17 Norwood

Norwood is a beautiful terrace of houses built in the early/mid 1890s by local builder Alexander Robertson. These are perfect examples of the elegant villas that were built higher up the hill as the village quickly expanded after the arrival of the railway. Interestingly, Robertson started building in the middle of the row, with the two that are different in design to the rest of the row (they are now numbered 17-24). These two blocks are much wider that the other pairs on the street, so Robertson may well have changed his design to fit in more houses.

Scott Sutherland

Here we are focusing on 17 Norwood, home from the 1950s until the 1980s of renowned sculptor Scott Sutherland. Sutherland was born in Wick and studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, Edinburgh College of Art and Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was appointed Head of Sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1947.

The Commando Memorial

Sutherland’s most important work is the Commando Memorial at Achnacarry near Spean Bridge. He won a national competition for this work in 1949. The following is included in a Royal Scottish Academy obituary:
”…He had known and worked alongside commandos during the war and had a great admiration for them. In addition the scale was right – heroic in proportions – matching its subject.

Dedication ceremony with the Queen Mother 1952

No sooner had the work been unveiled than the greatest possible tributes came pouring in from around the globe. The Commando Memorial, despite its remoteness of setting, remains one of the most visited and best loved sculptures in Scotland.”

Other Works

The High Jump

Other significant works by Sutherland include The Black Watch memorial outside Dundee, Robert Burns outside Arbroath Library and the coat of arms over the doorway of the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. In Madras College in St Andrews is the High Jump, restored and re-sited there in 2022. This sculpture was presented to the school by Sutherland’s children after his death. They had been pupils at Madras.

Scott Sutherland died in Newport in 1984.