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Oxygen - Joseph Priestley Pavement Display

Birstall, Yorkshire 1733 - Northumberland County, Pennsylvania 1804
English Separatist theologian, natural philosopher, chemist, innovative grammarian, multi-subject educator, and liberal political theorist; historically been credited with the discovery of oxygen
(Wikipedia)

Various sculptors
s.d.

Calne / Oxygen - Joseph Priestley Pavement Display

Description

Several round stones with reliefs in a geometric mosaic of brickwork. In the centre is a bronze relief of the symbol of the element Oxygen with a portrait of Joseph Priestley, circumscribed oxygen symbol - 1733 1804 - joseph priestley. Priestley lived from 1733-80 in Calne.
Close around this central piece are six circular stones with low reliefs, of a fish, a ship, flowers, fire, a rooster and a tree.

Calne - Oxygen - Joseph Priestley Pavement Display
Ship
Flowers
Fire

Rooster
Tree
Fish
More to the edge of the cobblestone mosaic are twelve stones with the symbols of chemical elements by John Dalton, with their names in the outer circle: silver, mercury, platina, lime, gold, potash, lead, phosphorus, zinc, sulphur, copper, and magnesia.

Calne - Oxygen - Joseph Priestley Pavement Display
Sulphur
Copper
Magnesia
Silver
Mercury
Platina

Lime
Gold
Potash
Lead
Phosphorus
Zinc

Around the whole is a circular low wall, with seven low pillars, with at the top tiles with images of various animals, and an acorn atop, and a text in the edge. It is not clear if this belongs to the Priestley memorial.

Calne - Oxygen - Joseph Priestley Pavement Display
lobster, married bliss and harmony
butterfly, symbol of the soul & psyche
magpie, symbol of joy
owl, symbol of wisdom

doves, love, peace and concord
carp, koi symbol of perseverance
pheasant, health, beauty, good fortune

Inscription(s)

Dr. Joseph Priestley
This featured paving celebrates the life of Dr. Joseph Priestley LLD, FRS (1733 - 1804)
who discovered oxygen - in August 1774, at Bowood House. Here he was employed
by Lord Shelburne (later First Marquis of Lansdowne) as librarian and tutor to his
sons and provided with a laboratory. Priestley was also very interested in which gases
would dissolve in water and often visited the River Marden in Calne - at so-called
'Doctor's Pond' near his home on The Green and not far from this spot.
The bronze head of Priestley is encircled by the symbol for oxygen and this in turn by
six brass motifs of all that depends on this gas - air, fire, fresh water, plants, fish
and land animals. The mosaic therefore illustrates the importance of oxygen, which
gives the 'breath of life' to all living things. The remaining motifs are symbols of the
other elements discovered by Priesley and his contemporaries.
Design and execution of the mosaic was undertaken by
David Reeves, Chris Fixsen and Vivien ap Rhys Price, members of the
Calne Artists' Group

Sculptors

Chris Fixsen, woodcarver and sculptor, member of the Calne Artist Group.
Vivien ap Rhys Pryce (1933), member of the Calne Artist Group.
David Reeves, member of the Calne Artist Group.

Locatie (N 51°26'17" - W 2°0'14") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gbsw019; Photograph: 20 March 2019
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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