Statues of Wallace and Gromit in Preston Market

The Wallace and Gromit statue is a beloved bronze sculptural group located in Preston, Lancashire, England, situated at the corner of Earl and Market Streets at the entrance to the Covered Market. Installed in 2021, this charming monument celebrates the titular characters from the Wallace & Gromit claymation franchise, created by Preston-born animator Nick Park and produced by Aardman Animations.

Overview

Attribute	Details
Designer	Nick Park (main artist)
Type	Statue, bench monument
Material	Bronze
Location	Earl St, Preston PR1 2JA, United Kingdom
Opening Date	10 September 2021
Dedicated To	Wallace and Gromit

Design and Features

The sculpture consists of two bronze statues that bring the beloved characters to life. In the foreground, Gromit—an anthropomorphic beagle—sits on a bench reading a newspaper, while Wallace stands behind him wearing one of his famous inventions, the “Techno Trousers,” from the 1993 short film The Wrong Trousers.

The monument was designed by Nick Park in collaboration with other artists at Aardman Animations and local sculptor Peter Hodgkinson. The work was funded by the local town fund and has become a cherished landmark in the city.

A Tribute to Preston's Creative Legacy

Wallace and Gromit’s roots lead to Preston through their creator Nick Park. Born in Preston’s Brookfield Park in 1958, Nick grew up on the Greenlands Estate. After visiting Bristol for two summers to assist Aardman Animations with their work for the BBC, Nick moved to Bristol and joined the company full time in 1985. His first Wallace and Gromit short, A Grand Day Out, was released through Aardman Animations in 1989.

The statue serves as a testament to Preston’s cultural vibrancy and its connection to one of the most beloved animation franchises in history.

Feathers McGraw Companion Statue

On 20 February 2025, a companion statue of Feathers McGraw—the penguin antagonist and nemesis of Wallace and Gromit—was unveiled nearby. This bronze sculpture, standing 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) in height, is located at the corner of Lowthian and Orchard Streets, in front of the Animate Preston cinema on Tenterfield Street.

The statue depicts Feathers McGraw wearing a rubber glove on top of his head (in disguise as a chicken) and holding a remote controller, as he appeared in The Wrong Trousers while controlling Wallace’s mechanised pants. The unveiling ceremony was attended by Nick Park, Chris Butler and Chris Jones (owners of Castle Fine Arts Foundry, which cast the statue), and Philip Crowe, the mayor of Preston.

What Visitors Are Saying

“Such a cool installation in front of the market hall. This place brings a smile to your face.”

“As we live close by we’ve never been to see it. So we just went one day. It’s fun and we had a walk around the market which has great food to buy and take home with us.”

“What a wonderful find in the city of Preston. Located at the entrance to the market, we were thrilled to see these amazing statues.”

“I love it! It is a fantastic tourist attraction for Preston, drawing on the cultural vibrancy of the city’s people and history. Fun photo opportunity and very well made statue with excellent detail!”
Nearby Attractions
While visiting the statue, take time to explore the historic Covered Market with its excellent food vendors. For those se Mowglis Restaurant on Fishergate seeking authentic Indian cuisine, is highly recommended, serving delicious food in charming tiffin tins.