Reveal By Richard Cole

Whilst wandering along the River Wear you see gems such as views of the Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and the many bridges of which Prebends is near our sculpture Reveal. There is so much to see in Durham City that quite often a sculpture or building can be passed by without giving it scant regard unless you know something about it. In this case there is not a lot of information.

Reveal is made of reclaimed sandstonefrom one of the turrets from Durham Cathedral that needed replacing. It was procured from various quarries within the city back in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Can you guess which turret has been replaced?

After I asked for information on Facebook. Richard Fletcher kindly provided the information. The said turret is the one on the right.

I describe Reveal as being a tall slim pyramidical shape with 'arrow slits', so when you peep through the cathedral is revealed! Winter is best for the revelation.

It is a hexagonal shape and somewhat mimics the cathedral's turrets. The stonework shows signs of a former life and has a rather pleasing worn look about it in my opinion.

Its vital statistics are 4.5 metres in Hheight and 2.5 metres in diameter.

Now onto the sculptor, who like me, you're thinking is the Rev. Richard Cole from The Communards and Strictly, but you would be mistaken. Neither is it the famous painters of the same name from France and Canada, nor is it the road manager of Led Zeppelin.

I eventually found this Richard Cole (born 1962) who hails from Kent and studied at Newcastle University.

It is said his work is inspired by the Northern Landscape and a good example is Windy Nook at Whitehills Nature Park, Gateshead. He transformed a slag heap in 1986 with stonework forming a curvy path with walls that now look like it has been there for years as an old Hill fort. It is still one of the largest environmentally themed installations in Europe.

Mr. Cole had proposed Reveal 4 years before it finally came to fruition.

It was installed by the River Wear in 1997 on the same day as the Durham Cow. The Mayor was on ceremonial duties that day as designated by the Durham City Charter Trust. The correct title for the Mayor is 'The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Durham'. This was all part of works commissioned by the Dean and Chapter of Durham in partnership with the Chaplaincy to the Arts and Recreation in North East England

As it nestles under a canopy of indigenous deciduous trees, and there is a healthy feather moss and lichen ecoculture going on.

You are in good company in this area with J.M.W. Turner's painting 'Durham Cathedral' and writer Walter Scott, whose description is an inscription in the wall Of Prebends Bridge.

I would certainly recommend a walk across Prebends Bridge where you can enjoy The Counts House and Kathedra. You can pop up South and North Baily to visit The Durham Heritage Center and Museum and wind your way across The Kingsgate Bridge and up to St Oswalds if that is where you have parked, or should you so desire.