The circular form of the work had another origin other than a reference to fuel storage. It was to do with the elements. I was interested to find out about the typical construction shape and techniques of building a furze rick. In book form I discovered little though my research was not exhaustive. In photographic form I discovered, thanks to the Old Cornwall society, one of a woman carrying a faggot taken from a rick at Dowran near St Just. In the background a shape not unlike a domed haystack stood. This was the only photographic record I could find of a rick. I found further information and help from Peter Dudley of the Historic Environment in an unpublished paper. It seemed natural to construct the work in circular fashion quite simply so that it could take on a strong wind from any direction deriving strength from its design. This is how and why I built the rick near Morvah knowing how the wind can pick up there. It was interesting to find that I had inadvertently re created the technique when discovering this research later on.

In a conversation with a neighbour after the burn, he told me of how he used to build a rick called a knee-mow. The size of faggot was relative to the growth available. 3 faggots were placed upright in the middle like a stook of corn. Then the faggot was laid furze on the outside stem to the middle. A complete ring was created and two further rings. These were laid tightly next to one another. You would then use your knees to compress the faggot - hence the name - on the next layer and so on. This would be about 6 yards across from one side of the circle to the other and flat on the top. This was remarkably similar in form to the rick we made at Morvah.