A new sculpture commemorating Joseph Priestley's discovery of oxygen has been installed on The Green in Calne today, 15th June.

The artwork, created by Calne stone carver Geoffrey Stephenson and sculptor Richard Cowdy, marks the 250th anniversary of Priestley's discovery in 1774 while he was living in the town and carrying out experiments at nearby Bowood House.

The sculpture has been placed opposite the house where Priestley lived and forms the final part of the Priestley250 project.

A post on the Priestley250 Facebook page said: "We had our final bit of the Priestley Project installed today. This has been created by Calne stone carver Geoffrey Stephenson and sculptor Richard Cowdy.

"They have both given vast amounts of their time so Calne can have this stunning piece of public art."

The post also thanked Norths Building and Landscaping, Prune and Bloom and Beechfield Reclamation for their help with the installation.

The Priestley250 project was a community celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Priestley's discovery of oxygen in 1774.

Funded by Arts Council England and supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry, the project included a number of initiatives celebrating Priestley's connection to Calne and his contribution to science.

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