulate the debate in Dumfries about the potential of the Midsteeple Quarter.”
Long-term and careful public consultation has brought a consensus that re-populating the town centre is an urgent necessity. Late last year,we conducted an online survey and had responses from over 800 members of the public. Their responses revealed support for a more diverse approach to the future of the town centre with a very positive response to ideas of enterprise, education, live-work, health services and restaurants/nightlife all being available in the town centre as well as more events, festivals and markets to encourage more people to come into the town.
On Friday 9th June, entries to the Midsteeple Quarter Architecture Competition will be on display in the Stove building, 100 High Street, until 21st June, as well as South Block in Glasgow. The exhibition launch at The Stove will be opened by the new Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Councillor Elaine Murray, and will begin at 6.30pm. Everyone is invited to come along and view the architectural concepts for the Midsteeple Quarter of Dumfries High Street from professional individuals and practices for a reimaged urban core of Dumfries. The public in Dumfries will be able to vote for a ‘Peoples Choice’ winner at the exhibition at The Stove.
For more information, please contact David Smith at [email protected] or visit the Glasgow Institute of Architects website http://gia.org.uk.
Kirsten McClure Rowe has recently been in touch with the Stove as she has recently been researching into the history of Dumfries’ fountain, with the aim of hosting a crowdfunding campaign to restore the fountain to it’s former glory. Her proposal includes stripping back the layers of old peeling paint and professionally restoring it to it’s original colours which were gold and bronze with cactus painted to appear real.
The following is some of Kirsten’s research into the history, and potential future for the Dumfries Fountain:
‘On the 5th of December 1882, Provost Lennox unveiled the fountain which stands on Dumfries High Street. It was made by the Sun Foundry, Alloa and is one of only two models of its type known anywhere in the world. The fountain commemorates the supply of public drinking water to the town from nearby Lochrutton.
The first pipe of the waterworks was laid on 16th January 1851 after many years of wrangling by various committees in Dumfries and Maxwelltown. Many felt that the pipeline wasn’t necessary and that the half a dozen or so seepage wells, which supplied some of the water and the bulk of the supply taken by the “burn drawers” in their dirty wheeled barrels from just below the main sewerage outlet in the Nith and sold at a penny a bucket, were sufficient.
Original Fountain circa 1870
In September 1832, Cholera struck Dumfries. A total of 841 people contracted the disease and 421 died within Dumfries, with a further 237 becoming ill in Maxwelltown of which 127 died. A mass grave at St Michaels churchyard bears a memorial to 420 souls. Unofficial figures state that as many as 700 coffins were produced in the 3-month period of epidemic which ended on 27th November 1832.
“In 1848 cholera struck again. The infant Scottish Board of Health, with little real power, sent Dr John Sutherland from Glasgow, a man of strong personality. He found corpses lying in the streets and no action being taken at all. He got a medical board organised, a house cleansing programme under way and immediately tracked the cause to the water supply and cleared up the epidemic, but not before 431 people had died out of 814 cases.”
Colours of the Fountain in 2004
As early as 1765 there had been proposals to introduce a clean gravitation water supply into the town, however it took until 10th May 1850 for a Committee of the House to give a unanimous verdict in favour of the promoters. As it was chiefly working-class areas that suffered in the first cholera epidemic, it was suggested that intemperance and lack of religious faith had led to this divine punishment of the poor. It was only after the middle-class residents of Dumfries and Maxwelltown began to fall ill, that any real action was taken.
A newspaper article from 22nd October 1851 reports the “Record of Public Introduction of Water to Sister Burghs of Dumfries and Maxwelltown” “This boon has been secured after a severe and protracted struggle against the ignorance, apathy, prejudice and selfishness, which formed a strong anti-sanitary battalion that was, with difficulty, beaten from the field” “When the news arrived in Dumfries next day, the bells were rung and bonfires kindled in token of the general joy”
Early 1900s
“The 21st October 1851 was chosen to introduce water from Lochrutton. Midsteeple bells rang, music from the Annan band played and flags flown”. “A fountain was erected between the Kings Arms and Commercial Hotels being the principle place of resort for the congregated crowds” “This structure, formed of fire clay is in a Roman style of art with Grecian ornaments and is very handsome”
The opening ceremony was performed by Provost Nicholson and was not without incident. When the Provost turned the valve, water shot into the air and descended to soak the assembled citizens!
This fountain was only ever intended to be a temporary fixture and was moved to Nithbank Hospital when our current fountain was unveiled 30 years later.
The fountain is no longer at Nithbank and further investigation is needed to uncover its current whereabouts.
