Tower and Town, February 2024

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The Stonebridge Lane Mural

Summer 2023 saw the transformation of the wall along the well-used Stonebridge Lane public footpath in Marlborough.

Local charity Action for the River Kennet (ARK) worked with T H White (owners of the wall) and The G C Charitable Trust to create the beautiful mural that faces onto the water meadow at Stonebridge Wild River Reserve.

ARK volunteers worked really hard using donated masonry paint, rollers and PPE from T H White to create a blank canvas for London-based artist Janey Louise Fletcher, who specialises in spray-painted murals and was commissioned to create the mural by Martin Gibson from The G C Gibson Charitable Trust. The positive responses from the community have been amazing.

All ages have stopped to admire the work, often photograph it and ask lots of questions. This is excellent because it’s another way to connect people with their river and help them learn more about it. Sometimes people think there is nothing living in the Kennet but the mural showcases some of the variety of life in it and by it, from bullheads to mayfly. It also educates visitors too and is becoming quite the landmark.

There are also some local landmarks featured, as well as a local schoolboy, Luke Gifford, who has been spray-painted standing on the bridge over the river. ARK ran a competition for local school children to send in their own artwork to inspire what would feature on the wall. It was pleasing to see they’d remembered lots from their River School workshops with us!

Put on your wellies to visit the reserve at the moment. You are greeted by a range of chalk stream creatures and other wildlife that we are so lucky to have on our doorstep. There will be an official celebration of the wall at the reserve later in the year. In the meantime take a stroll to Stonebridge and take a look, and see how many plants and animals you can identify.

ARK is a registered charity, to support ARK you can join and become a member. Visit www.riverkennet.org or to volunteer contact: anna@riverkennet.org

Anna Forbes