Ayres Base Relief

The Ayres Bas Relief also known as The Sunken Relief, Bridge Street Mural or Town Bridge Mural was carved by celebrated Sculptor Arthur James John Ayres. Arthur was born in 1902 in Paddington, London and passed away in 1985. He was a student in the Royal Academy of Arts between 13 December 1927 to December 1932. He was a well-known carver who was married to the painter Elsa Grunvold, who died not long before him1.

Ayres Base Relief
Figure 1: The Ayres Base Relief on end wall of Mitchell Engineering Ltd office in Bridge Street.

Ayres worked on a number of important London structures, including Westminster Abbey. The mural features legendary and historical figures from science and engineering. It took three years to carve in situ on fifty-one Portland stone panels. Sir Isaac Newton, Archimedes, and Thomas Bradwardine, an English scholar who lived at the turn of the 14th century, are featured in the composition. It also portrays mythological figures such as Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts2.

Bridge House was designed by architect Howard V. Lobb in Scandanivian contemporary style and erected in 1955 for Mitchell Engineering Limited, who relocated to Peterborough after their London office was devastated during the 1940 blitz. By the mid-1950s, they had realised the advantages of the temporary migration and were ready to start afresh. Apart from the mural, the drawing studio was notable for its large windows overlooking the river and reflecting metal wave-shaped ceiling panels that diffused light evenly3.

The mural was disassembled and kept for safekeeping during the destruction of Bridge House and the regeneration of the South Bank area in 2012. It has found a new home on the Fletton Quays development’s multi-story car park where it will be visible on entering the site. Arthur believed that the sculpture should be used as part of the outside architecture of buildings rather than being kept in gallery. It is particularly fitting that it’ is re-erected on a structure. “Part of the mural honours Peterborough’s strong connections with the engineering industry; it is vital for this to be recognised so future generations are reminded and encouraged to learn about our city’s legacy,” stated Councillor John Holdich4.

Ayres Base Relief closed up
Figure 2: Closed up of Ayres Base Relief taken by Toby Wood on 10 January 2020.

References:
1 Artist Biographies Ltd (nd) [online] Ayres Arthur James John 1902-1985 [online] Available at: <https://www.artbiogs.co.uk/1/artists/ayres-arthur-james-john> [Accessed 29 December 2021].
2 Peterborough Investment Partnership (2018) Historic mural to take pride of place at Fletton Quays – Peterborough Investment Partnership. [online] Available at: <https://peterboroughinvestmentpartnership.com/historic-mural-to-take-pride-of-place-at-fletton-quays/> [Accessed 29 December 2021].
3 Mehmed, K. (2020) Peterborough Civic Society – Kem Mehmed1. Peterborough Civic Society, Available at: https://www.peterboroughcivicsociety.org.uk/neneliving1.php#murals. [Accessed 29 Dec 2021]
4 Peterborough Investment Partnership (2018) Historic mural to take pride of place at Fletton Quays – Peterborough Investment Partnership. [online] Available at: <https://peterboroughinvestmentpartnership.com/historic-mural-to-take-pride-of-place-at-fletton-quays/> [Accessed 29 December 2021].
Images:
Figure 1: GwydionM (2008), Bridge House Mural, Peterborough (image) Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_House_Mural,_Peterborough.jpg [Accessed: 29 December, 2021]
Figure 2: Wood, T, (nd) Base Ayres Relief (image) Available at: https://www.peterboroughcivicsociety.org.uk/neneliving1.php [Accessed: 29 December, 2021]