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<div class="res-img-1200">[[File:Hundred Year Stone at Derwentwater(2321).jpeg]]</div>
The '''Hundred Year Stone''', also known as the '''Centenary Stone''', is an art installation set againagainst the beautiful backdrop of [[Derwentwater]], the surrounding fells, and the Borrowdale Valley, a short walk from [[Keswick]]. The "stone" is a chunk of andesite, a glacial boulder probably from the {{w1|Borrowdale Volcanic Group}} of igneous rocks. This means it has been around a very long time, roughly 452 million years from the {{w1|Ordovician}} age.<ref>Smith, Alan (2003). The Bowder Stone. The Landscapes of Cumbria. Keswick: Rigg Side Publications. p.14.</ref> It is a speck compared to its much bigger brother, the [[Bowder Stone]], located further down the Borrowdale valley. The sculpture was commissioned by the National Trust to celebrate its centenary year in 1995. This milestone marked 100 years since the trust was first founded by social reformer Octavia Hill, clergyman Hardwicke Rawnsley, and solicitor Sir Robert Hunter. The centenary celebrations took place at St. Paul's Cathedral. The momentous achievements during this 100-year period saw the Trust becoming "the guardian of 580,000 acres of countryside in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 545 miles of coastline; 230 historic houses and 130 important gardens."<ref>[https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/about-us/the-history-of-the-national-trust# The history of the National Trust] Accessed 26 January 2024.</ref> WhatThe betterstone, waywith toan celebrateintricate pattern of 100 folds carved into both halves, symbolises the stability of this national treasure thanthrough a boulder of local igneous rock; areal piece of Cumbrian history that has stood the test of time for hundreds of millions of years. That is, of course, until it was sliced in two and an intricate pattern with 100 folds carved onto its sides.
The boulder was sculpted by renowned artist Peter Randall-Page, who has created incredible works of art for over 40 years, gaining national and international reputation with his large-scale commissions and exhibitions.<ref>[https://www.peterrandall-page.com/category/about/ About the artist Peter Randall-Page] Accessed 26 January 2024.</ref> It was safe to say the National Trust's commission was in safe hands. There are many of Peter's creations in both urban and rural locations throughout the UK, with permanent collections in the Tate Gallery and the British Museum. This guy seriously knows his craft. The Hundred Year Stone, just one of many of his creations, blends seamlessly into its surroundings. It can be seen from the path that encircles Derwentwater, and is easily approached when the waters are at a seasonal low. Singularly, there is aesthetic beauty in its natural form, and creativity in artificial arrangement. But, collectively, it captures the essence of this beautiful landscape. The boulder has been here for a very long time, and it will remain here endlessly, until human intervention deems otherwise.
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