Statue Of Romulus And Remus On Land At Beechbarrow House

The statue of Romulus and Remus dates to 1945 and is situated on land near Beechbarrow House. It was created by Gaetano Celestra, an Italian prisoner of war, while he was interned in the Wells area. Constructed from bonded cast concrete sections in red and grey, the statue depicts the legend of Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars, suckling the she-wolf. The figures stand on a rectangular plinth with decorative vermiculation panels, supported by four square columns decorated with raised semi-circular motifs. The monument rests on a pedestal and is set against a boundary wall. An inscription on the base commemorates its erection to acknowledge the kindness shown to prisoners of war. Celestra, a mason and builder, was working on boundary wall repairs at Penleigh prisoner of war camp in 1943 when he was granted permission to build the statue with assistance from fellow prisoners. Following the war, Celestra remained in the area and continued his career as a builder and stonemason. The statue is recognized as a well-preserved, high-quality sculpture of the mid-20th century, possessing considerable historical interest as a commemorative work celebrating the connection between the prisoner of war community and local residents. It is noteworthy for its competent design and craftsmanship and successfully demonstrates the potential of concrete as a creative and visually appealing medium.