Bury South MP Christian Wakeford unveiled a new sculpture as part of a recent visit to Cube Homes‘ and Great Places Housing Groups’ Water Mill Gardens development in Prestwich.
The artwork was commissioned by the developers to celebrate the long manufacturing heritage of the site, which was home to the Cussons factory, famous for producing Imperial Leather soap.
During remediation work on the site in 2020, an ancient waterwheel was discovered, which was excavated by archaeologists from Salford University. The excavation work uncovered substantial structural remains of the former mill, including a large waterwheel pit that had been cut into the sandstone bedrock, together with associated water channels.
Artist David Tragen’s abstract sculpture was inspired by the water wheel which dates back to the 1500s. The contemporary water wheel artwork features 3D waves in a spiral pattern and symbolises the connection between the old and new. A new information board signposting the history of the site has also been commissioned, showing key milestones in its development over the years to the present day.
The new development features 109 homes, 65 from Cube Homes for market sale, and 44 Great Places homes for affordable rent and shared ownership.
Mr Wakeford, along with guests including local councillors and members of the project team, were also given a tour of the new site by Christopher Heath Managing Director of Cube Homes and Matthew Harrison our Chief Executive. Guests also had the opportunity to speak with some of the customers who have recently moved into their new homes.
Commenting on the event, Mr Wakeford said:
The sculpture is a fantastic way to celebrate the site’s past as a hub for local commerce and of its importance to generations of people in the Prestwich area.
Christopher Heath, Managing Director at Cube Homes, said:
This is a landmark moment for Cube Homes. We have been working on this development since 2020 and it’s great to see so many settled and happy in their new homes and to be able to showcase this sculpture. The original water wheel dates back to Henry VIII’s reign so it’s an incredible way to remember the story of the development.
David Tragen added:
It was a real honour to be asked to design this sculpture and it’s lovely to finally see it taking pride of place in the development and hearing how much it means to residents.
The dynamic sculpture evokes the movement of the twisting waves as if propelled by the water wheel, creating the effect of perpetual motion. It is designed to feature an optical illusion, with a distorted sense of depth.
Matthew Harrison, our Chief Executive, said:
We were delighted to host Mr Wakeford on a visit to Watermill Gardens, which is a great example of partnership working to produce a new mixed development including much needed affordable homes. The development has proved popular with significant interest in our shared ownership homes.
We hope our customers will be inspired by the sculpture to find out more for themselves about the rich history of the development: its acquisition as a mill by Alexander Tom Cussons, the site’s bombing in 1941, and its more recent history made famous for the manufacturing of Imperial Leather soap.
