Gerry’s Pompeii | The Strange Sculptures Along Grand Union Canal
Along the Grand Union Canal Towpath in North Kensington you’ll spot an extraordinary collection of strange sculptures staring back at you.
Now known as ‘Gerrys Pompeii’ it’s a one-of-a-kind sculpture park created over decades by local resident Gerry Dalton.
Using wood and concrete sourced from a local builder’s merchant, Gerry created thousands of replicas of iconic buildings and busts of famous historic figures.
As well as his own garden space he contacted the council, getting permission to reclaimed the 60ft canalside garden which was previously a derelict space – only accessible by climbing over a wall with a ladder!
The name Gerry’s Pompeii comes from a comment from Gerry himself;
“They’ll be astonished by what they’ll find in my garden in years to come. It’ll be like Pompeii or something… Gerry’s Pompeii.”
Gerry passed away in August 2019 and there’s since been a campaign to save the artworks, ideally in-situ. You can get a sense of the epic nature of his life’s work in this Guardian article which shows the multitude of sculptures inside his home. However, the home has now reverted to the ownership of Genesis Housing Association.
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I first walked past in November 2020 and it seems that the outdoor elements have stayed, but I’ve yet to see an update about the interior work or the confirmed status of Gerry’s Pompeii.
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