missing Shirehall goblin
Norfolk Nick returned to his rightful home
TRACEY GRAY
Last updated: 19/08/2009 06:00:00
After a long absence a familiar face has been put back in his rightful place in the city.
A stone plaque of a man who has been given the name 'Norfolk Nick' was re-instated on the back wall of the Shirehall Museum, home of the old Shirehall prison, in Castle Meadow.
The original plaque disappeared some time ago. It is believed it went missing in the 1990s when the Castle Museum was being refurbished.
Ingo Wagenknecht, the stonemason who has copied and carved the new plaque from existing photographs provided by a University of East Anglia employee, said: "His face has been known for decades here in Norwich and the plaque's disappearance after the Castle refurbishments was noted by many.
"A group of us starting talking about it via the internet and we decided to take it to another level and do something about it".
In fact the money for creating the new stone carving was donated by a former Norwich dweller, 'Matty' who used to live in Sheringham, but has now moved to Canada, and who remembered Norfolk Nick as she passed him each time she went to school.
Mr Wagenknecht said: "It has taken two years for this to come to fruition, but he is finally back up on the wall. Just who he is, though, and what his connection to the city is, remains a mystery.
"I think he may be representing some kind of goblin because of his funny-shaped ear and the hat he is wearing, but he could be one of the inmates or someone connected to the prison in another way."
The original mould which Mr Wagenknecht made for the stone carving is being kept at his south Norfolk home, so if Nick should go missing again, another plaque can be made.
Norfolk Property Services (NPS), Norwich City council and Landscape and Heritage have all supported the re-instatement of the plaque.
Peter Weavers from NPS said: "It is wonderful to see the plaque going back up in its rightful place. We are so glad that Ingo has taken it up on himself to do this."
Castle Meadow
Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK
missing Shirehall goblin
Norfolk Nick returned to his rightful home
TRACEY GRAY
Last updated: 19/08/2009 06:00:00
After a long absence a familiar face has been put back in his rightful place in the city.
A stone plaque of a man who has been given the name 'Norfolk Nick' was re-instated on the back wall of the Shirehall Museum, home of the old Shirehall prison, in Castle Meadow.
The original plaque disappeared some time ago. It is believed it went missing in the 1990s when the Castle Museum was being refurbished.
Ingo Wagenknecht, the stonemason who has copied and carved the new plaque from existing photographs provided by a University of East Anglia employee, said: "His face has been known for decades here in Norwich and the plaque's disappearance after the Castle refurbishments was noted by many.
"A group of us starting talking about it via the internet and we decided to take it to another level and do something about it".
In fact the money for creating the new stone carving was donated by a former Norwich dweller, 'Matty' who used to live in Sheringham, but has now moved to Canada, and who remembered Norfolk Nick as she passed him each time she went to school.
Mr Wagenknecht said: "It has taken two years for this to come to fruition, but he is finally back up on the wall. Just who he is, though, and what his connection to the city is, remains a mystery.
"I think he may be representing some kind of goblin because of his funny-shaped ear and the hat he is wearing, but he could be one of the inmates or someone connected to the prison in another way."
The original mould which Mr Wagenknecht made for the stone carving is being kept at his south Norfolk home, so if Nick should go missing again, another plaque can be made.
Norfolk Property Services (NPS), Norwich City council and Landscape and Heritage have all supported the re-instatement of the plaque.
Peter Weavers from NPS said: "It is wonderful to see the plaque going back up in its rightful place. We are so glad that Ingo has taken it up on himself to do this."
Castle Meadow
Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK