“Waitrose Botley Road featuring a stainless steel Barn Owl and Mice. The work honours the site's history as a medieval "tything."”
Commissioned for the opening of the Waitrose Botley Road Oxford branch in 2015, this installation serves as a historical marker for the site. The artwork consists of seven stainless steel columns, crowned by a life-sized Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and three Field Mice, together with the seven tything posts, represent the shared community spirit of a food store - or tythe barn - creating a skyline silhouette of the Oxfordshire countryside.
The concept is rooted in the location’s 10th-century history. Botley was originally a "tything"—a hamlet of ten households—and one of seven tythings in the parish of Cumnor. The seven steel posts represent these historic settlements. The sculpture draws a parallel between the ancient "tithe barn," where the community's produce was stored, and the modern supermarket.
The Barn Owl, a traditional guardian of grain stores, watches over the "produce" and the three mice below. Crafted from stainless steel, the owl features layered, textured plumage that catches the light, while the mice are rendered in smooth, alert postures, adding a touch of narrative humour to the entrance of the store.
