Naked statue of Archimedes could cause car crash say angry villagers

FOR some villagers, the 9ft naked statue of a mathematician in their midst just doesn’t add up.

Far from being an inspiring work of art, they say the sculpture of Archimedes is so distracting that it could cause an accident.

Villager Steven Gould wants the figure removed from its place beside the road outside owner Adrian de Ferranti’s £1million mansion in Ellisfield, Hampshire.

Mr Gould claims it could offend passersby, and wants it moved because it is ‘a potential distraction for drivers’.

He tipped off Basingstoke Council, which has told Mr de Ferranti he needs planning consent to keep the sculpture, which is lit up at night in the corner of his field.

In a letter to the council, Mr Gould said: ‘In my opinion, and although some may consider the statue to be “art”, it is totally out of character and not in keeping.

‘This statue is illuminated at night and as such is both a potential distraction for drivers of vehicles driving down the lane and inappropriate in a rural area.

‘The very nature of the statue (a naked man) may seem to represent art to some but could be seen as offensive to others.

‘I do not wish to deprive the owner of the pleasure of enjoying something he obviously appreciates but feel that this would be far more appropriate if it were located within the grounds of College Farm House where it would also be screened from the road and view of those who may take offence.’ The 6ft-wide statue was passed down to Mr de Ferranti from his father Basil, a Tory MP and MEP, who died in 1988.

Mr de Ferranti has made a retrospective planning application to keep the statue where it is. His wife, Christian, said yesterday: ‘You can walk down the road and see it – but you cannot see much.’

Tim Guinness, of Ellisfield Parish Council, said: ‘People should be inspired by it.’

Archimedes – the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer and inventor who lived in the third century BC – is regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time. He is said to have coined the exclamation ‘Eureka!’ when, stepping into a bath, he worked out the physics of buoyancy.