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September 2025 | Phonebox Magazine 11Art Trail carries on at Olney churchSt Peter & St Paul Church%u2019s 700th birthday celebrations continue as part of the Heritage Open Days programme this month. Malcolm Jones, the Churchwarden, explains more.As part of the celebrations, locally born artist Wayne Warren created an art trail around the church and churchyard, together with his long-time collaborator Jonathan Wright.The Art Trail will be available to view on the church%u2019s Heritage Open Day, Sunday 21st September, when visitors will be able to walk around the church and churchyard and continue celebrating the 700 years since its foundation.Some of the pieces have been exhibited previously, others were created especially for the church. The fi rst thing you might see would be Wayne%u2019s Golden Frame near the north gate. Previously installed in Blenheim Palace gardens, Wayne invites you to put yourself in the picture to become part of the history of the church.As you approach the main door of the church, on the right you will see Wayne%u2019s 700 fl ag and, buried to the right of the porch is a piece entitled %u2018modern archaeology%u2019, which has perplexed some visitors. Here Wayne asks you to think about what archaeologists in the future might make of the remains of our society.Make a detour to the small east gate, and you will see Jonathan%u2019s watchers %u2013 four fi gures gazing over the churchyard in all directions. What do you think they are looking for? Following the path round to the tomb of John Newton, you may be surprised to see a %u2018Bank%u2019 underground station sign. John Newton was originally interred in the crypt of St Mary Woolnoth in the City of London. Following the building of the London Underground, the crypt was emptied and Newton%u2019s coffi n brought back to Olney; his original resting place now being Bank Underground station!Returning to the church porch, you will see Jonathan%u2019s %u2018Badge%u2019, modern fi gures framed in scallop shells, the medieval badge of the pilgrim, inviting you to join their pilgrimage to our church. Four further works await you inside.On the Lady Chapel windowsill, beneath the window depicting William Cowper with John Newton, are nine small hares (although Cowper famously only had three hares as pets). These are miniature versions of the large hares Wayne created for the Cowper and Newton Museum last year, and each has an individual character %u2013 which one is your favourite?On another windowsill in the chancel, close to the memorial of an earlier shipwreck, you can see Jonathan%u2019s boat, called %u2018fi rmament%u2019. This is an extraordinary work of miniature craftsmanship, with the hull painted to mirror the fourteenth-century painter Giotto%u2019s Heavenly Firmament.In the south west corner, placed on a pedestal in John Newton%u2019s reputed pulpit, is Wayne%u2019s %u2018Chalice for the 21st Century%u2019. Wayne was brought up as a catholic in Olney, and his chalice incorporates a catholic monstrance %u2013 the symbol of the living presence of Christ. Finally, in the opposite corner are reproductions of two of Wayne%u2019s Golden Doors, the originals exhibited in China, with the inscription %u2018What does nothing look like?%u2019.Do come and follow the art trail, and if you are entering or leaving Olney at night, you may notice Wayne%u2019s %u2018Nightlight%u2019 colouring the tower and spire pink!Wayne Warren (left) with Malcolm Jones