A public monument has been designed and fabricated to mark the first visit to Nansledan by HRH the Duke of Cornwall in July 2014, which is also the year the first house was built at the Duchy of Cornwall’s development on the edge of Newquay.
The granite obelisk has been erected on the roundabout at the entrance to Nansledan on Quintrell Road and bears a plaque which reads: “This inscription marks the first visit of HRH the Duke of Cornwall to Nansledan on the 16th July 2014 the year the first house was built.”
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As Nansledan develops, the monument will be the centrepiece of a new square, called Kresennik Pennfenten, which is being defined by Art Deco buildings including a mix of employment and residential uses. Much of the western edge of the square is nearing completion as part of the first two phases of Nansledan, called Trewolek and Kosti Veur.
The monument was designed by Nansledan’s masterplanner and co-ordinating architect Hugh Petter of Adam Architecture, and was made at De Lank Quarry on the edge of Bodmin Moor. The bronze text was designed by the sculptor Charles Gurrey, who made the pattern for casting. The panel was then cast by art founder Aron McCartney.
Hugh Petter said: “It is a real pleasure to see this significant monument, the embodiment of fine craftsmanship and beautiful Cornish granite, now erected at this key gateway to Nansledan.”
Charles Gurrey added: “The lettering hints at the Art Deco style of the surroundings but the most important thing for me was responding to Hugh’s geometric design by using a square of text set into a cube of granite. It features as much relief as possible so the letters really stand out and to get the bronze to flow through the mould when the letters are so close together was a real achievement and testament to Aron’s skill. It is a virtuoso piece of casting.”
Weighing in at just over 11 tonnes, the monument was constructed in three separate pieces and stands 5.6 metres tall. It took six weeks to quarry the raw granite at De Lank and a further two weeks to saw it roughly into shape, and another week to profile it and remove waste. It then took a further four weeks to hand dress the granite to the final size and shape.
The monument was erected on Wednesday 29 March during a six-hour operation. Nansledan project manager Peter James said: “The monument was successfully installed by the excellent work of two local Cornish contractors. Firstly the ground workers Champions completing the foundations, and then Morgan Masonry installed the granite. They will be returning once the summer embargo on roadworks is lifted to complete the granite setts and steps around the new monument.”
Tim Gray, Estate Surveyor to the Duchy of Cornwall, said: “Kresennik Pennfenten will be an important public space within Nansledan affording a good opportunity for us to mark the first visit of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cornwall, in 2014.”
De Lank Quarry has already supplied well over 1,000 tonnes of granite to Nansledan as part of the Duchy of Cornwall’s commitment to use local materials where possible and spread the economic benefits of Nansledan through the Cornish economy.
Over time, Nansledan will evolve into a community of more than 4,000 homes supporting a similar number of jobs. It will include its own High Street, Church, School and public spaces, helping to meet the future needs of Newquay in a complementary and sustainable way.
