Bronze tribute to Monty Python's Terry Jones unveiled on Colwyn Bay promenade

According to a new Atlas Obscura entry, a bronze statue of Monty Python founder Terry Jones was unveiled on the seafront promenade of Colwyn Bay, a town in North Wales. The statue is based on Jones's famous 'Nude Organist' role from a 1971 sketch. Local artist Nick Elphick, who created the statue, told Atlas Obscura: 'We tried to capture both the humorous and serious sides of Terry Jones's personality.'

Terry Jones was born on 1 February 1942 in Colwyn Bay. The family moved to Surrey when Jones was four, but the writer-actor maintained lifelong ties with his birthplace. In 2011 he became patron of the local Theatr Colwyn and supported its renovation. Jones's family approved the launch of the statue project after the writer's 2020 death.

In Monty Python's history, the 'Nude Organist' character appeared in the team's first three seasons and became one of Jones's best-known contributions to comedy history. The character combined classical music themes with comic scenes. The statue combines Jones in this role with a more realistic life work desk; the desk references the many layers of Jones's career as a writer.

Elphick told BBC Wales in an interview: 'The statue's core design is to bridge Jones's identification with the 'Nude Organist' role in comedy history and his multifaceted career as a writer-artist and historian.' The statue includes references to Jones's written works, including books on Europe's Dark Ages, Geoffrey Chaucer and medieval history.

Monty Python founding members John Cleese and Eric Idle attended the statue's unveiling and delivered tributes to Jones. Cleese said in the opening speech: 'Terry was not just an actor in comedy history; he was Monty Python's most creative director.' Idle said, 'It is what made Terry special that he never truly left Wales behind.'

The BBC series Monty Python aired from 1969 to 1974 and is regarded as one of the world's most influential comedy series. Jones directed the series and wrote some episodes. The family directed the films Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and Meaning of Life (1983) as well.

Jones's medieval history books were also recognised in academic circles. His 1977 book 'Chaucer's Knight' offered a new historical reading of medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Knight's Tale' character. Cambridge University history professor Mary Carruthers said, 'Jones's Chaucer studies broadened academic scope and built a bridge from the world of comedy to academia.'

Colwyn Bay council accepted the statue while saying that it created an additional attraction for the town's seaside tourism. According to North Wales Tourism Bureau figures, the Conwy district receives 2.4 million visitors annually and the statue creates a new 'comedy tourism' category. Mayor Sarah Boulton told Atlas Obscura: 'Terry Jones is not just comedy for Wales but also an academic legacy.'

Jones died in 2020 at the age of 77 from a rare form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia, which first robs people of their speech. The family said that in the late stage of the illness Jones largely lost his ability to write and speak, but retained his creative side. National Brain Appeal raised 50,000 pounds for progressive aphasia awareness at the statue's unveiling.

This article is a history and cultural heritage news report; it should not be read as history or art purchase advice. The statue, according to Atlas Obscura's description, is located at the western end of the Colwyn Bay promenade and is open to visitors.