Ian Stewart Memorial Grotesque

As most of his friends and family will know, Ian Stewart had a profound affection for the great medieval church of Beverley Minster.

From his earliest time at Carden & Godfrey Architects, initially under Emil Godfrey’s guidance, through his long years of succession to Emil as Surveyor of the Fabric from the early 1980s, up to his retirement in 2015, Ian’s knowledge of the building deepened and widened; a good part of his life embedded in its masonry and glass, carpentry and lead – and in the ongoing human life stories of the place, of those many craftsmen, consultants, clergy and others for whom the Minster was central to their lives and work.

Some of us would like to celebrate and commemorate Ian’s time at Beverley by commissioning a carved likeness in stone, to be set up on the corner of the base of one of pinnacles which are being replaced as part of an ongoing programme of repair and replacement.

In order to be able to place orders for drawing the portrait from photographs, for designing, modelling and carving the piece, and for having it built into place, we are in search of ‘crowd funding’ to cover the estimated £4,700 cost.

Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.

This invitation has been sent to a small selection of people who had the privilege to work with Ian as colleagues, clients, consultants or contractors as well as members of Ian’s family.

On retirement, Ian was so pleased when the Beverley Minster Old Fund appointed his partner at Carden & Godfrey, Andy Burrell, as his successor. Andy has been busy at Beverley ever since, and will see this project of discrete but heartfelt commemoration through to completion on site; a small addition to a magnificent set piece of church architecture, and a testament to a similarly great and much-loved conservation Architect.