Alex Wenham
Alex Wenham is an English stone carver.[1] He specialises in architectural stone carving, letter cutting, restoration work, and statues.[2]
Wenham graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 2000. Initially, he worked in London and Paris, before moving to Oxford in 2015. His projects have included work for the Houses of Parliament and St Paul's Cathedral in London, Chartres Cathedral and the Louvre in France, and Balliol College, Magdalen College,[3] and the Randolph Hotel in Oxford.[2]
He has demonstrated stone carving during Heritage Open Days[4] and Oxford Open Doors[5] at the Oxford Castle & Prison. He has given lectures on his work as an architectural stone carver, working on buildings from the 11th century onwards.[6] He also creates outdoor stone sculptures.[7] In 2017, he volunteered to produce a scupture to celebrate the Oxford-based detective novelist Colin Dexter.[8] He has used the Holywell Press to help in promoting his work when he moved from France to the UK.[9]
Wenham has received awards including top honours at the European Stone Festival five times (in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2024),[10] including as the "Overall Festival Winner".[11][12] He received a certificate for his work on restoring a statue of boxers for Magdalen College from the Oxford Preservation Trust in 2019.[13] He was awarded a commendation in the 2022 Natural Stone Awards for his carved head of Hugh Faringdon (the last abbot of Reading) on the Reading Abbey Gateway, completed in 2021 to mark the Abbey's 900th anniversary.[14] The plaster cast for the work is held in the collections of Reading Museum.[15] In 2024, he was commended in the Natural Stone Awards for the restoration of the west door of the chapel at Magdalen College.[16][17]
References
- ^ "Alex Wenham Stone Carver". mimoji.com. Mimoji. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Alex Wenham". onformsculpture.co.uk. UK: On form. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "The weird and wonderful hieroglyphics". UK: Magdalen College, Oxford. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Stone Carving at Oxford Castle & Prison". UK: Heritage Open Days. 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Oxford Open Doors". UK: Oxford Castle & Prison. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "The Conservation of Historic Stonework, talks by Alex Wenham and Richard Martin". UK: Iffley Church. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "John Howell MP unveils artwork by award-winning sculptor, Alex Wenham, at Beechcroft's Castle Gardens, Watlington". UK: Beechcroft. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Sculptor Alex Wenham volunteers to carve out Colin Dexter city tribute". The Oxford Mail. UK. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Holywell helps stone carver, Alex Wenham with branding to launch his business in the UK". Holywell Press. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Bignell, Eric (12 December 2017). "The art of stonemasonry: Alex Wenham". stonespecialist.com. StoneSpecialist. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Bignell, Eric (12 December 2014). "European Stone Festival: Oops! I did it again". stonespecialist.com. StoneSpecialist. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Bignell, Eric (13 May 2018). "British carvers take top honours at European Stone Festival". stonespecialist.com. StoneSpecialist. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Boxers Statue Restoration" (PDF). Oxford Preservation Trust Awards 2019. UK: Oxford Preservation Trust. 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Prestigious award for Reading's Abbey Gateway Hugh Faringdon Carving". UK: Reading Borough Council. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Hugh Cook Faringdon, Last Abbot of Reading: Plaster model by Alex Wenham – 2021". UK: Reading Museum. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Magdalen Chapel's West Door Restoration Earns Dual Commendations in Natural Stone Awards". UK: Magdalen College, Oxford. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Commended: Magdalen Chapel Chapel, Oxford – West Door". The Natural Stone Awards 2024. UK: Stone Federation Great Britain. 2024. p. 27. Retrieved 20 April 2025.