Childrens Stone Carving Workshop
Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve, Tradecroft, Wide Street, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2LN
The Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust - Open Air Stone Carving & Sculpture Workshop is located in the heart of Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve ( Grid Reference SY 68577 72749).
The Children's Carving Workshop will launch our Heritage Open Days where we will work with young people on their ideas, carving freshly quarried Portland Stone to take home. Anything is possible and skilled tutors from PSQT will help select the best stone to fit their ideas and give the basic skills to create their carvings.
Children of any age are welcome and should be accompanied by an adult.
The Trust provides safety glasses, pencils for drawing on the stone, hand caving tools and tuition.
Children achieve a carving in a very short amount of time and become very absorbed in seeing their carving emerge, so if they want to continue there is no time limit.
The Trust's Tutors are very experienced and are Freeman of The Worshipful of Company of Masons - a 550yr old Livery Company who promote the continuation of stone carving skills and use of natural stone.
Portland stone was formed in an ancient sea 150 million years ago in an environment like the Bahama Banks today, where sunlight interacting with warm water created tiny 'oolites' that make up the stone. While carving the form is revealed through changes in natural light and you even smell the ancient sea!. The stone is a 'free Stone' that can be carved in any direction.
Carving is great fun and children love it!!
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 07 September:
- 11.00am - 4.30pm
- Sunday 08 September:
- 11.00am - 4.30pm
Location & directions
Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve, Tradecroft, Wide Street, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2LN
- Directions:
- Car Parking - for Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve is located at the end of Tradecroft - a small industrial estate turning right from Wide Street by the Royal Mail (the only right turning). From the Car Park - walk to the stone with Map of the Quarry - look for the truck road by the the swing gate/barrier and walk along the aggregate road to the far end of the quarry where you find the open air stone carving and sculpture workshop on the left. If you need directions on the day please call Paul Crabtree - the site contact. Pedestrian Access - also from the Northern Entrance at the Memory Stones (stone circle) - directly opposite to the Heights Hotel at the roundabout at Priory Corner / Wide Street. Walk 150mtrs down the aggregates pathway 'Green Corridor', and at the bottom turn right - walk 80mtrs and turn left on main truck road - workshop is 50mtrs on right.
- Contact on day:
- Hannah Sofaer
- Telephone number:
- +447413644866
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking preferred
- Booking conditions:
- Booking is not essential - but a phone call or text to 07528600944 or 07413644866 - or an email to [email protected] will help us to manage numbers for the workshops and to prepare tools. safety glasses, stone, etc. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
- Booking contact name:
- Paul Crabtree and Hannah Sofaer
- Booking email:
- [email protected]
- Booking website:
- https://learningstone.org
- Alternative booking website:
- https://learningstone.org
- Booking opens:
- 18 Aug 2024 09:00 AM
- Booking closes:
- 06 Sep 2024 12:00 AM
Accessibility details
Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve is accessible on foot from the South Entrance car park at Tradecroft and the Northen Entrance (parking at Verne Common or the hotel) at the Memory Stones directly opposite to eh Heights Hotel at Priory Corner roundabout. The pathways and main truck road are mainly aggregate surfaces - so strong footwear is good. For disabled access using a vehicle please call Paul Crabtree the site contact to arrange. Public toilets are located behind the Heights Hotel and at the View Cafe of the hotel.
Additional information
There are two entrances to Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & NatureReserve: 1) North - Pedestrian access via Memory Stones opposite to Heights Hotel DT5 2EN. Parking at Heights with View Cafe or at New Ground behind hotel. 2) South - Tout Quarry Car Park - Turn right onto Tradecroft - go to end - turn right into car park. Follow map by the gate along truck road to the open air workshop. Public Toilets are behind Heights Hotel and at View Cafe. Disability access - please call site contact to arrange.
- Max no of people per tour:
- 20
- Est. tour duration:
- 2 hour(s)
