England - Tyne And Wear - Angel Of The North
England - Tyne And Wear - Angel Of The North
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Location Summary
Location Summary
Large and impressive statue based in a small park. It's a shame it is so near to the A1 since it is a little noisy. Having said that, it is an impressive sight as you drive along the A1.
Website: Angel Of The North (Gateshead Council)
Car Park: Free (next to the statue)
Fee: None
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Captain's Log
Captain's Log
It's A Lot Bigger Than You Think
13/03/24
13/03/24
Angel Of The North
Angel Of The North
The Angel Of The North is unmissable if you drive north along the A1 near Newcastle. I remember seeing it from the train when I used to make the occasional commute to Edinburgh. It is a huge skittle like structure that appears to have wings, perched on a slight hill. The body of the sculpture is actually based on that of the designer, Antony Gormley. It's probably quite lucky for everybody that he hasn't got the body proportions of Billy Bunter or else a lot more steel would have been involved. I'm pretty sure that Mr Gormley hasn't got arms with the shape and size of the wings of a Boeing 757. It is those arms that get me. They are 54 metres long, whilst the torso is a mere 20 metres high. For me its the juxtaposition of those odd arm/body proportions that make the sculpture interesting; a contrast of those natural curves of the body and the straight lines of those arms. I've no idea would it is supposed to represent. I guess there might be religious connotations for some, given its name. If anything, I think it is a representation of the northeast; a combination of the people and heavy industry.
I pulled off the A1 and made my way to the spacious and pleasingly free carpark next to the sculpture.
The Statue Is In A Small Park Overlooking the A1
It's A Nice Rustic Colour When The Sun Is Out
A Closer Look
A Closer Look
This was my second visit to the AOTN. It had been sunny and blue skies on my first visit and the sun's glow really brought out the ochre/orange colour of the sculpture. It is made out of 208 tonnes (torso-108 tonnes, wings 2x50 tonnes) of Cor-ten Steel that has naturally weathered to give it that wonderful range of colours. It was cloudy today and it cast a darker shade. A closer inspection showed that the structure is built out of beams, panels and struts. It took 20 people 6 months to construct, at a Hartlepool steel fabricator. Standing underneath it, those wings look massive. A nearby information board told me that it had been designed to withstand 100mph winds. Given climate change and stronger winds, we might have to give the sculpture some supporting trekking poles in the years to come. It may still be safe though since it has 8 reinforced concrete piles that were driven down 33 metres into the soil and rock below. It says on Wikipedia that it was built over the baths at the old Team Colliery. I wondered if the miners could ever have foreseen the future of the site as they scrubbed coal dust off each other's backs.
The sculpture is in a small grassy park with a small circular walkway around it. Sparse woodland partially blocks the view of the A1, but it does nothing to reduce the noise of the traffic. That's a shame since the engine drone becomes a distraction. I thought motorway debris had blown into the branches of the trees, but when I went down to inspect this, I could see that they were in fact dozens of memorials to loved ones. Inevitably, some NUFC memorabilia form part of these icons of rememberance. I pottered around the structure a couple of times, waiting for the sun to break through the grey cloud. It started spitting with rain instead and so I made my way back to my car.
I'd only spent half an hour in the presence of the AOTN, but I'd thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It cost £800,000 (in 1998). I'm sure some people would consider this a total waste of money. For me, if we can't provide significant artwork like this, as a legacy for our time on this world, then shame on us.
The Well Anchored Feet
The Area Is A Favourite Place For Memorials
The Body Shape Is Supposed To Be Based On Antony Gormley
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