A NOD to the jubilee has popped up on a North East farmland after a huge seven metre ceremonial arch made completely of sheep fleeces has appeared in rural County Durham.

Finding its way onto the Teesdale landscape at the end of last week, the project was the brainchild of farming group UTASS and environmental artist, Steve Messam, who worked alongside a team of local people, partners, and contractors to create the Jubilee Arch; a unique celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Measuring over 7-metres, the high ceremonial arch, influenced by those built for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee over 120 years ago, the newest addition stands in a hay meadow and is clad in the fleece of local Swaledale sheep.

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For Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 villages, towns and cities across the UK and Commonwealth constructed celebratory arches to mark the historic occasion.

These were mostly temporary constructions made with a timber framework and covered in wood panels or fabric and decorated to celebrate the local communities.

One notable arch in Wickham in Buckinghamshire built their arch entirely from chairs in recognition of the furniture making industry in the town.

To continue this tradition, the Upper Teesdale Jubilee Arch is clad in around 120 swaledale sheep fleeces supplied by local farmers and sits within a wildflower meadow - Teesdale holds around 40 per cent of England’s wildflower meadows and is a central part of the agricultural stewardship of the landscape.

The Northern Echo: The newest project is made entirely of sheep wool. Picture: UTASS.The newest project is made entirely of sheep wool. Picture: UTASS.

The Arch will be in situ for 16 days, after which the entire structure will be removed, and all materials recycled or reused leaving no lasting marks on the protected landscape.

Jubilee Arch will be located on the main footpath leading to Low Force Waterfall from Bowlees, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, from Friday, May 27 to Monday, June 13.

Speaking of the project, Grace Crawford, from UTASS, said: “A fantastic group of people have come together to plan celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, representatives from lots of groups from across Middleton and the upper dale and we are thrilled to have been able to work with Steve Messam, as a local artist to develop something that is going to be a truly unique jubilee celebration inspired by upper Teesdale and the story of local hill farming.”

The Northern Echo: The structure can be seen from parts of Upper Teesdale. Picture: UTASS.The structure can be seen from parts of Upper Teesdale. Picture: UTASS.

Despite impressing plenty of people that have visited the celebratory piece so far, several members of the public have taken to social media to show their distaste of the project.

Commenting on the arch, one Twitter user wrote: “It looks like a budget entrance to a budget theme park,” while another added: “I can’t quite tell what it’s meant to be – it’s bizarre.”

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