Flock of Sheep at Newcastle Cathedral

Carlisle and Newcastle cathedrals have said goodbye to their life-sized model sheep – part of the flock that has made up the Sheep Art Trail that spanned the route of Hadrian’s Wall this summer.

Flock of illuminated sheep gather in Newcastle Cathedral

Newcastle Cathedral is now getting ready to host the whole flock of 30 sheep which will appear as an illuminated artwork by artist Deepa Mann-Kler with a specially commissioned sound track.

Illuminated Sheep is inspired by the Lindisfarne Gospels’ themes of light and pilgrimage, and has seen the flock of life-sized sheep lit up in bright colours at some of the region’s most iconic locations.

Carlisle Cathedral adopted and named their sheep Stella as a nod to their iconic starry ceiling, Stella was officially welcomed to the Cathedral at the weekly toddler group, Little Stars who then adorned her with their crafted decorations and star-shaped lights.

The Revd Canon Dr Benjamin Carter, Canon Warden at Carlisle Cathedral said

“We were delighted to be involved with this Art Trail and it has been wonderful to see visitors engaging with the project and taking part in our creative activity station that was set up within the Cathedral.” 

The 2024 Illuminated Sheep Art Trail aims to encourage locals and visitors to find their inner shepherd, exploring the Hadrian Wall Country’s rich landscape, heritage and culture to #FindTheFlock. The project has been delivered by Queen’s Hall Arts, Hexham and Visit Hadrian’s Wall.

In Newcastle, four different community champions took turns to decorate their model sheep: Newcastle Young Carers, Heaton Hookers, Speaking up Together and Newcastle Foodbank.

Now visitors can experience the whole flock in glorious technicolour across three eveningsfrom Tuesday 22 October to Thursday 24 October. Plus there’s refreshements in the cafe, short films and sheep-themed craft activities.

The event is pay as you feel and will operate on a timed slot basis, with bookings available from 6:30pm to 7:45pm. You are welcome to stay however long you wish. The last entry is at 7:45pm and the building will close by 8:30pm.

Find out more on the Newcastle Cathedral website here.