Oak and Iron Obelisk

Jack Ritson

This large scale obelisk is made of cleft (or split) oak from Westonbirt Arboretum, where designer and maker Jack Ritson works as a forester. It would make a grand, sculptural focal point or climbing plant support for a garden, with its majestic size being softened by it’s organic shapes.

Cleaving wood along the grain reveals natural shapes hidden inside a tree. The five uprights of the obelisk are split from the same log, which means the curves seamlessly match and move together. The obelisk is bound with reclaimed wrought iron and fixed with traditional copper rivets, both of which, like oak, are very durable.

The picture here shows the obelisk when it has been left to weather naturally. Being made of durable materials, it is fine to leave it like this and allow nature to take its course. If you want the obelisk to remain looking new, then an exterior wood oil needs to be applied every six months and occasionally scrubbed with water if algae builds up. We recommend Osmo UV Protection oil, which should be applied thinly.