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Elgar's four-legged friend returns to Hereford

Nicola Goodwin
BBC Midlands Investigations team
BBC A stone carving of a bulldog. Dan was owned by the former organist of Hereford Cathedral, George Robinson Sinclair, and inspired the composer Edward Elgar when he fell into the River Wye during a walk in 1898. The stone Dan looks happy. BBC
Dan the bulldog inspired Elgar's 11th Enigma Variation

A much loved pet that inspired the composer Edward Elgar has been honoured in a stone sculpture.

Dan the bulldog is the hero of Elgar's 11th Enigma Variation, but a wooden statue in Hereford installed in 2002 was looking a bit worse for wear.

With funding from Hereford Guild of Mayor's Guides, a new sculpture of Dan has been carved in local sandstone and will soon be back on the banks of the River Wye.

"It's amazing. For so long, when we've taken our walks along the river bank we've been a bit sorry to show people poor old Dan in his shabby state," said Angela Eaton from the guild.

Angela Eaton is a woman in her 50s with grey hair cut in a bob style and blue glasses. She is wearing a blue and white coat and a blue jumper. She has her hands on the new stone sculpture of Dan and the old wooden statue.
Angela Eaton from Hereford Guild of Mayor's Guides is delighted with the new stone statue of Dan

"He was thrown into the river at one point and travelled downstream to Mordiford, where he was spotted by a local resident," Ms Eaton said.

"He installed him in his own garden and tried to hold Herefordshire Council to ransom for not looking after him properly."

The Hereford dog who inspired legendary composer

The original Dan was a much-loved pet of the former organist at Hereford Cathedral, George Robertson Sinclair.

In 1898, he was walking along the River Wye with his friend Edward Elgar when Dan fell into the water.

All 14 parts of Elgar's orchestral work are inspired by one of his friends.

He dedicated the 11th to Dan and recreated the sounds of him falling down the bank, paddling upstream and celebrating climbing out with a bark.

The new sculpture has been carved by Saul Sheldon at Hereford Cathedral's Stonemason's Yard, a few metres away from where the real Dan lived.

Stonemason Saul Sheldon is using a chisel and mallet to carve the top of Dan the bulldog's head. Saul is in a workshop with a workbench and ladder nearby. He is in his 40s, has dark hair and glasses and he is wearing a grey fleece jumper.
Saul Sheldon took nine days to carve Dan from local sandstone

"He's climbing out of the reeds, out of the river," said Mr Sheldon.

"If he was just sat there, gazing up at the clouds it would have been a bit easier I suppose but it's nice to do something a bit different.

"The old wooden one, he's been on his travels down the Wye.

"Hopefully this one will be much harder to tip over, that's for sure."

The wooden statue of Dan is badly damaged and his face can no longer be recognised as a bulldog. The wood is cracked and one of his ears is missing.
The original wooden sculpture of Dan has been damaged by floods

The new stone Dan has been funded by the Hereford Guild of Mayor's Guides, the Elmley Foundation, Hereford City Council and the Herefordshire Community Foundation.

He will be on permanent display on the Bishop's Meadow, opposite Hereford Cathedral.

The sculpture will be unveiled on 26 July to mark the opening of the Three Choirs Festival in Hereford.

The original wooden carving of Dan will be put on display at Hereford Museum.

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