About THE VERNON MONUMENT
The VERNON Monument and the Old Custom House
The Vernon Monument by night. Photograph by Lee Davey
PROJECT VERNON
Initiated in 2008, the Project to install a Monument at Gunwharf Quays, PROJECT VERNON, has come to fruition thanks to the generosity of individual and charitable donations which raised over a quarter of a million pounds.
The grand unveiling and dedication of the monument that was planned for Wednesday 25th March 2020 at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, the former site of HMS VERNON, had to be cancelled owing to the dramatically increased risk to health of the Coronavirus. However, a lower key installation and unveiling of the monument in Pool B occurred on Tuesday 17 March since when it has been seen by an annual footfall of 8 million. The monument was eventually dedicated in the presence of over 800 official guests on 15 July 2022. Read more about the unveiling.
The design created by sculptor Mark Richards FRSS comprises a moored mine with two attendant Clearance Divers. The British Mk 17 contact mine honours all those - past, present and future - involved in mine design, minelaying and mine disposal or serving in mine countermeasures vessels. The two divers in Clearance Diving Breathing Apparatus honour all those - past, present and future - involved in naval and military diving as well as bomb and mine disposal.
The Sculptor - Mark Richards FRSS
Mark Richards created this beautiful Monument, taking some 18 months to do so.
Born in 1958, Mark has worked as a sculptor since 1983. He read History of Art at Manchester University and trained in sculpture and drawing at The City and Guilds of London Art School. His early experience comes from working for a number of sculpture companies (including Freeman & Sons, Heritage Projects and The Tussauds Group) prior to establishing himself as an independent sculptor in 1992. He has worked on museum and media projects, is now based in Shropshire and has travelled extensively in Africa, North America and Europe.
Mark Richards is regarded as one of the UK's finest portrait and figure sculptors, working with communities and organisations around the world to create commemorative sculpture ‘suffused with emotional depth’. Recent sculptures include the hurler Nickey Rackard, explorer Ernest Shackleton, drummer John Bonham and musician Big Tom McBride. ‘Making Big Tom’, a film by Taine King and Lorraine Higgins is showing at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.
Mark says, “I aim to convey not just the character and story of my subject, but also their relationship with the community commemorating them”.
He has certainly achieved that in creating the VERNON Mine Warfare and Diving Monument.
A half life-size model of the Monument.
Find out more about Mark Richards and his work:
http://www.markrichardssculpture.com/
X ex Twitter: @markxrichards
FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/Sculptormar