AN AWARD-WINNING sculpture of King Canute is now available to view at Knutsford Heritage Centre.

The willow statue, which was the centrepiece of Tatton Garden Society’s exhibit at this year’s show was co-sponsored by the Heritage Centre and received the silver medal in its category.

The exhibit was designed by Alex Ellison from Mobberley and recreated the marshland that after the time of Canute and the Viking invasion of 1015-16 is believed to have become the River Lily.

Val Bryant, heritage centre director and trustee, said: “We are proud to have the life-sized willow sculpture as a lasting reminder of this year’s hugely popular Canute Millennial exhibition and celebrations.

“It is a worth addition to other Canute figurative works in Knutsford, notably the sculpture in the Town Council gardens, the carved wooden stature on the A537 Chelford Road towards Ollerton and the mosaic at the top of Heritage Way at the Canute Place and Princess Street junction.”

The £550 cost to acquire it was contributed by Knutsford Heritage Centre supporters.

King Canute’s garden featured more than 60 different wildflower varieties which were selected to be representative of the flora likely to have flourished in the marshy conditions of what is today The Moor as it would have existed a thousand years ago.

The sculpture of Canute was created by willow artist and traditional craft basket maker Caroline Gregson.

“Caroline Gregson and the Tatton Garden Society produced a magnificently evocative exhibit, well worthy of the Silver Medal it was awarded by the RHS,” added Val.

“It is a worth addition to other Canute figurative works in Knutsford, notably the sculpture in the town council gardens, the carved wooden stature on the A537 Chelford Road towards Ollerton and the mosaic at the top of Heritage Way at the Canute Place and Princess Street junction.

“A lot is being made of Canute visiting Knutsford and crossing the Lily, which of course is now reduced to a concrete channel. This is great fun, but of course the supposed crossing only exits in the realms of myth and legend. It is wrong of people to present Canute crossing the Lily as historical truth.

“As long as it’s taken with a big pinch of salt – a matter of folklore rather than fact for which there is no evidence – in my view, there’s no harm done.

“I know there’s a body of Knutsford historians voicing heated objections to the way the myth has been misrepresented as fact.

“They are correct. But we must also celebrate popular tradition and if you’ve got it, flaunt it.”

The heritage centre is currently displaying the ‘Viking Warrior & English King’ exhibition, which runs until the end of the year.