Gateway to Wick’s History

CAROL SMITH welcomes the opening of the Seven Gates project in Wick

THE SEVEN GATES is the largest public art work in the north, and a significant landmark in Wick. The gates are frontage for the old vaulted fisherman’s stores at Wick Harbour adjoining the original and inner harbour. The stores were used in the heyday of the herring fishing but had become a public eyesore on the harbour front.

This exciting community public art project involved over 160 pupils from all Wick Schools. They were inspired by stories of local history and folklore, capturing the dreams and memories of ancestors, as retold by 6 members of The Wick Society.

Visual artists Sue Jane Taylor, Liz O’Donnell and Shelagh Swanson worked with the children on imagery relating to the myths and stories. Ian Sinclair, a local master craftsman, used his skills to incorporate these images into the final designs using sheet metal techniques.

Each of the seven gates has been individually named. They are ‘Port of the North’, ‘Superstitions’, ‘Ancient Myths’ ‘Roond ai Harbour’, ‘The Big Storm’ and ‘Scorries’.

The community will celebrate the official opening on 28 July (7.30pm) with an evening of music and dance performed by young members of the community at the harbour front. A DVD showing the gates in the making is also being produced.

Pupils will represent each of the schools involved in the project at the opening. They are Kelly Munro and Callum Risbridger from Wick High School; Sean Beales, Robyn Miller and Kimberley Munro from North School; Scott Steven and Shannon Cornwall from Pulteneytown Academy; Alexander MacLeod and Rachel Steven from Hillhead School; and William Bruce, Keira Campbell and Kimberley Larnach from South School.

The Seven Gates are part of the Heritage Lottery Fund assisted Townscape Heritage (THI) Projects, and one that we trust will be a catalyst for further investment into the regeneration of the area.

It has taken 3 years in the planning, together with the assembly of this major funding partnership between The Heritage Lottery Fund and Highland Council with its partners Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise (CASE), Communities Scotland and the Lower Pulteneytown Community Heritage Association and special assistance from the European Regeneration Development Fund.

Carol Smith is the Development Officer in Wick

© Carol Smith, 2006