New Leaping Fox Sculpture Unveiled at The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Published On: 12 September 2025Last Updated: 12 September 2025By CornishStuff

A striking new sculpture has landed at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, celebrating the estate’s rich wildlife with a towering vision of a fox mid-leap.

Lowarnes: A Vixen in Flight

The 6m-tall piece, named Lowarnes — Cornish for “vixen” — has been unveiled along the Georgian Ride at Heligan. Created from russet rhododendron wood grown on the estate, the sculpture was designed by Cornish brother and sister team Sue and Pete Hill, alongside Hal Silvester.

The trio are no strangers to Heligan. Sue and Pete were behind the gardens’ iconic Mud Maid, Giant’s Head and Grey Lady sculptures, while Hal was the lead designer of the 11.5m Man Engine puppet of a Cornish miner.

📷ST AUSTELL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Cornish brother and sister artist team Sue and Pete Hill, and their associate Hal Silvester, at the launch of their newly created leaping fox sculpture made from rhododendron wood on September 11, 2025 at The Lost Gardens of Heligan near St Austell, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The 6m tall sculpture - named "Lowarnes" which is Cornish for vixen - was created from wood grown at Helilgan and celebrates the estate's abundant wildlife. (Photo by Hugh Hastings)

From Storm to Sculpture

The wood used to shape Lowarnes once belonged to a 150-year-old ‘Cornish Red’ rhododendron, which fell during Storm Darragh in December 2024. Heligan staff hand-split around 600 pieces, crafting the fur-like texture and fluid lines of the fox.

The tree pre-dated the First World War and the “lost gardeners” who left to fight, never to return, leading the gardens into decline. Its transformation into Lowarnes follows the tradition of re-using materials on-site, echoing the processes used in earlier Heligan artworks.

As the wood ages, its russet tones will fade into a silvery hue, mirroring the changes in a vixen’s coat after motherhood.

A Trail of Art and Poetry

Lowarnes joins a sculpture trail that includes the Hills’ other works and installations inspired by poet laureate Simon Armitage. His Dwell collection, released earlier this year, celebrates Heligan’s wildlife and is now embedded into the gardens through permanent displays.

The fox was also inspired by the photography of Heligan’s head of restoration, Andy Wilson, whose 200 Acres exhibition is currently on show in the gardens.

Artists and Inspiration

Sue explained:
“Simon Armitage’s brilliant poem ‘Den’ speaks so powerfully of the wild, feral nature of foxes. We played with various ideas to express this, but in the end Andy Wilson’s stunning photograph of a pouncing fox in mid-leap at Gillysame on the Heligan estate became our core inspiration. Lowarnes has her gaze set on you as her prey!”

Laura Smit-Chesterfield, director of visitor experience and legacy at Heligan, said:
“We are proud to be unveiling Lowarnes at Heligan. She is a glorious celebration of Heligan’s wildlife and testament to the imagination, artistry and skill of Sue, Pete and Hal. This piece is a statement of intent for Heligan: the ambition of the work is clear and she is emblematic of our excitement for the future.

“From the inspiration to the materials, Lowarnes is quintessentially Heligan and a fitting addition to the existing artworks in our gardens. We are sure she will become as beloved and recognisable as the Mud Maid and will cement herself as a Heligan icon.”

The Team Behind the Work

Sue Hill is a visual artist, performer, curator and theatre-maker who played a key role in Cornish theatre companies Wildworks and Kneehigh, as well as holding leadership positions at the Eden Project.

Pete Hill is a visual artist, maker, rower, rigger and glaciologist, also linked to Kneehigh, and has worked on artworks in the UK and abroad.

Hal Silvester is a designer and maker for 3D Arts and theatre. His credits include Head of Masks and Puppets for Disney’s The Lion King in London, as well as designing the Man Engine for Cornwall Mining World Heritage Site.