Upton Parva  in Warwickshire was designed by Julian Bicknell  a leading contemporary designer of Classical Revival architecture. The building uses Headington and Bath stone. The pediment over the main door celebrates the early days of the Shell Oil Company.  “The origin of the brand name Shell is linked to the  "Shell" Transport and Trading Company.  Marcus Samuel founded an import business in 1833, selling seashells to London collectors. When collecting seashells  in the Caspian sea  in 1892 his son Samuel realized there was potential in exporting lamp oil from the region and commissioned the world's first purpose-built oil tanker the Murex. By 1907 the company had a fleet  of ships all named after seashells.”(Wikipedia)

My design incorporates these different shells and plays with the idea of a cornucopia using the sea as the subject.  I shared the carving work with my friend, sculptor Geoffrey Preston and my apprentice at that time, Iain Cotton, now established as a sculptor in his own right . The pediment was carved in eleven  pieces in my workshop and built into the facade as the building progressed.

 

This project came about because of the kindness of my friend Simon Verity who put me in contact withe the architect and clients