Lincoln's Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories project comes to a successful close
A three-year project celebrating the heritage of Lincoln's parks and green spaces has come to a successful close after inspiring hundreds of people to discover the stories hidden within the city's landscapes.
Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and City of Lincoln Council, has brought together residents, schools, community groups, historians, artists and volunteers to explore the rich heritage of Lincoln's green spaces through archaeology, research, creative activities and community events.
The project concluded with Shared Ground, a four-day celebration at The Grandstand featuring exhibitions, heritage walks, talks, creative workshops and the launch of a new book by the Survey of Lincoln exploring the history of the city's parks and green spaces.
The workshops delivered by artist Jane Frederick and Lumo Workshop helped attendees build confidence in drawing and create colourful, atmospheric impressions of Lincoln’s treasured parks, past and present. Jane’s own artwork was also displayed as part of the event.
Over the past three years, people of all ages have engaged with Lincoln's natural and historic environment, uncovering stories spanning hundreds of years and helping to create a lasting legacy for future generations.
Its closing events highlighted the breadth of work delivered since the project began, from hands-on archaeological discoveries and creative commissions to new learning resources and publications that will continue to support local heritage education.
One of the project's final creative outcomes is Park Life, a stop-motion animation created by pupils from Bishop King Church of England Primary School and Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School in partnership with Lumo Workshop.
Inspired by photographs and stories from the project's online archive, the children researched the hidden histories of Lincoln's parks before developing storyboards, creating characters and producing the film.
The finale of the project also saw the launch of Lincoln's Green Spaces: A History, a new book published by the Survey of Lincoln and supported through the Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories project.
