Press releases

A piece of public art commemorating Hebden Bridge's proud industrial heritage will be unveiled in the centre of the town this week.

The one-tonne sculpture of a "fustian knife", will also serve as a giant sundial gnomon (shadow caster).

Fustian knives were used in the manufacture of corduroy, a fabric for which Hebden Bridge was known throughout the world.

This large scale replica of a fustian knife points directly north towards Nutclough Mill, former home of Hebden Bridge Fustian Manufacturing Society Ltd, founded in 1870 - in its day, the largest worker-producer co-operative in Britain. Nearby Pecket Well mill was the last mill in Britain to manufacture corduroy fustian cloth ( 1858 - 1998 ).

The installation of the sculptural piece completes the award-winning improvements to Hebden Bridge town centre which have been funded by Calderdale Council, Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund Interreg IIIB Community Initiative.

The sculpture was developed jointly by the Traffic Review Steering Group, Council Officers and local sculptor / artist, Mike Williams. It is cast from bronze in a Sheffield foundry and stainless steel fabricated by a firm in Halifax.

The sundial sculpture will be officially unveiled from beneath a large piece of fustian cloth (corduroy) on Fri 20th June, (the Summer Solstice, one day early as in a leap year) at midday by the Mayor of Calderdale, Cllr. Conrad Winterburn and the Mayor of Hebden Royd, Cllr. Susan Press. Reporters/photographers are cordially invited to attend.

The sculpture is part of the improvement scheme for the town centre, for which Calderdale Council has already won a prestigious national award run by the British Council for Shopping Centres.

Last week the scheme was announced runner up in Local Government News magazine annual public realm awards and further plaudits are expected, with the scheme making the final six in the Department for Transport's annual Transport Awards in the urban design category. Winners will be announced at a prestigious construction industry ceremony in London next month.