Earlier this year, I was contacted by Louise Webber, a member of the fundraising team for the Stretham Tower Enhancement Project (STEP). This project aims to keep the tradition of bell ringing alive in the village of Stretham. It is hoped that the sale of these puzzles will help generate funds for several initiatives they are currently fundraising for. I love illustration projects, especially those that involve mapping and recording areas of interest within my local area, so I immediately accepted the task when Louise approached me about the project. What a journey it would become for the two of us!
The initial idea was to illustrate some of the key churches within the Diocese of Ely, along with other buildings and places of interest. Anyone familiar with my artwork will know that this kind of project suits me perfectly; I have previously mapped areas of East Anglia, as well as my own village of Isleham. However, I wasn’t aware of the scale this project would reach, fueled by my fascination with it and my obsession with detail.
The project took me on a huge journey of discovery, and I soon realised that there were hundreds of churches to choose from. Louise and I initially discussed including 25-30 churches, but I found it difficult to narrow these down as I discovered so many unique buildings steeped in history that I just couldn’t leave out. The brief was to ensure that the jigsaw appealed to a wider audience, not just bell ringers, so we decided to include other places of interest to create a broader appeal. I was also conscious that the puzzle would be A2 in scale, requiring enough detail to keep the puzzler interested and challenged.
Getting carried away and absorbed in the project (and kindly given a very free rein by Louise and her team), I wanted to capture some key local events and traditions, such as the Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival, the Weeting Steam Rally, the Great Gransden Show, the Balsham Ploughmen, Morris Dancers, and the Ploughing Festival in Ramsey, to name just a few. I also aimed to illustrate unique areas within the landscape, like the inland waterways at Welney, the Isle of Ely, Cambridge, the daffodils at Thriplow, Linton Water Tower, Six Mile Bottom post mill, and more. Additionally, I filled gaps with hikers, rowers, narrow boaters, dog walkers, bike riders, horses, cows, and numerous other animals and activities that we all enjoy in the area. Finally, what would an illustrated interpretation of the area be without the inclusion of a pub or two? In typical bell-ringing style, Louise managed to find a few pubs associated with bells that appear throughout the map.
Orders are now being taken, so if you wish to get one of these timeless limited-edition puzzles for yourself or as a unique gift for someone, you can do so by emailing stepjigsaw@gmail.com and filling in an order form that will be sent back to you. Jigsaws are priced at £25 each (plus P&P if required). The jigsaws are approximately A2 in size, consisting of 1000 pieces, and are guaranteed to keep you busy over the coming winter months.
