Northumberland’s ‘Lady of the North’ captured in new drone images as the world’s largest female-form land sculpture, rising 100 feet and built from 1.5 million tonnes of rock and soil from the former Shotton Surface Mine
New drone images have captured the scale of the “Lady of the North”, a vast land sculpture in Northumberland that is recognised as the world’s largest land sculpture of the female form. Spanning around a quarter of a mile and rising more than 100 feet, the artwork transforms a former mining landscape into a striking living landmark.Known as the “Lady of the North”, the sculpture depicts a reclining female figure and was created using around 1.5 million tonnes of rock and soil left behind by the now-defunct Shotton Surface Mine in Northumberland.The project was conceived by artist Charles Jencks, with plans beginning in 2004. Construction was completed in 2010.Rather than remaining a static monument, the sculpture was designed as a “living landscape”. Hydro-seed was planted across the landform, allowing vegetation to develop and change with the seasons.
Landform requires annual maintenance
The 100-foot-tall ‘Lady of the North’ spans around a quarter of a mile. (Photo: Katielee Arrowsmith)
Despite its enormous size, the sculpture requires regular maintenance to preserve its distinctive shape.Local landscaper Stephen Coatsworth has been responsible for cutting the landform since 2012. The annual task takes around a week and involves a combination of large and smaller machinery.“We cut it with a big machine, which takes about three days, then we come in with smaller machines for the steeper areas,” Coatsworth said, according to SWNS.The most challenging sections are around the face of the sculpture, where some parts of the landform are almost vertical.“Up by the face is a really steep area – some of that has to be done with a hedge cutter because it’s nearly vertical,” he said.
Team tackles steep sections by hand
The giant reclining female figure was built using 1.5 million tonnes of rock and soil. (Photo: Katielee Arrowsmith)
Coatsworth typically works with a team of between three and five employees to maintain the sculpture.The team begins with larger machinery before moving to smaller equipment for the more difficult sections.“It takes about a week – but I like to see how much I can get done with the big machine and then work out from there,” Coatsworth said.While he has years of experience maintaining the giant landform, working on its steep slopes can still be daunting.“It can sometimes be a bit scary, but I’m getting used to it now,” he said.“It’s a lovely job to be doing – but I’m quite glad to get home safely every night.”
A changing landscape
Artist Charles Jencks conceived the giant land sculpture, which was completed in 2010. (Photo: Katielee Arrowsmith)
The annual cutting ensures that the contours of the reclining figure remain visible while allowing the surrounding vegetation to develop naturally.Since its completion in 2010, the “Lady of the North” has become an example of how former industrial land can be transformed into a large-scale artwork and evolving landscape.The drone images provide a striking view of the sculpture’s full form, showing how the vast female figure sits within the Northumberland countryside.
