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Northumberlandia

Northumberlandia, known as the Lady of the North, is a huge land art sculpture in the shape of a reclining female figure near Cramlington, Northumberland, in northern England. Completed in 2012, it was made from 1.5 million tonnes of overburden from the neighbouring Shotton Surface Mine and is set in a public park. The sculpture is in the care of Northumberland Wildlife Trust. Its creators claim that it is the largest land sculpture in female form in the world. It was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal, on 29 August 2012, and a Community Opening Event on 20 October 2012 marked the park’s full public opening.

Northumberlandia seen from above as a reclining female landscape sculpture with spiral forms and flowing contours.
Northumberlandia viewed from above, showing the reclining female form and its sculpted contours in the landscape.
May 2021 © UK Environment Agency · OGL 3
Northumberlandia grassy mound with walking paths and visitors near the summit
Northumberlandia’s grassy landscape sculpture with paths winding up to the top, where visitors are gathered.
October 2012 © · CC BY 2.0
Northumberlandia’s grassy sculpted hill with winding paths and people walking along the slopes beside water.
Winding paths climb the grassy slopes of Northumberlandia, with visitors walking along the sculpture.
September 2012 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Northumberlandia’s vast sculpted earthworks rise beyond grassy slopes and dirt paths under a partly cloudy sky.
Northumberlandia’s sculpted landscape rises above grassy slopes, with industrial activity visible nearby.
October 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Electric vehicle charging station beside a gravel path at Northumberlandia, with trees, grass, and a utility box behind it.
An electric vehicle charging point beside a path at Northumberlandia.
June 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0

Identification

TitleNorthumberlandia
Alternative nameLady of the North
Typelandscape sculpture / land art sculpture

Iconography and meaning

Depicted formreclining female figure

Historical context

Completion year2012
Construction contextcreated as part of the development and renaturation of a former open-pit coal mine at Shotton
Former land usecoal, shale, and fireclay mining

Creator

DesignerCharles Jencks
Designer nationalityAmerican landscape architect

Materials

Material1.5 million tonnes of overburden / earth from the neighbouring Shotton Surface Mine

Physical characteristics

Heightup to 34 metres
Length200 metres
Park area19 hectares

Location and ownership

Settingpublic park
Care ofNorthumberland Wildlife Trust
OwnerMatt Ridley
SiteBlagdon Hall / Blagdon Estate
Locationnear Cramlington, Northumberland, northern England

History and restoration

Cost£2.5 million / £3 million
Funding sourcesThe Blagdon Estate and the Banks Group
Construction companyThe Banks Group
Planning durationfive years
Construction durationtwo additional years
Opening date29 August 2012
Opened byAnne, Princess Royal
Public openingfully open to the public on 20 October 2012

Significance

Claimed distinctionclaimed by its creators to be the largest land sculpture in female form in the world
Intended purposemajor tourist attraction
Expected annual visitorsan additional 200,000 visitors a year to Northumberland

Other

Development noteinstead of returning the excavated spoil to the mine pit, some of it was used to create the sculpture and public park