Great Pagoda
Master Carver
Ron Hester, a master carver, was commissioned to create a new dragon for the Great Pagoda in Kew Gardens. The Great Pagoda was originally built in 1762 as a gift for Princess Augusta, the founder of the Gardens, and was designed by Sir William Chambers. The pagoda was restored to its original 18th century splendour in 2018, which included the restoration of the 80 dragons that originally adorned the roofs of the pagoda. Eight of the dragons were hand-carved out of wood and gilded, and were a popular ‘folly’ of the age, offering one of the earliest and finest bird’s eye views of London.
Myth & Legend
Ron Hester was central to the renovation of the Great Pagoda, and a number of carving tutors and alumni from City & Guilds of London Art School were commissioned to carve the sculptures. 72 of the dragons were 3D printed and eight were carved from African Red Cedar wood. The restoration project required extensive documentary and forensic research, which revealed two markedly different eighteenth-century schemes of decoration undertaken by the architect William Chambers in 1761 and 1784. The Great Pagoda is located near the Temperate House and Pavilion Bar and Grill, and is closed until spring 2024.
Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom · Woodcarver-antique restorer.
Carving and lettering in Wood & Stone. Restoration specialist. Historic reproductions and one off commissions.
Antique Restoration | Carving & Gilding | Architectural Carving
Decorative Carving | Pattern Making | Furniture Carving
Emma Nobes 2004