The Queen's Beasts at Blenheim Palace

Using a mix of more than 1,000 discarded tin cans, car parts, water boilers and even a fire extinguisher, contemporary British sculptor Tom Hiscocks has created a stunning new interpretation of the ‘Queen’s Beasts’ - a set of 10 heraldic animals depicting the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II.

'The Queen's Beasts'

The original sculptures were commissioned by the Ministry of Works to stand outside Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s coronation back in 1953.

Made from plaster, they were later given to Canada and stone replicas made in 1958 which now reside in Kew Gardens.

Tom’s newly-imagined ‘Beasts’ were first introduced to the Queen during her 2012 Diamond Jubilee tour, and they have now taken up residence in The Pleasure Gardens at Blenheim Palace as part of a new outdoor sculpture exhibition which opens this week.

He was inspired to recreate the ‘Beasts’ to reflect their traditional values encompassing strength, harmony, purity, power, wisdom, swiftness of purpose and military might, in a contemporary context.

Tom’s use of recycled materials is also a comment on the use and sustainability of resources today where so much is considered disposable.

‘The Queen's Beasts’ by Tom Hiscocks are on display in the Pleasure Gardens at Blenheim Palace from May 1st - June 30th.