The Trafalgar Way's invitation to illustrate the path of history and win £1000
A new art and photography competition, with prizes worth nearly £10,000, has been launched by The Trafalgar Way and is designed to get people discovering the route taken by the messenger after The Battle of Trafalgar. Children from two London schools visited Trafalgar Square on a bright February morning to practise their sketching and help get the competition under way.
The Trafalgar Way is Britain’s first heritage coaching route and it traces the journey taken by Lieutenant Lapenotiere with the official dispatches from the battle, travelling overland from Falmouth to London between the 4th and the 6th November 1805. Now marked with a series of plaques at numerous sites including coaching inns along the route, The Trafalgar Way is celebrated with a range of events and activities which bring heritage, educational and local economy benefits. This year The Trafalgar Way are launching their first nationwide competition to raise awareness throughout the UK of this historic journey.
Entrants in the contest which is titled 'Postcards from The Trafalgar Way' are invited to explore any part of the 271-mile route and create an image of a feature on it. The entire route has been mapped in detail, with inspiring descriptions of every stage on The Trafalgar Way website.
Artists and photographers from age 7 upwards can enter and there are almost 40 chances to win, with top prizes including up to £1000, plus special trophies and lots of runner-up prizes.
From wind-blasted moorland to the bustling metropolis of London, The Trafalgar Way traverses all kinds of landscapes, passes through historic towns and villages, skirts ancient battle grounds and brushes past places where kings of England hid from capture, lay dead and even abdicated. As such it offers not only the exciting story of the delivery of an urgent message but a snapshot of British history and a fascinating insight into transport and communications in the time of Nelson and the great Age of Sail.
Contact:
The Trafalgar Way
Kathy Brown, Director, The Trafalgar Way, thetrafalgarway@1805club.org 07817 401403
Notes for Editors:
The competition is titled ‘Postcards from the Trafalgar Way’. Competition judges include Geoff Hunt who is best known for creating the covers for the Patrick O’Brian novels, Jane Sherwood of Getty Images and Robert Harding of the Royal Naval Photographic Branch.
Full information about the competition including prizes, background, judges and guidelines for entrants can be found here:
https://www.thetrafalgarway.org/postcards-competition
A gallery of photographs is available here: https://www.thetrafalgarway.org/postcards-competition-press-photos
(Higher resolution images available on request)
Quotes:
“Our objective is to ensure The Trafalgar Way takes its place in the national consciousness as a route of significance. The story surrounding its creation reconnects our island nation with its maritime history and reminds us of the importance of the British Navy in forming our identity." Kathy Brown, Director, The Trafalgar Way
"The story of how news of the Battle of Trafalgar was rushed from Falmouth to London by relays of horse-drawn carriages conjures up the can-do attitude of Nelson's Royal Navy. The Trafalgar Way is the UK's only designated historical coaching route, a vital artery that once passed through eight southern counties. Now we want you to explore that route with its many fascinating and beautiful features and create your own Postcard from The Trafalgar Way.” Geoff Hunt, marine artist and competition judge.
Naval Connection
‘Postcards from the Trafalgar Way’ also features a special prize for naval personnel. Called The Peter Warwick Memorial Trophy it will be awarded to the best entry by a current or past serving member of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines including the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval or Royal Marine Reserve, a member of the Royal Naval Association, or a Sea Cadet, Marine Cadet or Sea Scout.
About The Trafalgar Way
The Trafalgar Way, which runs from Falmouth in Cornwall to the Admiralty in central London, was created in 2005 to commemorate the journey over land made by Lt John Richards Lapenotiere who carried the momentous news of victory at the Battle of Trafalgar and of the death of Admiral Lord Nelson.
Today, a series of 38 bronze plaques located along The Trafalgar Way remembers Lapenotiere's historic journey. A coaching, rather than a walking route, The Trafalgar Way’s path traverses some of Britain's most beautiful countryside and through picturesque villages, towns and cities. Along its 271 miles, it passes through seven counties (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Greater London). Historic towns and cities along the way include Truro, Bodmin, Launceston, Okehampton, Exeter, Honiton, Axminster, Bridport, Dorchester, Salisbury, Andover, Basingstoke, Camberley, Bagshot, Egham, Staines, Hounslow and Kensington.
The idea to create The Trafalgar Way originated from a group of historians and retired naval personnel working to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar’s bicentenary in 2005. The group set up the New Trafalgar Dispatch to co-ordinate special events for the route’s inauguration that year. After 2005, the New Trafalgar Dispatch disbanded, but The Trafalgar Way remains under the custodianship of The 1805 Club.
In 2017, The 1805 Club successfully applied for a grant from HM Treasury’s LIBOR fund, set up especially for military charities. This grant allows for significant reinvestment in The Trafalgar Way to ensure the legacy continues for the present and future.
