AN UNUSUAL figure has been seen lurking by the Stratford Canal in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside.
But boaters and walkers along the stretch of canal at Lowsonford near Henley have nothing to fear as the mysterious figure is the latest work by world famous sculptor Antony Gormley.
The conservation charity The Landmark Trust is collaborating with Angel of the North creator Antony Gormley to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
The Land project will see five life-size standing iron sculptures installed at five Landmark Trust sites – personally selected by Mr Gormley – including the 200 year-old Lengthsman’s Cottage at Lowsonford near Henley.
The cottage was built in 1812 for the ‘lengthsman’ who maintained not just the lock but also the stretch of canal to the next lock. With its barrel-roof, it is a rare survivor of its type on the Stratford Canal.
Turner Prize winner Mr Gormley explained: “The sculptures identify the place where a particular human body once stood and anyone could stand, and in that respect they are open spaces empty of content and waiting for your attention.”
The other sculptures will be placed at Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Suffolk; Clavell Tower, Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset; Saddell Bay, Mull of Kintyre, Scotland; and Lundy Island, Bristol Channel.
The Landmark Trust was founded in 1965 to preserve architecturally interesting and historic buildings at risk, giving them a future by letting them for self-catering stays. The rental income pays for the buildings’ upkeep but the Trust relies on grants and voluntary sources of income to rescue further buildings.
Mr Gormley is best known for his iconic Angel of the North towering over the A1 at Gateshead, but his work can be seen around the world – the likes of Another Place at Crosby Beach near Liverpool to Inside Australia at Lake Ballard in Western Australia.
Visit www.landmarktrust.org.uk for further details.
