Jervaulx Abbey

Courtesy of Derek Shaw

We receive many submissions of models made with Linka moulds, but when we received Mr. Derek Shaw's model of Jervaulx Abbey, we were simply blown-away!  The model was so breathtaking and so awe-inspiring, we thought it was the work of several professional model-builders working from exact scale building plans.  Imagine our surprise when we learned that the model was the work of just one man, an amateur modeler and  retired headteacher from School Aycliffe, who spent two-and-a-half years working from ruins on the original site and painstaking research into monastic architecture from the region.

Jervaulx Abbey was destroyed by Henry VIII in 1536.  All that remains today are ruined walls approximately six feet high.  The finished model resides in the Abbey's visitor's tea room (shown above).

Mr. Shaw gives us some additional information on the model's construction:

"Thought you might find these photos of interest. They are of Jervaulx Abbey (United Kingdom), as it would have appeared in 1530's, just before being destroyed by Henry VIII, using Linka Stone moulds. The project took 5 years altogether and the complete model measures 2 ½ yards by 1 ½ yards and shows what can be accomplished using Linka moulds."

"The molds I used were S1, 3, 4, and 5, one of each so you can imagine the amount of casting that had to be done. The molds were purchased 30 years ago to produce railway buildings but apart from one or two efforts it never got any further until used for this model."

"Linka castings were used for all structures except for the roofs which were made from plastikard (30 thou) to simulate the lead sheeting which covered the roofs of the original monastery and the church spire.  The model was painted with white emulsion as the monks whitewashed the whole of their buildings periodically with a lime wash . They must have stood out quite starkly in their pastoral settings."

Many thanks to Mr. Shaw for sharing this incredible model with us.  Mr. Shaw was also kind enough to send along a newspaper article on his remarkable work as well:  Jervaulx Abbey

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