Why The Elizabeth Landmark?

The Elizabeth Landmark begins with a simple idea: that some places deserve a work of art made specifically for them, and that some lives deserve to be marked in a way that is lasting, thoughtful and public.

Planned for Cold Law in Northumberland, The Elizabeth Landmark is intended as a permanent tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and to her lifelong relationship with the Commonwealth. It has been conceived both as a monument and a contemporary landmark in the landscape — a place that brings together art, history, geography and reflection.

Cold Law has been chosen specifically for its topography, industrial history and archaeological heritage, all of which have helped shape the design of The Elizabeth Landmark. The project responds to the surrounding hills, to the legacy of Lord Armstrong and Sir Charles Parsons, and to older traces in the landscape, including Bronze Age markers associated with the winter solstice.

Designed by artist Simon Hitchens, The Elizabeth Landmark has been imagined as something that rises from the land rather than being imposed upon it. Its form, material and orientation are all rooted in place. Made in weathering steel, it draws on the engineering history of the region while also creating something distinctively contemporary.

There is also a wider purpose behind the project. The Elizabeth Landmark is intended to create a public destination: somewhere people can walk to, sit within, experience and interpret for themselves. Plans for the site include paths, standing stones, seating and interpretation, with the walking trail and car park open to the public. In that sense, the project is not only about commemoration, but about creating a place that people can return to over time.

At its heart, The Elizabeth Landmark is an argument for public art that is ambitious, site-specific and lasting. It is rooted in Northumberland, shaped by the character of its landscape, and intended to create a new place of significance in the region.