Touchstone Trail

Bamford Touch Stone Trail was created. The community wanted a lasting memory of this very special occasion and after holding a meeting in October 1999, a local resident and artist, Jenny Mather, proposed the idea of a Touch Stone Trail. This project would be a permanent reminder of the millennium, reflecting memorable aspects of Bamford both old and new, as well as encouraging visitors to discover what Bamford has to offer.

To begin with, countless clay models were created by local families. The artist then sculpted each of them together to produce intricate touchstone designs.

Rubber moulds were made of each touchstone to enable a resin and ground stone mixture to be poured in. This process creates a very hardwearing sculpture to withstand the weather conditions. The touchstones resemble gritstone found in the surrounding Dark Peak area. Sheffield University have made replicas of ancient artefact using the same technique.

The Touchstones illustrate Air, Water, Earth and Fire. The stones at situated on a five-mile walk around the edges of the village. A central Touchstone combines all four elements. A celtic symbol is present on all the touchstones to signify the millennium.

The creation of the Touchstone Trail and all its supporting material is a celebration of community spirit. The 1,400 strong community of Bamford pulled together to create a lasting icon for generations to come. We thank all the adults and children of Bamford who modelled many of the animals, flowers and people on the touchstones, and all who helped get the project off the ground.

The project could not have been made possible without the financial and physical help of:

• The Local Heritage Initiative
• Nationwide Building Society
• High Peak Borough Council Community Arts
• The Peak District National Park Authority, Ranger Service and Sustainable Development Fund
• Hugh and Ruby Sykes Charitable Trust
• Severn Trent
• Bamford & District History Society
• The Duke of Devonshire Trust

We hope you enjoy the trail...