Stone-carved poem to be unveiled at Brimham Rocks

A poem specially written by the Poet Laureate and carved into a permanent art installation will be unveiled at Brimham Rocks this Thursday (June 22). 

Huddersfield-born poet Simon Armitage was commissioned by the National Trust to write the poem, which encapsulates why it is such an important place for nature, wildlife, and visitors. 

A permanent art installation of two large stones, each containing a verse of the poem, will be positioned at Brimham on the north moor adjacent to the rocks, offering a place of reflection and contemplation. 

The poem’s name, Balancing Act, reflects the sometimes conflicting roles the National Trust must play in both protecting and sharing Brimham Rocks. 

Simon Armitage is professor of poetry at the University of Leeds and was appointed Poet Laureate in 2019. He said: 

“It was a chance to get reacquainted with the rocks. I’d explored them as a child and in my memory, they were almost mythical or pieces of an alien landscape. Coming back to the area as an adult and a poet they were no less fascinating and mysterious but carried new messages connected to the environment, the precarious state of nature and the importance of wild spaces to our well-being.

“I also discovered that Brimham Rocks is more than just the stones, and the poem is a celebration of the wider ecosystem, from some of its more glamorous and obvious manifestations to micro-organisms, open moorland, and seemingly empty skies.” 

Brimham Rocks is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Designated by Natural England, the status is used to protect the natural, environmental, or geological heritage of the British Isles from development, pollution, or insensitive land management. 

Justin Scully, general manager at Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey, said: 

“We are delighted to be working with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and to have a physical representation of his poem Balancing Act as a permanent art installation on the moor at Brimham. 

“We want to make Brimham Rocks feel more relevant to people and their everyday lives. We want it to be a place of reflection and inspiration, where visitors can come and spend some quiet time connecting with nature as well as a place where they come to climb, hike and play.” 

The poem has been carved by the National Trust’s lead specialist craftsperson, Richard Dawson, into a type of North Yorkshire sandstone called Witton Fell. Sourced from an independent local company, the stone was chosen for its colour and texture, which is representative of the stone formation at Brimham. 

The poem Balancing Act will be used by the National Trust to provide example and inspiration for further engagement with the public through literary events and activities with other artists and education providers. 

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