One of the finest crop circles to appear in the Wiltshire landscape this year has emerged as the work of a group of young creative mathematicians from Frome.

Yatesbury Circle from the air copyright Rob Irving July 2012

The circle, or rather a 12-petalled flower nestled in a hexagon, is over 300 feet in diameter and was created in agreement with the land-owner near Juggler’s Lane, near Yatesbury, in the middle of Monday night. Within hours of its completion, unbeknown to the team involved, aerial photos of the formation were posted on the internet, and to date have received more than thirteen thousand hits from across the globe.

The formation was secretly created as part of ‘Measuring the Land’, a Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots project introducing teenagers and young adults to the ancient and more recent heritage of the Wessex landscape, and the geometry that underlies it.

It is the latest phase of Frome’s creative maths project Break 3; a collaboration linking schools, community organisations, mathematicians and artists, in bringing maths to life in imaginative, and sometimes extraordinary ways for all ages.

image copyright Gavin Maxwell 16 July 2012

Lead artist on the crop circle project was Rob Irving. “We used the ‘magical’ geometrical and mathematical properties found in some crop circles, and the relationship of the circles to the local landscape, as a way of engaging young people with their environment. As well as the technical skills, it passes on the importance of planning, teamwork, spatial awareness, and other aspects involved in circle-making. The team responded exceptionally, and their hard work was reflected in the result.”

The circle was created by a team of eight, including young adults ranging in age from 14 to 22 from Frome College and Mendip YMCA’s Routes drop in centre and Youth Café.

Beginning on site dusk Mon 16 July copyright Gavin Maxwell

The circle will be supported by research, interviews and investigations into the phenomena of crop circles and the ancient landscape they sit within, through a partnership linking Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes and Rook Lane Arts Trust, Frome and Mendip YMCA.

Richard Bellamy, acting Head of Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “Measuring the Land is a wonderfully innovative way for young people to learn more about the fascinating history of the Wessex landscape.  Through their research the participants have been able to explore the history of the local area, as well as learning about the mathematics and geometry that lies beneath both the prehistoric monuments and the more recent crop circle phenomena.”

On line responses from the crop circle community have ranged from admiration to criticism. “We are not out to disprove or devalue the opinions of those that believe crop circles are extraordinary and inexplicable,” commented Break 3 Project Director Jo Plimmer. “Even the fact of being involved hasn’t convinced some of our team of that. We simply wanted to show that  maths can be extraordinary, for young people who might think it only exists as something boring on paper. We have given them an experience they will never forget, making something very beautiful that they should be hugely proud of.”

The landowner would prefer no visits to the circle, due to careless visitors already damaging crops and stealing the honesty box which was on the site in aid of Mendip YMCA.