The artwork – by Yorkshire based artist Emmeline North – is inspired by the heritage and natural environment of the town. It is the latest phase of a project to transform key routes between the train station and the town centre.

 

 

The artwork comprises new colourful painted elements to the walls of the tunnel, entrance points and seating structure, inspired by the heritage and natural environment of Castleford and what the bridge means to people. A new poem inspired by the heritage of the town is featured within the tunnel. 

 

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The design, imagery and text have all been inspired by community engagement workshops led by the artist with Castleford Academy, alongside other community engagement activity in the town, including a pub quiz. 

Emmeline said – 

“The artwork is inspired by the history of the area, and the fascinating insights stemming from visits to the town’s museum, the flour mill and the fantastic people met while researching.”

“Castleford was a former Roman stronghold named Lagentium, before this The Brigantes tribe lived in the area, led by Queen Cartmandua. One of the earliest ever manuscripts The Boke of Brut hand written in the 14th century by Thomas of Castleford refers to some of the history. 462 pages of rhyming couplets using a Middle English version of the Yorkshire Dialect – a Northern Tongue Prose. The book, referred to as The Castleford Chronicles, introduces England as Albion or Albina as it was originally named.”

“Early agricultural practice created furrowed fields where rows of terraced houses now stand, the flour mill on the River Calder, mining, and the glassworks all form part of the town’s heritage and the pride of the many working hands that contributed to its industries.”

“I wanted the imagery and the poem to tell the story of the area and to respond to the stunning mural completed close by at Welbeck street by @cbloxx_ which features Queen Cartmandua looking over the town.”

Emmeline was supported by artists Harriet Lawson and Zephie Begolo with aspects of the installation phase for the artwork.

 

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Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council, said – 

“This new piece of public art, commissioned especially for Tickle Cock Bridge, includes colourful painted designs on the walls of the tunnel, the entrance points and seating. It has totally transformed this busy route, creating a brighter, more attractive link to the town centre.”

 

 

Cllr Jack Hemingway, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said – 

“The artwork also includes a new poem that celebrates the heritage of the town. The final design was put together following a series of community led workshops. The artist also worked with Castleford Academy and carried out other community engagement activity in the town.”

 

 

The project was fully funded by Transpennine Route Upgrade’s First and Last Mile programme, which has included upgrades to various areas around Castleford train station. These have included resurfacing the Station Road approach, installing better street lighting, adding additional CCTV cameras to improve security, adding new planters and three new public art projects which have been managed by Beam on behalf of Wakefield Council. 

 

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Emmeline North’s work is influenced by both urban and natural environments. With a portfolio spanning both 2D and 3D surfaces, architectural structures, graphic lines and textures create a backdrop for biomorphic forms and detailed botanical motifs. Her past projects have transformed public spaces. Passionate about the environment, often utilising waste or scrap materials as a starting point to reimagine and repurpose into fresh exciting interventions. Her work has been featured in The Sunday Times Homes, Real Homes Magazine, The Yorkshire Post and can be found in Leeds, Batley, Dewsbury, Birmingham, York and Hereford.

Image credit © Nicholas Singleton

 

 

Poem

As part of the development of the artwork Emmeline created a new poem, excerpts of which are featured in the mural. The poem in full and the meaning behind the words are detailed below –

 

From furrowed fields 

Where the Brigantes fell

This place has a story to tell

Of Albina’s legend 

Cavalcades of a Queen

Battle cries Lagentium 

A Roman Bastion seen

An impasse opening, 

The romance of the rose

Rubicund letters mark a northern tongue prose

The daily grind for bread and coal

We rise together or not at all

Working hands form fyord and mound

Reclining figures in pit stacks found

This is our Cas 

Audacter et Sincere

Boldly and Frankly

A common ground shared.

 

 

Meaning behind the poem :

As a former Roman stronghold, Castleford or (Casterford) meaning fort and fyord was named Lagentium by the Romans, – ‘Place of The Swordsmen’; before this the Brigantes tribe, led by Queen Cartmandua, lived in the area during the Iron Age.

Early agricultural practice created curved or ‘ furrowed’ fields, where rows of terraced houses now stand.

The flour mill on the River Aire, before it joins the River Calder. the glassworks, and of course mining formed the towns industry and the pride of many working hands.

One of the earliest ever manuscripts – The Boke of Brut recounts the history of England from its foundation as Albina or Albion, England’s earliest known name.  Hand written in the 1300’s the work is credited to be that of  Thomas of Castleford. 462 pages of rhyming couplets, using middle English version of  the Yorkshire dialect. ‘A Northern Tongue Prose’

The original site of the underpass opened in 1890 connecting the residential area to the town.  It is said that courting couples have secretly met here, hiding in the passageway so as not to be seen. Inspiring the line ‘An impasse opening, the romance of the rose

Red is an important colour in the artwork,  representing love and also the word ‘rubicund’ (from the latin to make red) – used to decorate the first letter of a new chapter in the manuscript

‘Romaunt of the Rose’ is a book written by Geoffrey Chaucer – like Castleford’s Chronicle composed in the middle english dialect.

The words of the poem are credited to the community of the Beancroft estate who participated in the event at The Castlefields Pub in December 2024. The conversations that evening helped inform the content of the poem.

Castleford, being the birthplace of Henry Moore,  the observation that the figurative forms of Moore’s work could be inspired by the shapes of the pit stacks of Fryston and Glasshoughton that he would have seen forming during his early years.

Audacter et Sincere; Castleford’s town motto, meaning bold and forthright. The honest straightforward nature of the people of the town, and the sense of generosity that is at the heart  of the community.