Original fountain sited in Nithbank
The district council funded the purchase of the new fountain from the Sun Foundry, while donations from the townspeople of Dumfries paid for its decoration. A total of £191.0s 6d from 221 subscribers was raised. The fountain was a glorious sight to behold and the townsfolk crowded onto the High Street to witness the unveiling. The Dumfries and Galloway Standard dated 6th December 1882 describes the fountain in vivid detail.
Brilliant painted photo showing original colours
“The boys, the dolphins and the storks are entirely gilded and look to be figures in massive gold. The ground of the fountain is bronzed with some of its conventional details displayed in gold. On four pedestals in the freestone basin are placed as many iron vases holding each a large iron cactus, coloured so cleverly after nature, that many who saw them thought they must be real.” – where are these cacti filled vases now?
Boys at the Fountain 1900
In an amazing coincidence, the town of Kandy in Sri Lanka has an identical twin fountain! The inscribed dedication on the fountain reads “Erected by the Coffee Planters of Ceylon in Commemoration of the visit of Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales (1841-1910) to Kandy December 1875.” The Prince of Wales was the eldest son of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) who succeeded his mother as King Edward VII (1901-10). It was recently renovated and ceremonially bequeathed to the public of Kandy in June 2013.
Prince of Wales Fountain in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Our fountain is a hugely important part of our social history. It marks a turning point for our ancestors, the people of Dumfries. It currently stands in a very sorry state with peeling paint and green algae. This once celebrated jewel of Dumfries town centre needs our help. Sadly, due to budget cuts, the maintenance of the fountain has not been a priority for the local council. Therefore, it falls to us to rescue it and bring it back to life.’
What started off last Autumn as part of Mapping Our Norwegian Story workshops has taken on a life of its own through the Stitching Our Story open stitching sessions – artist Deirdre Nelson joined the ONS team to kick start a series of hand stitched maps of Dumfries, which have now been adopted by local historian Alyne Jones and the Dumfries Embroiderer’s Guild in a fast growing project to map contemporary Dumfries through the stories and histories of the town.
The Norwegian connections are mapped out across the 20 panels that make up the map, along with other significant and personal places – local schools, homes, historical sites and transport links all feature.
Following on from successful evening workshops in February, Stitching Our Story continues into March, and all are welcome to stop in to the Stove cafe and add their own mark to the map. First drawn and then stitched over, everyone is welcome – Norwegian connections or otherwise – from experienced sewers to beginners.
Stitching Our Story is part of our ongoing Our Norwegian Story project, which has seen various events and activities exploring Dumfries’ Norwegian connection, culminating in the launch of a new Trail around the town in April 2017. For more details on the project, visit our ONS page here
To come and help add your marks to the map, or to just see how work is developing, stop by the Stove cafe on Wednesday afternoons between 3.30 and 5.30pm. Contact Katharine katharine<at>thestove.org for more details.
Over 800 people have completed an online survey which asked for views on the future of the town centre. From the sign-up on the survey and the two consultation events held since November 2016 there is now a group 0f 483 people in a mailing group to support this local project to re-populate Dumfries High Street as part of efforts to revitalise the town.
Melissa Gunn (University of the West of Scotland – who are members of the community partnership leading the project) says, “We have been overwhelmed by the response from people; we were not expecting to receive as many as we did, considering the number of people we had through the doors during our Bakers Oven event. Online surveys often bring out more negative responses, but here the opposite was true. We were particularly surprised by 40% of people saying they themselves would be keen to live in the town centre.”
The Midsteeple Quarter survey was completed by a wide age range of people with 20% of respondents under 35, the majority between 35 and 60 and 23% over 60. People felt that a populated High Street was important for a vibrant town centre. There was also strong support for a mix of accommodation from affordable tenancies to student accommodation and private flats available in the upper floors above the shops.
Confirming previous work conducted by The Stove Network, the consultations revealed support for a more diverse approach to the future of the town centre with a very positive response to ideas of enterprise, education, live-work, health services and restaurants/nightlife all being available as well as more events, festivals and markets to encourage more footfall in the town centre.
Next Steps:
The Midsteeple Quarter project is developing fast including progress with:
Transferring the Bakers Oven building to community ownership to be developed as a business/education innovation hub with residential accommodation above.
Dumfries & Galloway NHS have joined the community partnership as part of their plans to re-locate services and staff as part of the changes connected with the new hospital.
We are moving forward with the formation of a new community company called ‘Dumfries High Street’ to steward the Midsteeple Quarter project for the benefit of local people.
Preparations are underway for a national architectural competition to test out the public’s ideas and shape a vision for the project that can be delivered by the community partnership.
Working with DGC Planners to embed Midsteeple Quarter within the new Local Development Plan.
All in all there is very encouraging progress around the project – the local media are reporting very positively (see BBC here) and we have cross-party political support. If you would like to know more detail or get more actively involved please reply to this email or drop into The Stove Cafe for a chat.
