Neville Northey Burnard
Encyclopedia
Neville Northey Burnard was an Cornish
sculptor best known for his portrait
figures.
Burnard was born in the village of Altarnun
, on the edge of Bodmin Moor
, Cornwall
, and was the son of George Burnard, a local stonemason. He showed a talent for carving stone at an early age. Aged sixteen years, he sculpted a relief portrait of John Wesley
over the doorway of the Wesleyan
Meeting House next to his home. He went on to twice win the Silver Medal of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
.
He became a celebrated society sculptor, was introduced to Queen Victoria, and his work was exhibited at the Royal Academy
in London. He was in constant demand for public commissions, although he regularly returned to Cornwall. After turning to drink after the death of his daughter, he lost his wife and clients and returned to Cornwall permanently as a tramp
. At one time he was reportedly discovered in a barn in St Cleer
, where kindly folk looked after him until he went on the road again. He eventually died in Redruth
Workhouse
in 1878. He was buried in a pauper's grave in Camborne
. In 1954 The Old Cornwall Society of Camborne erected a slate
tombstone on his previously unmarked grave.
Among his best known works are the statue of Richard Lander on the top of the Lander Memorial in Lemon Street, Truro
, which he sculpted in 1852, (this has been the subject of much concern lately due to extensive erosion) and the memorial to Ebenezer Elliott
in Sheffield
(1854).
As well as many fine gravestones, he also sculpted busts of Richard Trevithick
, (now in the County Museum and Art Gallery in Truro), Dr George Smith in Camborne
's Wesley Chapel, and William Bickford-Smith
, MP for Truro and Helston
, now at Trevarno, Cornwall
. Other examples of his work can also be seen in the Royal Cornwall Museum
.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
sculptor best known for his portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
figures.
Burnard was born in the village of Altarnun
Altarnun
Altarnun is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is located on the north-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor at .The parish of Altarnun includes the village of Fivelanes and the hamlets of Bolventor, Treween and Trewint, and had a population of 976 according to the 2001 census...
, on the edge of Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and was the son of George Burnard, a local stonemason. He showed a talent for carving stone at an early age. Aged sixteen years, he sculpted a relief portrait of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
over the doorway of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
Meeting House next to his home. He went on to twice win the Silver Medal of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...
.
He became a celebrated society sculptor, was introduced to Queen Victoria, and his work was exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in London. He was in constant demand for public commissions, although he regularly returned to Cornwall. After turning to drink after the death of his daughter, he lost his wife and clients and returned to Cornwall permanently as a tramp
Itinerant
An itinerant is a person who travels from place to place with no fixed home. The term comes from the late 16th century: from late Latin itinerant , from the verb itinerari, from Latin iter, itiner ....
. At one time he was reportedly discovered in a barn in St Cleer
St Cleer
St Cleer is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the southeast flank of Bodmin Moor approximately two miles north of Liskeard....
, where kindly folk looked after him until he went on the road again. He eventually died in Redruth
Redruth
Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
Workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
in 1878. He was buried in a pauper's grave in Camborne
Camborne
Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
. In 1954 The Old Cornwall Society of Camborne erected a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
tombstone on his previously unmarked grave.
Among his best known works are the statue of Richard Lander on the top of the Lander Memorial in Lemon Street, Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, which he sculpted in 1852, (this has been the subject of much concern lately due to extensive erosion) and the memorial to Ebenezer Elliott
Ebenezer Elliott
Ebenezer Elliott was an English poet, known as the Corn Law rhymer.-Early life:Elliott was born at the New Foundry, Masbrough, in the Parish of Rotherham, Yorkshire. His father, was an extreme Calvinist and a strong Radical, and was engaged in the iron trade...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
(1854).
As well as many fine gravestones, he also sculpted busts of Richard Trevithick
Richard Trevithick
Richard Trevithick was a British inventor and mining engineer from Cornwall. His most significant success was the high pressure steam engine and he also built the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive...
, (now in the County Museum and Art Gallery in Truro), Dr George Smith in Camborne
Camborne
Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
's Wesley Chapel, and William Bickford-Smith
William Bickford-Smith
William Bickford-Smith was an English fuse manufacturer and a Liberal and Liberal Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892....
, MP for Truro and Helston
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
, now at Trevarno, Cornwall
Trevarno, Cornwall
Trevarno is a country estate in south-west, Cornwall, United Kingdom , once the seat of the Bickford-Smith family. It is situated near the village of Crowntown, two miles north-east of Helston....
. Other examples of his work can also be seen in the Royal Cornwall Museum
Royal Cornwall Museum
The Royal Cornwall Museum is a museum in the city of Truro, Cornwall, England. It is the oldest museum in Cornwall and the leading museum of Cornish culture. Its exhibits include minerals, an unwrapped mummy and objects relating to Cornwall’s unique culture...
.