Sculpture Railings

As part of its commitment to enhance public space for everyone in the Village to enjoy, GTC commissioned the Sculpture Railings, now installed between St Andrew’s Church and the car park. 

Created by artist Matthew Lane Sanderson, the design of the Sculpture Railings incorporates the geese and quills historically associated with Girton when flocks of domestic geese provided quills for the University, as well as a tree of life using the Fibonacci sequence to define the proportion of panels and post settings. 

An ‘Engagement Board’ giving the background to the design is located next to the Railings, providing Village residents with additional information on the elements they contain.

Matthew Lane Sanderson, who was awarded the project back in 2015, uses both hand skills and modern industrial technology to interpret historical craft techniques creating original, robust, visually delicate, large scale artworks. 

Born in Cambridge, he lived and worked in East Anglia for many years supplying work for permanent and temporary sites nationally and internationally. A few years ago he moved to Herefordshire where he has larger and more permanent studio space for his structures.

This project, which has been wholly funded by GTC, includes the new footpath and replacement bus shelter in keeping with the Grade II Star of St Andrew’s Church and the environmental improvements made by the Sculpture Railings. At the same time, Girton Parish Council undertook refurbishment of the car park.