Beaming smiles and giggles from children can be seen and heard from the crowd of people gathered to celebrate the reopening of a very special monument. The public have not had access to Keppel’s Column in South Yorkshire for over 50 years, but thanks to investments from local councils and foundations, the column is now restored after being in a state of disrepair and visitors can once again climb all 222 steps to get to the top. Breathtaking views spanning over 20 miles can be seen and now, an incredible temporary large scale land art mural created by Art of Protest Projects can also be viewed on the field below.

Built between 1773 and 1780, Keppel’s column is a grade II* listed landmark measuring 115 feet tall and is one of five heritage sites managed by Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage. Charles Wentworth-2nd Marquess of Rockingham commissioned architect John Carr to build the monument to further enhance the landscape of the Wentworth estate and celebrate the acquittal of Admiral Keppel. Admiral Keppel was a Navy officer and a close friend of the Marquess who was court-martialed following a naval defeat to the French at the Battle of Ushant in 1777.

To celebrate the reopening of the column after its closure in the 1960’s, artist Jeff Clark from creative urban art team Art of Protest Projects was commissioned to deliver a large-scale land art piece, incorporating oral history reports collected from the community within the local area. Engagement sessions were carried out where locals recalled their memories and stories associated with the column. The audio recorded memories describe tales of the local sweets and ice cream sold nearby, sightings of a ghost (a woman in white), the local wildlife and ecology, and cows grazing in the fields. One family even created a story describing the fictional giant that lived inside of the column. Community members recall the key that opened the door at the bottom of the tower, and paying one penny to climb to the top. There were also accounts of the many dogs being walked through the field and the views from the top, including the nearby historical follies.

Utilising all of the oral history recordings, Art of Protest Projects created an intricate labyrinth design, proudly displaying the memories as symbols adorning the edges of the large circular maze. Delivering the 60 square metre land art was a complicated process, involving lots of careful line marking and skewing the large circles to appear visually accurate from the top column’s views. As an environmentally conscious and carbon literate company, Art of Protest Projects used sustainable materials and even created wooden stencils and templates and used bamboo stakes to reduce plastic waste. The team used environmentally safe acrylic grass paint and a battery operated grass marking machine to install the design onto the field where it will remain for several weeks until the grass naturally grows out and the mural fades. Guests at the reopening of the column were invited to borrow a headset and listen to the oral history recordings while they wandered around the maze, spotting all of the symbols as they walked the 60 square metre land art installation.

The purpose of this project was to provide an opportunity for intergenerational families to have fun together, by creating a colourful and engaging installation that encourages movement and play. It also serves to provide an opportunity for families and individuals to reflect what the column means to them and acts as a community focal point to create a moment to celebrate the column’s history and bring the community together.

Director and artist Jeff Clark said “This project was such an amazing opportunity to develop my passion for public art, and land art in particular because my focus is always on how to interact and interrupt an environment while leaving a lasting legacy through the memories of the local people, while ensuring no damage to the land. Taking the oral history which was so thoroughly done from somewhere so rich with history made it both difficult and easy to bring to life a large scale piece. Making sure I got right the locals’ experience through their recollections was paramount. The difficulty started when planning out the delivery of the perfect circles within the mural and illuminating various details of the subjects around it by highlighting them with colour. Over the course of the week, myself and my team, Brenna Allsuch and Tom Jackson, delivered the 60m x 60m mural while simultaneously engaging with the community. I had visits from so many locals from dog walkers to horse riders and even a magician. It was so exciting to be part of this project and I’m grateful to be a part of Keppel’s Column’s history and future.”

View of the completed mural from the top of the tower

Thanks so much for the opportunity to work on this project to our commissioners and funders: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Capital funding, Historic England, Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenity Trust and Historic Houses Foundation.

Large land art creation installed to celebrate reopening of Keppel's Column