BBC - A History of the World - Object : The Ice Man Motif

The Ice Man Motif

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The Ice Man
Carved by Chris Helyar, 1994

This is a replica of a keystone (centre stone of an arch) c.1800, from the former Grosvenor Hotel, Grosvenor Place, London Road, Bath.

Local tradition says that the ice-man was specially carved to commemorate a great frost, but in fact the motif is often found in eighteenth-century pattern-books.

The carving was commissioned by The Building of Bath Museum as part of the Peter Greening Memorial Award for final year stonemasonary students at the City of Bath College. The block of stone was donated by stone carving company Barry Baldwin Ltd, Corsham.

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