Pelican - The Animal Wall, Cardiff, Wales. - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

The 'Pelican' is one of 15 animal sculptures on the top of a castellated capped wall, they are approx. 50 feet apart, the wall now forms part of the perimeter wall of Bute Park, but when built, was located in front of Cardiff Castle.

"The Animal Wall was designed by William Burges in 1866, but it was not built until 1890, after Burges's death in 1881. The work of the restoration of Cardiff Castle and the building of the Animal Wall for the Marquess of Bute, was continued by his former assistant William Frame. The original nine animal figures were sculptured by Thomas Nicholls, they were the hyena, wolf, apes, seal, bear, lioness, lynx, and 2 different lions. They were painted in naturalistic colours, although since then the paint work on the sculptures has been removed.

The wall was moved about 800 feet from in front of the Cardiff Castle to its present location, at the side of the Castle, outside Bute Park in 1922, due to road widening in front of the castle in Duke Street and Castle Street (now the A4161).

In 1931 a further six animals were added; the pelican, ant-eater, racoons, leopard, beaver and vulture. They were all sculptured by Alexander Carrick.

In the 1970s Council planners had wanted to demolish the Animal Wall to widen the Castle Street again, but this idea was later abandoned.

As part of a £5.6 million refurbishment of Bute Park, restoration of the animals began in July 2010. During the repair, The end of thye Pelicans beak and the anteater's missing nose, which has been missing since the late 90s, was replaced as well as the missing glass eyes in the nine original animals. This work was completed in October 2010."

Souirce:- (visit link)

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Pelican - Animal Wall Figure Type: Animal Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: sculptured by Alexander Carrick Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 1931 Materials used: Portland Stone. Location: Boundry Wall of Bute Park, to left of Castle.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/03/2016 daidragon visited it 05/25/2014 Queens Blessing visited it 05/18/2013 Superted visited it 04/30/2012 veritas vita visited it

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