AN ART exhibition in Calais Woods has helped visitors learn about the history of the ancient woodland.

The Woodhenge Display was on show since the start of the winter solstice in December until last week and saw more than 30 works of art put up at the Bronze Age 'Tumulus' site.

The pieces were provided by a collaboration of groups including the Calais Wood Conservation Group, the Falling Up Together in Art studio, Duloch in Bloom, Calais Wood Wombles and Halbeath and Duloch Community Council.

Martin Willcocks, from the Calais Wood Conservation Group, said the display had gone well even though bad weather had forced them to finish early some days.

"The exhibition has been well received by those that have ventured in to view it, all ages as well," he said. "Many have said it looks fantastic and were impressed by the effort gone into making it work and by the impressive range of art on display.

"With it being in a great setting of the ancient Calais woods and it situated at the Bronze Age Tumulus, this has also added much interest and conversation as many haven’t walked there before whilst many of those that do were oblivious to the significant historic site."

The Falling Up Living in Art group, which is based at Fire Station Creative, had more than 20 of its participants get involved.

"In collaborations, 22 participants within Falling Up Living in Art created 15 individual artworks that were reproduced as fabric banners for the large Woodhenge exhibition along the footpath bordering the Bronze Age site as well as creating manually, 15 pieces of slate art for the small Woodhenge exhibition which was positioned at the Bronze Age tumulus," said a spokesperson for the group.

"Our collective goal was to raise awareness of the scared burial mound through artistic means. The exhibitions displayed and celebrated the variety of participants' creativity, each of whom interpreted themes using personal ideas in their own distinctive styles.

"Feedback from visitors was overwhelmingly positive with many amazed with how effectively the artworks had immediately changed their familiar landscape into an unfamiliar, visually-exciting and intriguing installation of artworks within their local woodland."