The Hauntings
The Hauntings at Balhousie Castle
‘The Hauntings’, a scrap metal sculpture of a war-weary soldier, will be on display at the Castle and Museum between 1 July and 12 November 2023.
The ghostly sculpture, which stands at 6 meters high, was commissioned for the World War One centenary in 2014 by a couple based in Somerset, Jo Oliver and Paul Richards, to commemorate those who served in the war. The inspiration behind the sculpture was the reported sightings of a ghostly soldier seen wandering around the Somerset hills close to where Jo grew up, looking for his way home.
The sculpture was made by metal sculpture specialists, Dorset Forge and Fabrication, a combination of the talents of blacksmith Chris Hannam and artist Martin Galbavy. It is made from over 1,000 pieces of locally sourced scrap metal including horseshoes, brake discs, and car jacks, and its intricate design allows the light to filter through his body giving a ghostly aura.
The Hauntings will be on display in the Castle Courtyard and free to view.
Meet The Creators
In celebration of The Hauntings visiting Balhousie Castle, we talked with Jo Oliver (sculpture owner) and Chris Hannam about the inspiration and creation of this impressive artwork. Click on the links below to hear them share their stories.
Here Jo Oliver talks about the inspiration, the creation of and her relationship to The Hauntings and his legacy.
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Chris Hannam, the owner of Dorset Forge and Fabrication shares with us the progress of making this incredible piece of art.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey…
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- What was involved in the design process and fabrication of The Hauntings?
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- Why use scrap metal?
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- What are the biggest challenges when creating a sculpture like this?
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- What part of this project excited you the most?
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- How did the sculpture make you feel when it was completed?
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Thank you to Jo and Chris for speaking with us, we hope you have enjoyed listening to their thoughts and unique perspectives.
All images on this page are copyright of Jo Oliver.
Visitor Information
We have created a list of Frequently Asked Questions which we hope will help you to plan your visit and provide some background information about The Hauntings sculpture.
Acknowledgements
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the people and organisations that have made it possible for The Hauntings to visit The Black Watch Castle and Museum.
Jo Oliver and Paul Richards | Owners of The Hauntings
Chris Hannam |Blacksmith
Martin Galbavy | Artist
Drew Hay | Balhousie Glazing
Mercure Hotel | Perth
Perth and Kinross Council
Greenspace
Beautiful Perth
VisitScotland
Jimmie Cairncross Charitable Trust
Friends of The Black Watch Castle and Museum
Perth Common Good Fund
Forteviot Trust
The Binn Group