Arts Trail 2 - Moths

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Stockport Art Trail 2

The Mulberry Tree artwork aims to suggest that the industrial heritage and the lives of local people are interwoven into a places structure.

It was designed to raise awareness of the issues facing our moths and butterflies, many of which are in decline and to encourage people to support them by creating their perfect habitats.

In 1769, it is thought that over 2,000 people in Stockport were employed in the silk industry and that Heaton Norris had two silk mills.

To kick start the project, we explored the history of silk production at Macclesfield Silk Museum. Working closely with local photographer Scott Ellison, we were allowed to take some of the stunning photographs that have been incorporated into elements around the trail, whilst gaining a fascinating knowledge of the workings of a silk mill.

A workshop with members of the local community produced some of the fabulous moth collages that can be seen in various locations around the trail. The moths were created from the photographs gathered at the Silk Museum, from local peoples personal collections and from Stockport Heritage Library.

The workshop was a great opportunity for the young people to share some of their knowledge of silk production and the local residents to share their stories from the past.

Lampposts artworks along the route hold some of the stories gathered together with photographs of times gone by.