Discover The Cotswolds Sculpture Park: A Harmony of Nature and Modern Art

This is the ninth post in my series about the wonderful “Cotswolds”. An area that you really shouldn’t miss out on visiting if you live in or are coming to the UK. It’s full of olde worlde charm, history going back to the Roman era and beautiful architecture.
Check out my previous posts in this series and please don’t forget to comment and/or like. I love to hear what my readers think. Thank you

(I decided to begin my post with this fantastic owl sculpture. I feel like he is looking down on me as I write in an enquiring but friendly manner.)

Some friends of ours visited the Sculpture Park a couple of years ago and put some photos on Facebook otherwise we probably wouldn’t have known it was there. It is situated just South of Cirencester in Somerford Keynes, just a little north of the Cotswold Water Park. There is free parking but no dogs or picnics are permitted.
On entry you will find a small caravan from whence you can purchase your ticket.

There are currently 200 sculptures on display from 150 different artists and you are given a small paper guide inside of which you will find each numbered sculpture. Each listing shows the name of the sculptor along with the material from which the piece of art was born and it’s price. Every sculpture is for sale!

It’s a very peaceful environment, a place where nature and modern art exist in perfect harmony.
The owner of the park David Hartland bought the land 28 years ago. It was then but a mere thistle field with one solitary oak tree sitting proudly amongst the ten acres. He has made it his life’s work to deliver the environment you now step into, planting every tree and plant. He has also recently developed a small amphitheatre where every year an outside production is on show, tickets available on the website.
The park is only open from April 1st to September 30th. The sculptures are changed yearly and this year there is an additional area ” The Zimbabwean Loop” featuring artists from Zimbabwe which maybe otherwise wouldn’t get a foot in the door within this market in the UK.

( Don’t you just love this orangutan sleeping soundly hanging from the rope. What would you do to have that ability to switch off from life for a while?)

David and his wife Serena are never short of ideas to further develop the area and now offer four separate places to stay, all bookable on Air BnB and available to view in snapshot on the park website.

Wandering around the park we chose to follow it in numerical order but whichever route you take it’s definitely worth taking a breath on your journey, there are various benches available, just to soak up the beautiful and natural surroundings. A sculptor himself you will see some of David’s works on display but unlike the other pieces probably not for sale. The one below just made me smile as he looked down on me from his perch.
They seem to have become part of the furniture, so to speak, and David doesn’t let them go.

There are a huge variety of different items available to see and so I’m sure you will find something that matches your taste. As I wandered around the park it highlighted to me how many other sculpture displays I have looked at over the years whilst travelling such as the New Orleans Sculpture Garden, (a picture of The Blue Corridor Pin is on display in our kitchen on canvas).
I have also been fortunate to visit the Musee Rodin in Paris and whilst his works are not able to be viewed here in the Cotswolds there are some unbelievable lifelike sculptures on display such as this statue of a man’s head below. The eyelids and mouth stand out as very lifelike.

David and his family are dedicated to the upkeep of their land and in so doing protecting the environment. It’s no surprise, therefore, to discover Myrtle, shown below in all her majesty.
This giant green turtle is made from a steel frame and then clad with around 200 crafted used tyres from cars, motorbikes and bicycles. She was then painted with recycled paints to give her a realistic look. At 4 meters long, 4.5 meters wide and 2.6 meters high she is a sight to behold.
This one statue highlights the single use plastic society we have become and the inherent dangers these items along with fishing nets, drinks bottles etc have on our sea life. Myrtle is as close to a living, breathing example of the damage we humans cause as I’ve probably seen on land. The polluting message is loud and clear.

The glass sculptures on display remind me of the The Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean. This four mile walk in one of England’s ancient woodlands sits on the other side of Gloucestershire across the River Severn.
The sculpture of emerging man feels like it is part of the “The Walking Men” figures that were cast in bronze by British sculptor Laurence Edwards at Blenheim Palace (see my previous Cotswold post –https://amidlifeadventure.org/2024/04/16/the-cotswolds-visiting-blenheim-palace

. This has been created by a different artist but still makes me feel like it has been born from the earth in front of me.

As you come to the end of the trail there are a couple of examples of more modern art with graffiti also having its place here at David’s park. I was pleased to see this included as when we are away travelling we will often stop and take photos of the street art.

And finally just in front of the cafe -The Poppin Tea Room is David’s masterpiece in my opinion. He is a scrap metal, recycling style artist and this piece is entitled Glastonbury Tree, maybe because it was displayed at the festival in 2019.

I would recommend a break at the cafe during your visit. The staff were super friendly and made great hot coffee to accompany the savoury snacks and cakes also available to buy.

I was never into art at school and still don’t have a massive interest in paintings but over my midlife years, with more time to explore, I have grown to appreciate photography and sculptures. I hope you enjoy a visit to this park in the future.
In the meantime I will be posting more photos on my Instagram so let me know which ones you like and if you have visited any other sculpture parks please let me know and I can add them to our travel itinerary.