London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 12, 2026

Yes, it's another monolith. And this time it's in Britain

Yes, it's another monolith. And this time it's in Britain

For those keeping track of the mystery of the monoliths, get your scorecards ready -- another of the curious structures has been spotted, this time on the Isle of Wight, off England's south coast.

The confounding compositions have been sparking intrigue since a 10-foot-tall silver structure appeared among the red rocks of remote southeastern Utah last month -- and was swiftly removed.

Imitation structures sprang up in a Romanian forest and on a Californian mountaintop, but both disappeared as quickly as they arrived. Meanwhile, reports flooded in about a similar structure in the Netherlands this weekend.

The most recent ethereal offering was spotted on Compton Beach on the southwest coast of the Isle of the Wight on Sunday afternoon.

"My wife and I were walking our dog ... on our favourite beach ... and saw the monolith," local resident Lee Peckham told CNN.

"We hadn't heard about it at all but clearly others had as there were lots of people coming down to look at it," he said.


A monolith stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, California, on December 2.


But just like with the other mysterious structures, residents aren't quite sure where it came from.

"I don't know how it got there and I'm not sure the locals have any good theories either! It's more just quizzical amusement," he told CNN.

A spokesman for the National Trust, which owns the section of the beach where the monolith was erected, told CNN that the organization did not know who put it up.

"We were unaware of the monolith's presence until this morning, but we've now visited Compton Beach and it seems secure on a wooden plinth and is made from mirrored sections of plastic or perspex material," the spokesman said in an email.


A mysterious monolith was placed in a red-rock in San Juan County southeastern Utah, before disappearing.


"We are still assessing it so we have no immediate plans to remove it but of course we need to monitor over the next few days to ensure the beach remains safe and does not become overcrowded," he added.

It is still unclear who is behind the erecting of the globetrotting silver pillars -- but a Santa Fe-based art collective, The Most Famous Artist, had advertised a 10-foot structure for sale on its website for $45,000, now marked as sold.

CNN has emailed The Most Famous Artist to clarify if they were responsible for the Isle of Wight's monolith.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
NHS Trust Secures Funding for AI Tool to Detect Heart Failure Earlier
Government Unveils £4.5 Billion Investment Plan for Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Nationwide Reports UK House Prices Falling as Borrowing Costs Remain Elevated
Centre for Social Justice Says Two Million Britons Are Using Illegal Loan Sharks
UK Carmakers Warn EU Local Content Rules Could Damage British Manufacturing
UK Government Imposes Emergency Ban on Seven Potent Synthetic Opioids
Royal Navy Completes Major North Atlantic Anti-Submarine Exercise Off Norway
NHS Figures Show Nearly 3,000 Patients a Day Receiving Care in Hospital Corridors
CBI Cuts UK Growth Forecast as Middle East Tensions Drive Inflation Risks Higher
Dan Jarvis Appointed UK Defence Secretary Following Major Government Reshuffle
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
Office for National Statistics Adopts Supermarket Checkout Data for Inflation Measurement
Applied Atomics Launches With $500 Million Space Infrastructure Order Book
BYD Plans Nationwide Rollout of Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network
UK House Prices Unexpectedly Fall in May
CBI Warns UK Growth Is Becoming Increasingly Dependent on Public Spending
Makerfield By-Election Fuels Speculation Over Labour’s Future Leadership
Britain Declines to Join EU SAFE Defence Fund
UK Unveils 2040 Emissions Target Despite Strong Political Opposition
Government Orders Full Review of Palantir’s NHS Data Contract
UK Borrowing Costs Climb as Markets Price in Further Bank of England Rate Rises
Resident Doctors Confirm Five-Day NHS Strike Across England
Violent Anti-Immigrant Riots in Belfast Spark Political and Diplomatic Tensions
United Kingdom Sees Recovery in Horizon Europe Research Funding Share to 9.3 Percent
UK Inflation Holds at 2.8 Percent as Office for Budget Responsibility Flags Persistent Price Pressures
United Kingdom Launches National Anti-Fraud Framework to Combat Rising Pension Scam Losses
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions on Israeli Groups While Funding Palestinian Authority Salaries and Gaza Mine Clearance
United Kingdom Issues Three-Month Ultimatum to Major Technology Firms Over Child Online Safety Controls
United Kingdom Government Moves Toward Blanket Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
Widespread Anti-Immigration Rioting Erupts Across Belfast After Knife Attack Linked to Asylum Seeker
Farmers Warn of Crop Losses Following Months of Unseasonal Rainfall
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Regional Airport Operations
Met Office Issues Heat-Health Alert Across Parts of England
National Grid Introduces New Measures to Protect Winter Energy Supply
Northern England Rail Upgrades Receive Additional Government Funding
Wales Advances Green Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonize Heavy Industry
UK Expands Recruitment Incentives to Address Shortage of STEM Teachers
High Court Opens Door to Climate Liability Claims Against Major Industrial Emitters
Police Service of Northern Ireland Investigates Major Personnel Data Breach
Defense Ministry Overhauls Procurement System to Accelerate AUKUS Submarine Program
Net Migration Remains Above Government Expectations, New Data Shows
UK and Scottish Governments Agree Framework for Expanded North Sea Wind Development
UK Treasury Launches New Tax Incentives to Boost AI and Semiconductor Investment
Bank of England Signals Continued Caution on Interest Rate Cuts
×