Stowe Gardens commemorates Armistice Day with poignant D-Day exhibition
Over 1,400 silhouettes are being displayed in Stowe’s Grecian Valley to honour each life lost on D-Day
Stowe Gardens are marking Armistice Day this year with a large-scale exhibition in the Grecian Valley, commemorating the 1,475 people who lost their lives in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944.
Each of the silhouette figures scattered across the valley represents an individual lost during the pivotal event, offering a visual reminder of the scale of loss.
The display forms part of a collaboration between the National Trust and British artist Dan Barton, who originally created the British D-Day 80 Memorial Artwork for Normandy.
Positioned near Gold Beach, the original installation allowed visitors in France to reflect on the D-Day sacrifices. The decision to bring the installation to Stowe means that people in the UK can now access this memorial, bringing the sobering experience to the historic landscape of the Grecian Valley.
“This installation gives visitors the opportunity to engage with the loss experienced during the D-Day landings in a very visual way,” says Tanya Britton, General Manager of Stowe and Aylesbury Vale National Trust properties. “Each silhouette represents an individual who never returned home. By placing the figures here in the Grecian Valley, we hope to create a space that invites reflection and remembrance.”
The Grecian Valley setting enhances the experience, with visitors encouraged to walk through the silent rows of figures as they view the installation. The experience is particularly evocative at dawn and dusk when soft light falls across the valley, lending an atmosphere of quiet reflection. Throughout the day, some attendees leave crosses, poppies, and personal notes among the figures, sharing messages of remembrance and honouring family members who served.
The ceremony marking Armistice Day includes participation from students at Stowe School, located nearby. A small group of pupils stands in the valley alongside the silhouettes, and the school’s chaplain leads a moment of prayer. A student musician plays the Last Post, after which all attendees observe a minute of silence to honour the fallen. The participation of local youth in the ceremony adds a generational connection to the event, bridging history with the present.
Reflecting on the impact of the installation, Britton adds, “When people stand here at sunrise or as dusk falls, the valley transforms into a powerful place of remembrance. The scale of the installation serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict, not only for those who served but for all those they left behind.”
The exhibition has drawn more than 80,000 visitors since it opened six weeks ago, with people of all ages visiting to pay their respects. For many, it is the first time they have experienced a physical representation of such loss on this scale. The exhibition will remain on display until 11 November, allowing visitors to continue marking Armistice Day through personal reflection and community remembrance.