Forging the Link between Nature and People

The climate crisis and wildlife emergency suggest that the relationship between people and the rest of nature is failing. So, when it was noted that public artwork installed as part of the Castle Hill Country Park Art Trail had not withstood the Wiltshire weather. Laverstock & Ford Parish Council began to look at ways to restore the artworks. Mindful of the community involvement and personal stories that went into creating the artwork, Laverstock & Ford Parish Council approached the Public Art Officer at Wiltshire Council, and through a generous funding grant, Wiltshire Council enabled them to go back to the artist Kerry Lemon,  and discuss preserving the artworks in a more durable fashion, enhancing the visual reminder of that important relationship between people and nature.

The Parish Council’s original mission, in turning agricultural land into public open space, was about preserving the landscape and the health and integrity of the active, living communities that surrounded it, both human and animal. It is a breeding ground for the Red-listed Skylark and the chalk soils allow for a range of less common plant species, set against views of Salisbury Cathedral, Laverstock Downs, Old Sarum Hillfort and the historically important grass-strip Airfield. The balance in achieving this was a challenging prospect and the art pillar trail was a reflection of that new ambition to provide a nature corridor across a sub-urban edge of Salisbury City offering enjoyment and recreation for all.

Who we are as humans is a result of nature’s generosity and the abundant resources it has provided, fostering our growth and evolution. The list of nature’s benefits to humanity is endless, encompassing arts, recreation, food, resources, outdoor sports, habitats, biodiversity, and plant life, amongst others¹. Castle Hill Country Park is managed by the Land Trust who are just producing their next-phase development plan, recognising these benefits. They already offer a range of initiatives for people to more fully enjoy nature at Castle Hill, which has rapidly become an important resource for people from across South Wiltshire. A HUQ survey showed footfall had risen from 25,000 in 2019, to 4,111,000 in 2024 demonstrating Castle Hill’s popularity and frequent use.

The Art Pillars, have now been wrapped in corten steel cages forged by Black Forge Arts in Kent, and feature flora and fauna found around the hill using Kerry Lemon’s original designs. You will find poppy, hare, chalk milkwort, horseshoe vetch, skylark and pyramidal orchid in the designs which, as they age, will patinate and become a more integral part of the landscape.

 Artist Kerry Lemon, says, “I am delighted to see these artworks brought back to life through the exceptional craftsmanship of Rod and his team at Black Forge Art. I hope they bring enjoyment to residents and visitors for many years to come.”

Jake Taylor the Countryside and Greenspace Officer for The Land Trust South West, has said they hope to include a geo-locate app for Castle Hill in the future so that people can seek out and find all six of the pillars, and the two ground mosaics, and upload a selfie of themselves to the  Castle Hill Country Park Facebook page

With gratitude to That’sTV for the following film clip: