The Snake
Coiled at the edge of the canal, The Snake was created by Stony Stratford-based woodworker Ian Freemantle. The Snake along with the Seed Pods were some of the outputs from Ian's 'One Tree Project' in 2021. The timber for the sculptures came from the Stockgrove Redwood (a Sequioiadendron giganteum), which was the central tree on an avenue of 12 specimens which were planted 100 years ago at Stockgrove Park House at what is now Rushmere Country Park. It sadly died around its 100th birthday, having reached a height of over 100 feet. It was expertly dismantled by a skilled arborist and has since been made into a variety of different sculptures. The wood will change colour from its striking red to a soft silver-grey. It is a great choice for outdoor sculptures as it is durable whilst being light in weight. The Snake and the Seed Pods are sitting on cradles made from oak.
Click here to read more about Ian Freemantle's One Tree Project
The Snake was co-designed with local schoolchildren in a workshop as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund project.
You can find the Snake located at What3Words: underway.sweetened.random.
In this video, listen to Ian Freemantle speaking about the Snake sculpture.
