Kids stuff: Hey, Diddle Diddle! Traditional Cache

James Hill is considered to be one of the most talented fiddler players and tune writers of the 19th Century. He is believed to have been born in Scotland in 1811 and to have died from consumption in Westmoreland Lane, off Westgate, Newcastle in 1953 making him 42 years old. He lived on Bottle Bank in Gateshead near the "Hawk Pub" with his wife Sarah, who was born in County Durham, for most of his life where he composed fiddle tunes from the 1830s onward.

Hill produced some of the most popular fiddle tunes for example, Hawk, Beeswing and the High Level Hornpipe, which are recognised internationally and still remain popular today. He is often referred to as the "Paganini of hornpipe players" and has left behind a legacy of between 40 and 50 tunes. Many of these tunes were played in functions after requests from customers. Many of his tunes were named after local pubs, racehorses and events reflecting the spirit of the area during the 19th Century.

Alistair Anderson, Artistic Director of Folkworks at The Sage Gateshead has said "Hill's tunes have spread round the English-speaking world and his best known composition, the High Level Hornpipe, written for the opening of the High Level bridge in 1849, is viewed as a test piece in fiddle competitions from Texas to Seattle from Shetland to the West of Ireland. You cannot underestimate Hill's importance"

The Sculpture

Contemporary artist and stone carver Peter Coates was commissioned in 2005 by Gateshead Council to produce a sculpture to celebrate the life of James Hill. The artwork is built and carved from Blaxter stone the same stone as the Tyne Bridge Wall abutment and has been taken from the same quarry. It is sited on Bottle Bank and overlooks the High Level Bridge and the Swing Bridge (known as the Low Level Bridge), which feature in the High Level Hornpipe.

The sculpture takes the form of a six-foot fiddle 'leaning' against the Tyne Bridge wall and incorporates a bench, inscribed with Hill's song titles including Beeswing, Bottle Bank and The Hawk. Bronze elements are included in the design which includes raised and incised lettering. The artist deliverately chose to work on a large scale so the work is not just about producing a replica fiddle, but has its own contemporary interpretation. The scale is also in keeping with the Tyne Bridge.