After the Uprising: Wat Tyler Country Park

Wat Tyler Country Park has countryside adventure for everyone including 125 acres of country walks, wildlife spotting, adventure play for kids, a Village Green edged by historic, picturesque thatched cottages, and a marina on Pitsea Creek in atmospheric Essex marshland.

The sculpture trail includes huge crawling creatures, whispering dishes and sound pods to interact with, and art you can sit on to get a different view of the world.

After the uprising was made from 7 sweet chestnut trees in 2006 by Robert Koenig. In 1381 peasants from the Essex marshland villages marched on London to protest against the poll tax. The rebellion was quickly suppressed. Most of the rebels were allowed to go home but the leaders were pursued, captured and executed. The leader of the peasant’s revolt was Wat Tyler. 

In order to represent this mass of humanity marching on London Robert Koenig chose to carve 7 symbolic figures from sweet chestnut trees. Wat Tyler stands proudly at the front of this group, other figures are bound and captive behind him. Sited in this clearing and looking as if they have just emerged from the wooded area behind, the eleven foot carvings convey a sense of the drama of the event and its often overlooked importance in the history of the area.

See my other posts about Robert Koenig's work here, including his Odyssey exhibition at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

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Peter Frampton - Show Me The Way.