‘Sentius Tectonicus’ is an innovative and iconic sculpture of a Roman centurion at Segedunum, Wallsend marking the start and end of Hadrian’s Wall, the World Heritage Site and huge tourist attraction stretching right across the North. A special exhibition in the Museum tells the sculpture’s remarkable story.
The sculpture of a Roman centurion by local artist John O’Rourke entitled ‘Sentius Tectonicus’ marks the start and end of Hadrian’s Wall and the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail. It was commissioned by North Tyneside Council, constructed from weathering steel by Wallsend engineering firm WD Close and trainees from AIS Connect, and installed by Capita. ‘Sentius’ was the name, preserved in an inscription, of a centurion who supervised the building of a section of the Wall close to Segedunum. ‘Tectonicus’ refers to the sculpture’s design as an architectural man, with the centurion’s torso emerging from a Roman four storey building.
The sculpture is now on permanent display at Segedunum. Gallery 3 of Segedunum Museum is displaying an exhibition ‘Sentius Tectonicus; Constructing a Centurion’ until 30 September 2018 that charts the sculptor’s creative process and the complex fabrication of the work by engineers from local firm WD Close. It includes complex, colour-coded Auto Cad drawings (produced at Glasgow Sculpture Studios), along with photographs of the full-size work being fabricated. The half-size prototype is also on display accompanied by many working drawings.