Pendle Hill poppies spectacular tribute to mark end of First World War

Iconic landmark Pendle Hill has been adorned with giant poppies in remembrance of the end of the First World War.
The Pendle Hill poppiesThe Pendle Hill poppies
The Pendle Hill poppies

The art installation marks the start of the Colne Commemorates 1918 project to mark a century since the end of that terrible conflict.

Backed by The Heritage Lottery Fund, the magnificent installation by artist Philippe Handford is of a breathtaking scale.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The poppies, which now dominate views for many miles, are 168 metres (550 ft) by 91 metres (300 ft). and are made up of almost 900 metres (3,000 ft) of agricultural fleece.

The Pendle Hill poppiesThe Pendle Hill poppies
The Pendle Hill poppies

Colne Commemorates…1918 will be staged across multiple venues throughout the town on Saturday.

Project co-ordinator Ele Jolley said: “This is the most ambitious of our three event series run by Colne Town Council. In 2014, we focused on recruitment, while in 2016 we added a schools’ outreach programme and shifted our commemoration to the home front during The Battle of the Somme.

“We wanted a really big symbol to begin our final event, which is being held a century on from the last 100 days of World War One. Philippe’s design more that meets that initial criteria.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We hope it will become lodged in the collective memory of East Lancashire and Yorkshire folk as they remember the enormous sacrifice made by their predecessors 100 years ago.”

Philippe Hanford is a sculptor and environmental artist who was behind the Pendle Hill 1612 installation marking the 400th anniversary of the Trial of The Pendle Witches.

He said: “I am an artist that finds challenges in location, environment and natural materials and my work attempts to achieve a fine balance between design and the practicalities of mechanical considerations.”

The Pendle Hill Poppy Installation will be dismantled on Sunday and the horticultural fleece will be made available to Colne’s allotment holders.

Related topics: