Tales of a time-travelling play horse, the haunting of Hill House and the legend of Stookie Bill, all feature in a new comic celebration of Hermitage Park and Helensburgh.
Created with the help of local community groups and school pupils, Hermitage Park, A Walk through Time is free to download.
The book brings to life the history of Hermitage Park and Helensburgh with unique stories featuring well-known characters and some fictional ones too.
Argyll and Bute Council worked with Magic Torch Comics, local community groups and primary school pupils to create the comic book.
Design and storytelling workshops took place with Jean’s Bothy, Route 81 Youth Group, Drumfork Community Centre and Hermitage Primary School, who all helped create the stories featured in the comic.
The comic creation project was part of the wider regeneration project for the park, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The book offers a unique presentation of the history of both Hermitage Park and Helensburgh town. Inside you’ll find:
- Park memories (Jean’s Bothy)
- The haunting of Hill House (Route 81)
- Stookie Bill (Jean’s Bothy)
- Sweet teeth (Route 81)
- Cranberry the time-travelling play horse (Hermitage Primary School)
- I Spy (Jean’s Bothy)
- Stookie’s revenge (Drumfork Comic Club)
- And Hermit of Hermitage (Hermitage Primary School)
Alastair Redman, the council’s policy lead for economic growth and communities, said: “What a fantastic unique project that tells the story of Hermitage Park and Helensburgh, in such a fun way.
“We know that Helensburgh has a rich history and this great comic book now brings that past and folklore to life with amazing tales for everyone to enjoy.
“Thank you to everyone who worked on the book. So many people have memories of Hermitage Park and it’s wonderful to read about some of the fascinating history and characters that make the area so special.”
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