In Milton Keynes the local people call it “the cuddling couple.”
A Granite 7x8x4 feet, 12.00 ton, sculpture called 'O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast' by Ronald Rae, 1984. located in front of Milton Keynes Central Railway Station.
"Ronald Rae is an artist and poet who lives and works in Edinburgh. His work is wide ranging, from sculpture, drawing and mixed media pieces to sun-drawings on driftwood and dried leaves. He has been working with granite since the 1960s and O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast, which took 10 months to carve, is one of a large number of granite sculptures exhibited in Milton Keynes from 1995-9.
He says of the work ‘The title of the sculpture is a tribute to Robert Burns and one of his last poems. The subject matter of the sculpture, like the poem, is universal in its theme of sharing and expressing warmth, tenderness and love in times of trouble". Text Source: (
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Robert Burns’ poem opens:
"O, wert thou in the cauld blast
On yonder lea, on yonder lea,
My plaidie to the angry airt,
I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee.
Or did Misfortune’s bitter storms
Around thee blaw, around thee blaw,
Thy bield should be my bosom,
To share it a’, to share it a".
Name: O' Wert Thou in The Cauld Blast.
Artist Name: Ronald Rae.
Date created or placed: 1984.
Materials used: Scotish Creetown Granite.
Location: Station Square, Milton Keynes.