A local pupil’s artwork has been brought to life as a permanent sculpture at a new development in Sutton Valence, forming the centrepiece of a public art trail that celebrates the rich archaeological heritage of the site, following exciting discoveries reported last year.

The 12ft metal sculpture is the realisation of a competition-winning design concept by Sutton Valence School pupil, Tilly (14), and features three interlocking circular forms, inspired by Iron Age torc bracelets. Expertly brought to life by celebrated British sculptor, John Everiss – whose work includes pieces for RHS Chelsea Flower Show – the final result has now been unveiled and is on display, just in time for spring.

The piece was commissioned by Kent-based housebuilder, Fernham Homes, as part of the new neighbourhood of 110 homes and community amenities on North Street, moments from the village centre. Set within a landscaped pond at the centre of the site, it forms a striking gateway to a public art trail of complementary pieces featuring designs by students from the adjacent Sutton Valence School, all inspired by the archaeological heritage of the location.

A locally designed art trail for Sutton Valence

The designs for the sculpture and wider art trail are the result of a competition hosted with the local Sutton Valence School, following a series of archaeological discoveries made during early works on the site.

Pupils from across the senior school were invited to submit concepts for a range of art pieces, drawing on the archaeological finds dating from the Late Iron Age to the Early Roman period which included intricately crafted jewellery, textiles, decorated pottery and one of the oldest coins minted in Britain. Tilly’s submission was selected for the sculpture due to her impressively creative interpretation of the artefacts into such a unique and visually striking design and meaningful piece of public art.

Commenting on her approach, Tilly said: “I was really inspired by my early research into Iron Age jewellery along with the ways of using sculpture in public art. The style and decorative nature of my design reflect the traditional torc bracelet of the era, similar to those found on the site. While the circular shapes of the piece represent community.”

In addition to the sculpture, the art trail will feature a range of details and exhibits inspired by pupils’ submissions, including decorative footpath imprints drawing on cast metal motifs created by Mayson (16) and a bench mural of an iron age settlement from Zifan (12). These will be accompanied by replica ornate Iron Age-style rising pots and planting and a collection of decorative bird and bat boxes – all set throughout a woodland area within the new development.

Award-winning UK sculptor, John Everiss, was commissioned to bring the winning vision to life in the form of a large-scale permanent sculpture. Known for his long running passion for sculpture based on history, his previous works include a Battle of Britain commemorative installation at Biggin Hill – unveiled at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 – and a garden exhibition in France for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

His goal was to translate the design into a large scale, impactful piece that captured the intricate and thoughtful detail and paid homage to the heritage that inspired it. The result is over 240kg of galvanised metalwork, including some 300m of delicate wire to echo a woven bracelet style, and no less than 14 layers of paint applied in varying techniques to reflect the aged effect of the original findings.

Speaking about the commission, John said: “This was certainly one of my most unusual projects due to the sheer size of the piece. And exciting – I loved how the initiative was getting children interested in and inspired by history. Not just general history, but that in their own back garden, quite literally. I was also very impressed with the thought and detail of the students’ design submissions. I’m thrilled to have been able to play a part in bringing them and the heritage of the site to life and making them part of the community for future generations.”

James Thomas, Headmaster of Sutton Valence School, commented: ‘I am delighted that the school has been involved with the production of the art trail at Fernham Homes. Seeing Tilly’s design come to life alongside her parents and teachers was lovely and was an excellent example of creativity and understanding the history of this area. I am also very pleased that other pupils from the Prep and Senior schools will have works on display around the site as it develops in the future as well as engaging in various activities relating to the archaeological heritage here. We are proud of the partnership and look forward to continuing our relationship.’

Sean Ellis, managing director of Fernham Homes, added: “As a local company trading for over 25 years, we take immense pride in celebrating the individual heritage and character of each community we work in. The early archaeological discoveries at our new Sutton Valence site have inspired both its design and initiatives such as this that help tell more of the story of the area’s rich history.

“We have all been incredibly impressed with the creativity and enthusiasm of the local pupils, and very much enjoyed bringing this art trail forward with them and John. We’re excited to reveal this first chapter to the community ahead of the full collection of pieces throughout the art trail, which will be completed next year.”

The archaeological findings at Sutton Valence first made headlines in December 2025 and have since inspired a series of initiatives to commemorate the rich archaeological heritage, including a school competition to win a day in the life of an archaeologist. Hosted in partnership with Kent Archaeological Society, the experience was won by budding local historians, Odin (10) of Sutton Valence School and Fergus (11) of Sutton Valence Primary School.