Cornhill Walk statues in Bury St Edmunds seek new home before being potentially lost forever
Two forgotten statues are in need of rescuing from an abandoned shopping centre which could be demolished and redeveloped.
Cornhill Walk in Bury St Edmunds has been empty since 2016 with controversial plans to build 43 homes and two ground floor commercial units, submitted by Knightspur Homes, still waiting approval from West Suffolk Council.
However, the statues of St Edmund and Abbot Samson have never been mentioned in any of the planning applications so far.
Little is known about the origins of the sculptures but it is believed they were commissioned by St Edmundsbury Borough Council in the 1980s to go in the Abbey Visitors’ Centre.
Despite the tall statues’ stone-like appearance, they are actually made out of polystyrene and are very lightweight.
Aden Hynes, of Sculpture Studios, has created similar 3D commercial art for more than 30 years including bespoke polystyrene and styrofoam carvings used in films, theme parks and shop window displays.
He said: “The sculptures would have been cut from a single billet of polystyrene.
“I think it would have been carved with nothing too technical, just with knives and sanded down, then painted with emulsion paint.”
The statues were moved to Cornhill Walk after being left homeless when the visitors’ centre closed in 2001.
Since the shopping centre shut 15 years later, the statue of Abbot Samson has been seen looking out the window on the corner of Short Brackland and Brentgovel Street.
St Edmund remains fixed on top of the complex’s entrance, staring out over the derelict unit which was once occupied by retailers including Index, New Look, Evans, JJB Sports, Principles and Etam.
Historian Martyn Taylor said: “A lot of the statues’ history has been lost to the mists of time.
“I don’t think they’re the most fabulous statues - certainly nothing like Elizabeth Frink's statue at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.”
“But let's face it, they’re iconic.”
The Bury Free Press / SuffolkNews is calling on the Bury St Edmunds community to give the statues a new home before the redevelopment plans are approved and the shopping centre is demolished.
We believe the sculptures should be given a new lease of life with a charity, business or organisation after being in our town for more than 40 years.
If you can help give St Edmund and Abbot Samson a new home, get in touch and send an email to sam.harrison@iliffepublishing.co.uk.
Due to their materials, the statues cannot be stored outside and cannot get wet. They have been slightly damaged over the years and are not in pristine condition.
