Number Four

This is an Andy Goldsworthy's Pinfold Cairn and the fourth that I have visited. It was the last one that he did, completed in 2004. He had always planned, and indeed did all the sketches for, nine such cairns, to reflect the Nine Standards, piles of stones which stand on Hartley Fell above Kirkby Stephen. However, three were never built, because permission was refused. This may seem strange, after all he was rebuilding the pinfold and surely enhancing a village by doing so. He does hint though in his log that, although the pinfolds are technically village land, in some cases the rebuilding of the pinfold meant the village reclaiming land or walling that had been incorporated into someone's garden. So perhaps there were a few vested interests in the objections!

Anyway this is the fourth out of six. It is in the village of Crosby Ravensworth and, as it has been an exceptionally grey day, I decided to capture it in monochrome.

A few more words from Goldsworthy regarding his choice of the cone shape:

The form is full and ripe - an optimistic expression of the power of growth and that even out of stone comes life. They are strong yet the form appears precarious - not unlike the nature of growth itself.



Yesterday we had a really lovely evening at the home of sheilwill and willlwynbedw. A delightful Blipmeet, with some excellent food and conversation.