Welcome to the new look website. There are a couple of new pages to check out plus all the regular information we had on the old site.

This year is our 10th anniversary so please keep an eye on the EVENTS page for all the exciting developments.

We also now have an ARCHIVE page where you'll find photos and information about our work over the years.

To see a selection of images for the Fryston Open Day
and the Memory map please go to the EVENTS page.

THE FRYSTON WALL

Castleford Heritage Trust were able to commission the wall sculpture in Fryston village by artist Harry Malkin as part of our involvement in the scheme to reclaim the former Wheldale and Fryston pit sites. The reclamation was originally funded by central government through English Partnerships as part of the national scheme to regenerate former coalfields.

CHT was commissioned to be part of the reclamation scheme in order to facilitate community involvement. We were funded to employ a community ranger and to co-ordinate events and consultations with the local community. When the improvement plans for Fryston village were discussed there was a request from residents that the proposed supporting wall below the railway bridge should be decorated. This wall was originally proposed to be a large blank concrete wall in front of the houses on South View and local people desired their view to be improved in some way.

Following his successful wall sculpture at Ford Square in Castleford town centre, Harry was asked to do a design for Fryston. He was also chosen because he was formally a miner at Fryston pit and knows the village and villagers well. Residents and CHT members are delighted with the chosen theme 'Fryston Above and Below Ground'. Harry's work has been much admired by the wider community and people in Castleford town centre as they have been able to watch him carve and construct the sculpture in a shop in Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre.

Harry said 'it was hard work to put in the 20 x 8 feet wooden wall that was to support the three tonnes of clay used in the walls but it was a great pleasure to be able to use the shop unit in Carlton Lanes to carve them. Once the walls were under way I would open the door regularly to talk to the great number of passing people who were stopping to see what was going on. Some were regulars from the village who would come time and again to see the progress but many of them had never heard of Fryston and had travelled many miles to shop in Castleford.'

We are looking forward to the official unveiling ceremony on 4th September at 12 noon, all are welcome to join us at the event and afterwards at a barbeque on the village green. We would especially like to see ex-villagers and ex-miners from Fryston and Wheldale pits.

A GREAT LOSS

It's with great sadnes that we report tne death of one of our most loyal and supportive members Eric Crossland who passed away suddenly on 12th May.

This is a great loss to the Trust and to the Castleford community, and we will all miss him and would like to pay tribute to his work and achievements for our town.

Eric was responsible for planning and ensuring the restoration of the Old Market Clock for the millennium celebrations and at 75years old he cycled to Filey to help raise the funds for this.

He was founder member of the Castleford Heritage Trust and in 2009 he erected information boards on the Roman Bath-house site.

Eric grew up in Castleford where his parents had a shop and he worked as a skilled welder at the glassworks at the Castleford Boatyard. He worshiped at Trinity Methodist Church and was a member of the local Labour Party.

He will be missed by children old and young as he was Santa Claus to most of the schools and groups in the town and much loved for this role.

Eric was also a member of the Male Voice Choir for nearly sixty years and the Choir will be singing a special tribute concert at Lock Lane Centre on 26th June at 6.30p.m. when a free buffet supper will be served by Wendy Rayner and her team.

The Forum project is moving forward with development of the plans to refurbish and partly re-build the Carnegiemmmm Library and provide a third floor for the new museum.

By the New Year we hope building will start and the library services will be provided in Bridge Arts during the refurbishment.

Castleford Heritage Trust and Castleford Town Centre Partnership have formed a steering group to develop Bridge Arts and the Council has provided support for the project, encouraging us to become a key arts client and apply to Arts Council England for further support, as a result of a feasibility study which ACE funded earlier in the year.

We are delighted to have employed a new Curator/Manager, Mrs. May Redfern, who will start work for us on
Monday 28th June. You may meet May at our Exhibition Preview on Friday 25thJune 7p.m. at Bridge Arts.

We are hoping to hear soon about our bid to Natural England for an ‘Access to Nature’ grant which will enable us to employ a Woodland Ranger to encourage use of our local woodland and rich natural environment.

Meanwhile you may like to visit the Fryston Country Trails; the site is looking particularly beautiful now that the trees are growing.

We will be thinking of Betty Crossland and we will all miss Eric during the festival this year. Also we hope that Gretta & Jim and Marguerite & Peter will be able to join in some of the celebrations as Gretta and Peter struggle with illness. You are all in our thoughts.

We are hoping to see all our members and friends during the Festival Fortnight do let us know if you have any news to share.

With very best wishes from Alison and all the Trustees