Replication Mermaid Panels For Nansledan Development, Newquay, Cornwall

About this project

Haddonstone was commissioned by South-West Brick and Stone to produce a set of three cast stone mermaid panels which were originally created by artist Charles Gurrey.

The project was for a unique residential housing development by Morrish Homes.  Located on a 540-acre site, to the edge of Newquay, the area is known as Nansledan, or “broad valley” in the Cornish language, and is part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate.  Haddonstone previously supplied cast stonework to the Poundbury Development, which is also on Duchy of Cornwall land.

The trio of panels were ordered with the intention of using them as decorative panels to be installed on a block of flats within the development.  The building will be known as ‘Chi Morvoren’, or the Mermaid House.

A director at Morrish Homes and Charles Gurrey met with members of Haddonstone’s experienced team to discuss how Gurrey’s 1,210mm x 963 mm original mermaid, carved in Jesmonite, could be faithfully replicated for the housing project.

Our solution

It was agreed that the trio of plaques should be produced in Haddonstone’s TecLite glass-fibre reinforced material. The material’s high strength to weight ratio makes it ideal for retrofit projects because it can be used to create designs that are no more than 45mm thick, whilst still achieving the crisp detailing found in Gurrey’s original.

A profile was taken of Gurrey’s mermaid to ensure all of the artist’s detailed work was reproduced when Haddonstone’s team produced the panels’ mould and cast the panels.

The final panels were produced in a Portland colour finish, and a large headed fixing was cast into the reverse side of each one, allowing them to be resin anchored into place on site.

In addition to the three mermaid panels, Haddonstone also produced a number of different emblem plaques which denote different areas to the development, including the tulips and other flowers.

“We are currently working on Phase 6 of the project where we will complete 122 new properties, including the block of flats known as ‘Chi Morvoren’, or the Mermaid House, where the panels have been installed. We have built up a close working relationship with South-West Brick and Stone over the past 15 years, here and on many other sites including Poundbury.  The Nansledan project at Newquay draws strongly on Arthurian legend and Haddonstone has further produced a number of the 10 different emblem plaques which denote different areas to the development, including the tulips and other flowers.”

Darren Goodland

Senior Technical Consultant for Morrish Homes

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