When Johnsons Wellfield Quarries saw stonemason Joseph Hayton’s drawings of three, 2m tall figures he intended to carve as part of the Way of the Roses public art trail Travelling Histories, the company was so impressed it donated blocks of its Crosland Hill Yorkshire sandstone for the project.

The finished sculpture, called Pillars Past, opened to the public on 29 October at Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire.

The three figures represent agriculture, mining and monastries, all of which were influential in shaping the landscape around Pateley Bridge.

They stand in a circle facing each other. The stones are carved at the front and hewn at the rear so that, from a distance, they appear to be simply standing stones.

Pillars Past is part of the Sustrans Way of the Roses Travelling Histories project. The Way of the Roses is the 170 mile coast to coast cycle route from Morecambe to Bridlington created by Sustrans that has become popular not only with cyclists but also other visitors to the area. Various artworks are being put along the route.