Drummer sculpture returns to Truro's Hall for Cornwall

Work to reinstate the 15ft sculpture representing Cornish identity began on Tuesday morning

The Drummer sculpture, created by artist and sculptor Tim Shaw, has returned to the centre of Truro.

The sculpture was commissioned by Cornwall Council and installed on Lemon Quay in the city centre in 2011.

It was temporarily moved to the Eden Project in 2018 to allow the Hall for Cornwall to undergo a major refurbishment programme.

The 15ft (4.6m) piece represented Cornish identity and a place where "the drum beats differently", Mr Shaw said.

Work to reinstate the statue began on Tuesday morning.

The casting contains both Cornish tin and copper, while an emblem upon the drum refers to Truro's past as a stannary town, where tin was weighed, stamped and sold.

The statue has returned after being moved in 2018 to allow work to be carried out on the Hall for Cornwall

The decision to use the ball on which the figure balances was inspired by Lemon Quay's pedestrianised circular paving design, which refers to the tidal river beneath it, Cornwall Council said.

When describing the idea behind the artwork, Mr Shaw said he was invited to submit a proposal for a sculpture in 2007 and "viewed the opportunity as a chance to celebrate something that would reflect an aspect of Cornwall and its people".

He added: "In the time between the Drummer's removal from Lemon Quay and its return, huge changes have occurred globally, and also in our county, where we have witnessed the reshaping of its landscape.

"In this time of rapid change and development, it is vitally important that we protect the uniqueness of Cornwall; its beauty and feeling of "otherness" - so that we can continue to experience and celebrate it as a place where the drum beats differently."