Dorking Cockerel
51°14′08.6″N 0°19′20.5″W / 51.235722°N 0.322361°W
![A large, shiny, metallic sculpture of a chicken facing right](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Dorking_Cockerel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_582787.jpg/220px-Dorking_Cockerel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_582787.jpg)
![The sculpture surrounded by a large circle of grass and a roundabout](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Dorking_Cockerel.jpg/220px-Dorking_Cockerel.jpg)
![The sculpture, facing left, wearing a gold medal labeled "London 2012" with a red and blue knitted ribbon](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Dorking_Cockerel_August_2012.jpg/220px-Dorking_Cockerel_August_2012.jpg)
![The sculpture, viewed from the front, wearing ornate red and blue knitwear on the head and drooping around the neck](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/The_Dorking_Cockerel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3025832.jpg/220px-The_Dorking_Cockerel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3025832.jpg)
The Dorking Cockerel is a sculpture on Deepdene roundabout in
Commissioning and erection
The town of Dorking in Surrey, has a long connection with the poultry trade. The Dorking chicken was bred locally and sold to London consumers.[1] The chicken is a popular local symbol and has featured in the logos of local clubs and societies, including Dorking Wanderers F.C., and on road signs.[2] Dorking councillor Neil Maltby proposed that the town commission a piece of modern art to sit in Deepdene roundabout and represent the town, and a cockerel was decided upon.[1]
The sculpture was created by Peter Parkinson of the Fire and Iron Gallery in nearby Leatherhead.[1] He built an extension to his house to allow him to work on the sculpture indoors.[2] It was modelled on Glen Two, a former exhibition and stud cockerel, owned by local poultry breeder Lana Gazder. It includes the distinctive fifth toe of the Dorking breed.[2] There were some difficulties in the process, as Glen Two was moulting at the time and had lost his tail feathers.[1] The sculpture took eight months to build and was erected in the roundabout on 5 February 2007.[2] There was some opposition to the statue during its design and construction, but it has since become a popular local landmark.[1]
Decoration
The sculpture is the subject of frequent
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4721-4611-3.
- ^ a b c d Tobin, Olivia (5 February 2017). "Ever wondered why there is a cockerel on Deepdene roundabout?". SurreyLive. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Duffell, Beth (1 February 2017). "Dorking Cockerel's top knitted attire ahead of 10th birthday". SurreyLive. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ Steed, Les (21 May 2018). "The Dorking Cockerel". SurreyLive. Retrieved 4 March 2022.