The Memory Stones, by artist Hannah Sofaer MA (RCA), create an interdisciplinary platform with vistas across the isle of Portland’s landscape and sea. Once part of another landscape these large stones weighing 250 tons hold the memory of time from previous environments in which they were formed.
Each stone, aligned to the passage of the sun casts shadows that create a changing space throughout the year; marking the Spring and Autumn Equinox and Summer and Winter Solstice. The outer circle measures 20 metres diameter with the stones set out on an inner circle of 16.8 metres diameter, representing a variation of 0.16 – the same principle of variation in the Earth’s orbit around the sun. This gives rise to interglacial periods and ice ages known as the “Milankovitch cycles”.
Key messages from each stone will create a platform for a living land archive of skills and knowledge exchange, with live audio-visual recordings of the artists process and site specific work, quarrying heritage, stone masonry skills, and leading edge research by geologists and ecologists; applying a new model for regeneration in one of the most intensively quarried landscapes of the
To create a physical and digital threshold to the quarry landscape via the new sculptural gateway of the memory stones with key messages from the Living Land Archive; establishing an interactive platform that engages the community and visitors with artists,site specific work, environmental regeneration, issues of climate emergency and stewardship of land.
The Sunpath Model
The Memory Stones overlook Tout Quarry and the wider Quarry Park. Tout means ‘Lookout’ and the quarry, hewn from the clifftop overlooks the great Chesil Beach, connects Portland to mainland Dorset. Tout was once one of over 100 working quarries on the island all worked by hand.
Geology – This stone looks back in geological time to World Heritage Coast. Aligns with Mid Summer Sunset over Golden Cap on 21st June.
Triassic – Looks back to Lyme Bay to the Triassic – Aligns with the sunset of the Spring and Autumn Equinox.
Ocean – Looks across the Ocean with no land between Portland and South America.
Quarries – Geomorphology of the original land surface and jointing structure of the Gullies that run North< > South across the Island. Aligns with Mid Winter Sunset on 21st December.
Archaeology – references the early settlements of St Andrews at Church Ope, the Mesolithic site at Culverwell.
Architecture – Looks to the tower of St Georges Church inspired by West towers of St Paul’s Cathedral.The shadow from the stone at noon on Mid Summers Day is 2 meters long and Mid Winters Day 13.4 meters.
Regeneration – looks towards the Drill hall where the living land archive is held and the sharing and exchange of knowledge and skills and collaborations take place. Points to the former quarry railway tunnel that connects Tout to Inmosthay Quarry to the Drill Hall and the wider Portland Quarries Nature Park.
Lichens -early life forms in the succession for regeneration. North edge of the stone aligns to the Mid Winter Sunrise.
Plants – Early pioneer species, 500 plant species with 125 used for culinary and herbal remedies. Aligns directly East with the sunrise at the Spring and Autumn Equinox.
Insects – Butterflies and Insects
Vertebrates – small mammals and reptiles.
Birds – Migratory birds. The North face of the stone is aligned with the Mid Summer Sunrise and captures the light of the northern most travel of the sun at daybreak on 21 June
Events At The Memory Stones
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The Next Stone Opening Event TBC 2025
Date TBA
Watch this page for information on the next partnership stone to be inorgorated. Please sign up to our newsletter for more information and to be kept informed.
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Unveiling Wren's Stone Opening Event In Partnership with The Worshipful Company Of Masons
22nd to 24th September 2023
Many Thanks to All whom attended
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Ocean Stone Opening Event In Partnership With Greenpeace
16th February 2023
Many Thanks to All whom attended
Credits list
Funders – DCLG Pocket Parks for Entrance and Groundworks. – Memory Stones Installation -Arts Council England, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Worshipful Company of Masons, Dorset Council Unitary Fund, Portland Court Leet, Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust. Ocean Stone Plaque and Designs for Green Corridor – National Lottery Communities Fund Together for our Planet.
Lettercut inscription with NFC tag/QR Code to mark the collaboration between PSQT and Greenpeace project to safeguard the UK Marine Protected Areas from destructive indusrial fishing.
With special thanks to:
Ralph Stone Quarryman who installed the 22 ton Ocean Stone and PSQT artists who helped to realise it’s carved ribbons and lettercutting – Paul Crabtree, Kirby Stansbridge, Ben Smith, Phil Docherty, Michael Sinclair and Sakab Bashir for Ocean Stone Animation.
Green Corridor design workshops, GPS survey and the careful dismantling of Grade ii listed Archway from 81 Fleet Street to be re-erected as part of designs for the ‘Green Corridor’ enviornmental interpretation route from the Memory Stones to Tout Quarry – Keltbray, PAYE Stonework and restoration, Graham Brown grounworks surveyor, Sally Prothero, Vivienne Berry landscape architects. Laming & Sons Ltd.
Community design workshops and dance performance: Julia Sinclair, Eva Titherington, Christina McManus, Martha Court, Courtney Wood, Sian Alcock, Oliver Edenborough, Emma Phillips, Sally Kropacek, Angus Dawson, Hazel and Rob, Liliane, Isaac, Eva of Home Learning Group.