One of Berwick’s most-loved parks is soon to gain an original public artwork.
The volunteer group Friends of Castle Parks won funding from Destination Tweed’s Community Grants Scheme which is financed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The group is working with The Maltings (Berwick) Trust, locally based artist Anna Chapman Parker and pupils from Prior Park Primary to create a public artwork for the park.
The £7,903 from Destination Tweed’s Community Grant Scheme for the project is bolstered by a grant of £500 secured by The Maltings (Berwick) Trust from The Hadrian Trust. Workshops with the schoolchildren in The Granary Gallery and in Castle Vale Park are already underway.
The 2025 summer exhibition at the Granary Gallery of the work of Cedric Morris – known as The Artist Plantsman – was a stepping stone for the creation of the artwork. Anna Chapman Parker is working alongside teachers at Prior Park Primary, the Friends and the Maltings to inspire pupils in their creative engagement with art and nature. Anna’s book ‘Understorey’ (Duckworth, 2024) combines plant sketches with explorations of history, botany, ecosystems and the rhythms of life, and was largely drawn in and around Berwick’s parks. Drawing on the workshops, Anna will create an original artwork to be installed on a wall by the Lily Pond in the park. The project is due for completion in April 2026.
Friends of Castle Parks helps Northumberland County Council (NCC) enhance and maintain three parks in Berwick – Flagstaff, Coronation and Castle Vale. Vice Chair of the group, Jackie Kaines Lang, says: “We are delighted that this collaboration is now underway. It’s the culmination of many conversations and much planning with partners, NCC, the Maltings, Anna Chapman Parker and Prior Park Primary. We’re very grateful to funders Destination Tweed, who have been incredibly supportive and efficient. Prior Park Primary is working towards Art Council England’s Artsmark accreditation and this will help that progress. We can’t wait to see Anna’s final work installed in the park, attracting even more visitors to the town’s parks.”
Julia Tait of Prior Park Primary says: “This artwork is a wonderful example of what can happen when community and creativity come together. With guidance from artist Anna Chapman Parker and inspiration from the work of Cedric Morris, our pupils are helping to create something that will brighten the park for everyone. It’s more than just a piece of art — it’s a legacy of pride, connection, and imagination that belongs to the whole community.”
Anna Chapman Parker says: “I am really glad to be working on this project, which connects visual art, accessible green space and education in a really interesting way. Berwick is fortunate in having a particularly strong arts programme and a collection of beautifully looked-after parks. In addition to the work we make, our project is about exploring our connection to these public spaces – galleries and parks – and celebrating the links between nature and creativity.”