Behold Jorrocks the huntsman. He sits proudly atop his steed. The bronze horse is mid-leap. A real laurel hedge lies beneath.
This magnificent sculpture is Jorrocks on horse leaping hedge. It’s a bronze masterpiece. It stands near East Croydon station. It immortalizes a 19th-century fictional character. John Jorrocks was the creation of R S Surtees.
The story behind Jorrocks’s Croydon appearance is quite intriguing. Waites Construction commissioned it in 1982. Paul Waite a director of Waites loved Surtees’s writing. He envisioned a humorous bronze sculpture. He chose Jorrocks. The sculpture depicts Jorrocks’s chaotic ride from Covent Garden. He joined a hunt in Croydon.
Sculptor John W Mills created the artwork. He collaborated with Waite on the design. The bronze was cast at the Meridian Foundry in Peckham. The foundry no longer exists.
Interestingly the council planned an unveiling ceremony. However the anti-bloodsports lobby protested. The sculpture was installed secretly overnight. It started Mills on creating many large equestrian sculptures. His work continues to this day.
Jorrocks on horse leaping hedge is more than a statue. It’s a testament to a fictional character. It’s also a reflection of a company’s unique art patronage. It’s a symbol of Croydon’s hidden history. Its secret installation is also part of its charm. Stand before Jorrocks. Let his adventurous spirit inspire you.