Pride as monumental Messenger is delivered
Workers at a foundry near Oswestry watched with pride as the sculpture they have spent 18 months working on was given a police escort through the streets of Plymouth to its resting place outside the Theatre Royal in Plymouth.
Messenger, based on a female actor rehearsing for a Shakespearian play, was cast in the Castle Fine Arts foundry in Llanrheaedr-ym-Mochnant.
The company, which employs 50 people, says it is the largest bronze it has ever cast. Managing director, Chris Butler, and a small team from the foundry was in Plymouth this week to assemble the pieces of the sculpture created by artist, Joseph Hillier.
“We assembled the parts of the sculpture into one piece on a barge in the Naval dockyards in Plymouth.
“It was then put onto a low loader and given a police escort through the town centre to the theatre. You could feel the excitement growing, it’s wonderful to see that the people of Plymouth have taken Messenger to their hearts.
“It has been very emotional to see the sculpture, which has taken 18 month to create in the foundry, final arrive in Plymouth.
“I would say that everyone in the company has had some part to play in its creation.”
The foundry had been behind the casting of sculptures now standing the length and breadth of Europe and the company now has workshops in Liverpool and Stroud as well as Llanrhaeadr.
“We will celebrate our 30th anniversary next year and are currently planning an expansion of our foundry in Llanrhaeadr,” Mr Butler said.
