Mozart and Beethoven added to New Romney's sculpture park
Published: 11:22, 18 December 2020
Updated: 11:25, 18 December 2020
Music lovers can now visit world-renowned composers Mozart and Beethoven on Romney Marsh.
A unique sculpture and heritage park has been created in the grounds of former church, Hope All Saints, which lays in ruins.
Statues resembling Mozart and Beethhoven were installed this month to mark what would have been Beethoven's 250th birthday.
The new statues of the two composers stand at 8ft tall, weigh 170 and 140 kilos respectively, and were made from ash wood in Estonia by artist Juri Vavulin, before being transported to Kent.
Already in place at the church are sculptures of Jeanne d’Arc, St Catherine and the Wheel, a replica of the original Sanctus Bell in clay, an antique iron crucifix and an image called the Fisherman of Golgotha.
More recently added works include St George and the Dragon, St Andrew of Scotland, St Agnes, St Gobnait, Patron Saint of Bees, a Quaker Light Sculpture and Mahatma Gandhi.
It is hoped sculptures of Nelson Mandela and Albert Einstein will soon join the collection.
The exhibition comes from the IMOS Foundation, which took over care of the abandoned church in 2017.
Since then, members of the organisation, including founder Briony Kapoor, have cleared the surrounding moat and added four bridges to improve access to the ruins.
More than 200 trees have also been planted including an avenue along the Old Saxon Road and an orchard of varied fruit trees.
Tours of the grounds are now given.
Ms Kapoor said: "This is the first Humanist, interfaith, international, and therefore, interracial sculpture park in the UK.
"As such it does and will include human beings who benefited humanity regardless of their background.
"Beethoven never visited England.
"Mozart came to London at the age of eight but had a hard time because his father fell ill while they were there and the family had financial difficulties.
"The two composers are here because of what they have gifted to the world with their music.
"There are and will be sculptures of great figures from all walks of life, for example, we already have Mahatma Gandhi on site."
Hope All Saints dates back to the 12th century.
The church was last recorded for use in 1541 and served the abandoned hamlet of Hope, between Ivychurch and New Romney.
The lost village remains are grade II listed and half an acre in size but the area around it is used for farm grazing.
The IMOS Foundation was set up privately by Ms Kapoor and gained charitable trust status in 2012.
It aims to set up artwork projects to improve areas and is also behind several murals in the New Romney area.
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Sam Williams