A UNIQUE natural sculpture to mark the King’s Coronation this month has been unveiled as a shopping precinct’s crowning glory.
A large crown has been installed in Culver Square, in Colchester city centre, to commemorate the historic occasion next Saturday.
It follows King Charles III’s special trip to the city in March where he visited Colchester Castle and the library.
Now Deb Hart and Graham Mayes have come together to show off their design which is certainly fit for a king.
A joint project, Ms Hart designed and built the bespoke crown and Mr Mayes, a welder, built the frame.
They then intertwined branches of willow to create the striking focal point at the heart of the square.
The creation began by sketching the design of the crown to match the St Edward’s Crown which King Charles III will adorn at the coronation.
Mr Mayes then built the metalwork and welded the frame to the bespoke specifications of the design, before Ms Hart used four different types of willow to finish it off.
It is now in place for visitors to Culver Square to enjoy throughout the summer.
Square manager David Robertson said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with local artists to create a unique piece that honours this special occasion.
“We hope shoppers enjoy viewing this bespoke piece and capture photos of it.”
It comes as Colchester Council approved plans for temporary artwork to brighten up Culver Square over the coming months.
About 200 acrylic bees and butterflies will be suspended from overhead wires across Shewell Walk until September.
Umbrellas similar to those in Lion Walk will also be put in place to provide a colourful display.
But the vision has raised eyebrows among Colchester Civic Society’s members.
An objection to the planning application reads: “I struggle to find this design attractive. The butterflies are overly large and heavy in appearance.
“Sadly this will not prevent them from being installed so let us hope that adverse winds do not cause unwanted damage.”
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