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Wolf sculpture returned to its spot in Old Hunstanton to honour legend of Saint Edmund




A wolf sculpture which honours the legend of Saint Edmund has been returned to its home in Hunstanton after being repaired by a member of the town’s Civic Society.

Mick Smith said the repair job to the solid oak wolf, which is located in between the ruins of St Edmund’s Chapel and the Old Lighthouse at Old Hunstanton, had been a “labour of love”.

Mr Smith, 72, said he and some other volunteers who tend to the gardens there had noticed the figure had become cracked in three places at the base, which meant it rocked from side to side, back in July.

Tony Armstrong and (R) Mick Smith with the repaired wolf sculpture that is now back in place near the The Lighthouse in Old Hunstanton.. (15830714)
Tony Armstrong and (R) Mick Smith with the repaired wolf sculpture that is now back in place near the The Lighthouse in Old Hunstanton.. (15830714)

“It’s a lovely bit of work, it would have been sad to see it fall apart,” he said.

With the help of fellow Hunstanton Civic Society member Tony Armstrong, Mr Smith, a retired builder and carpenter, transported the solid oak sculpture to his garage so he could work on it at the beginning of August.

Over a period of three weeks, he spent a total of about 38 hours repairing the carving and coating it in preservative, to prevent the same damage from happening again in the future.

It was returned to its spot last week, where legend says Saint Edmund, who ruled East Anglia from 855 AD to 869, first landed in Hunstanton before taking the throne.

Mick Smith with the repaired wolf sculpture that is now back in place near the The Lighthouse in Old Hunstanton.. (15830722)
Mick Smith with the repaired wolf sculpture that is now back in place near the The Lighthouse in Old Hunstanton.. (15830722)

The wolf is a significant symbol in the legend, as it is said that after King Edmund was killed by Danish invaders – as he refused to denounce his Christianity – a wolf guarded his remains.

“I know so much about that wolf now, people in Hunstanton have been calling me ‘Wolfy’,” Mr Smith said.

He now intends to regularly treat the sculpture, which was first installed in 2011, to ensure its longevity as a “centre piece” in the town.

The carving marks the final point in the Wolf Trail, which starts at the Esplanade Gardens.

More information about the legend of Saint Edmund and the wolf can be found at Hunstanton Heritage Centre, at the old NatWest bank.



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