Sylvia Townsend Warner Statue unveiling
Pupils from Wey Valley Academy were present at the unveiling of the Sylvia Townsend Warner statue in Dorchester on Sunday . Townsend Warner was a prolific novelist, poet and musicologist and lived at both Chaldon Herring from the 1920s and then latterly at Frome Vauchurch near Maiden Newton until her death in 1978.The sculpture was created by Denise Dutton and commissioned by Visible Women UK.
Mr Chutter, Head of Performing Arts, was instrumental in leading the campaign for a female statue for Dorchester. He said ‘ our literary heritage within the town is rich and this addition of Townsend Warner will give her the recognition she deserves as the first female, non-royal statue in the area ‘.
A student said ‘ the visibility of women is so
Important for us a role models ‘. The unveiling of the statue was made by internationally acclaimed writer Tracy Chevalier. Throughout the voting process for a statue schools and pupils were involved including Wey Valley . The statue was crowdfunded by the public .