The project was made possible by an HLF grant of £97,400. It saw the excavation and exploration of the remains of a military training camp in North Walney National Nature Reserve, where soldiers and airmen trained for battle and trench warfare before the First and Second World Wars.

Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West, unveiled the One for Sorrow installation, which was inspired by the historic mechanism from the Fort Walney gun range, at an event on Sunday (9 April).                                     

A poignant memorial

The artwork is a poignant memorial to those who served at the site and alludes to loss in both the human and natural worlds.

[quote]The artwork is a poignant memorial to those who served at the site and alludes to loss in both the human and natural worlds.[/quote]

It consists of a series of engraved number markers, replicating the original rifle range markings, and an information plaque inscribed with the phrase "Remembering the Fragility of People and Nature". The gate to the nature reserve has been adorned with a flock of cast iron British birds in military camouflage.

The wider National Lottery-funded project, which was run by Art Gene, combined art and archaeology to bring together local people and commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

People of all ages were trained in archaeological techniques to help them survey the site and record their findings. School children and volunteers helped to excavate the trench, and a digital walking tour smartphone app was created by students from Furness College.

Their work leaves behind a lasting legacy of the lives of those who served in Fort Walney and the impact it had on communities and the landscape.

Find out more on the Art Gene website.