River Under Tension

Louisa MacDonnell – Farra Grain – 1998

From Grizedale Archive

Material: Metal

Trail: Silurian Way

Theme: Enclosure

Form: Abstract

Maps Featured on: 2000 – 2005

Status: Decommissioned, some remains still visible June 2019

“I was inspired by the trees that had fallen in an arrow shape either side of the river, echoing its direction and flow. I wanted the piece to reflect that direction but also to be a contrast to the softness of the bubbling, gurgling river.” – Quote from the Artist

Built a little further upstream from Water wheel at Farra Grain Gill, just after a flood which had destroyed the wheel, and using trees that presumably were felled in the same storm. It consisted of a multitude of taut wires suspended over the river, attached to two fallen tree trunks on either bank. To me it was reminiscent of a stringed musical instrument. Above is how it looked when first made with hundreds of wires.

You can see how the tension has gone over time in my photos taken a decade later. This is down to weathering, surrounding tree growth and branches falling on the piece.

When I visited in 2012 unfortunately part of the path has been pulled down by a fallen tree. It is incredibly difficult to get near it anymore. There were still wires then though very few remained.

Photographs taken 2009

Photograph Taken June 2019

Photograph by Reece Ingram 1997

The waymarker for this sculpture was a bat with Orion’s belt. Installed the year before to mark Water Wheel. It then was a very necessary marker for River Under Tension. It was later moved to the Ridding Wood around 2003 when this sculpture was removed from maps.

Page Last Updated April 2020