Towcester Rock Snake becomes permanent feature in town

The Towcester Rock Snake features designs of animals and superheroes as well as personal messages

An artistic display featuring 1,600 stones painted by a community during the Covid-19 pandemic has been given a permanent new home.

The rocks, in Towcester, Northamptonshire, show messages dedicated to the NHS, the community and lost loved-ones.

It morphed to become the Towcester Rock Snake, around Bury Mount, West Northamptonshire Council said.

The display has now been cemented into place on the Watermeadows.

A poster was placed by the stones to encourage people to add to the "snake" and not take anything away

It was designed and installed by mural artist Sarah Hodgkins, from nearby Potterspury.

'Connected to the community'

The council said the stones were first placed informally by the remains of the Norman motte-and-bailey castle in the centre of town.

As they were not fixed in place and moved around, a decision was taken to take them away and store them until a permanent home could be found, which is now close to the mount.

Karyna Clifford, who lives in the town, took charge of the stones after they were cleared and worked with the council to find a location and funding.

"During lockdown, when my little ones were missing their friends and family, we painted some rocks of encouragement and placed them at the mount with an unpretentious handmade sign to see if anyone else would engage."

She said it helped them feel "connected to the community".

As the display grew, she "found more reassurance that we were all, as a community, hopeful and waiting for better days when the world would make sense again," she added.