The statue of Romulus, Remus and the wolf is in concrete, by Gaetano Celestra. Celestra was an Italian Prisoner of War at the Pen Hill Camp.
The inscription reads 'During the Second World War there were Italian Prisoners of War in camp close to this site. Towards the end of the war many of these men were allowed to work on local farms. Some were selected to live in at the farms and many became part of the family.
'One of the prisoners, an artist named Gaetano Celestra, with the help of his colleagues designed and sculpted this statue of Romulus, Remus and the wolf in appreciation of the kindness shown to them during their forced stay in this country.
'According to legend Romulus and Remus were the twin sons of Mars, the God of War, and Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia. Amulius, the king, had the babes placed in a trough and cast into the River Tiber. they drifted ashore and were rescued by a female wolf who suckled, fed and protected them until Faustulus, a shepherd, and his wife found them and raised them into adulthood. Romulus and Remus both had plans to build a city but had such a violent disagreement about who should be king that Romulus killed Remus. Romulus built the city which he ruled as king for forty years.
'That city is Rome - founded in 753 BC'.
This is part of the Job: 2K/10914 Statue Of Romulus, Remus And The Wolf, Bristol Road, St Cuthbert Out; within the Volume: BF111632 Mendip Project; within the Series: EHC01/112 Mendip Project; within the Collection: EHC01 English Heritage(EH):Archive
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Williams, Peter
Sculptor: Celestra, Gaetano
20th Century Plaque, 20th Century Statue
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