Stunning replica of Lichfield Cathedral - made of straw
A stunning replica of Lichfield Cathedral has been created entirely from straw bales.
Standing more than 50ft tall, 74ft long and 14ft wide, the structure has been built by staff at Sheepwash Farm in Whittington.
Farmer Robert Gray wanted to make a suitably grand gesture in honour of his land being selected to host this month's National Ploughing Championships.
And how he has delivered. The structure is perfectly in proportion, one fifth the size of the historic original, complete in exquisite detail with the three 'Ladies of the Vale' spires and buttresses. The replica was constructed almost entirely using on-site equipment or by hand, with only the final flourishes of the towering spires placed by a crane supplied free of charge by Uttoxeter firm Steve Foster Crane Hire.
Seven farm hands have been working on the ambitious project for the last three weeks, and have completed their task in plenty of time for the championships this weekend.
Mr Gray, who has worked on the farm all his life, said: "We wanted to do something special to mark the farm hosting the National Ploughing Championships and this is what we went for. We are pretty pleased with the result."
Around 250 of the country's leading ploughmen will compete at the 250-acre farm, off Fisherwick Road, on Saturday and Sunday. Crowds of up to 10,000 people are expected.
