Two sculptures in Milton Keynes have been listed as Grade II by Historic England, as part of an initative looking at post-war sculptures.

Octo, by Wendy Taylor, was commissioned by Milton Keynes Development Corporation for the square outside Norfolk and Ashton Houses and the request to list it was made by Milton Keynes Forum last summer when there was a threat to remove the reflecting pool, which is an integral part of the composition.

Although the initial request was refused, the Forum submitted an appeal and provided further information about the sculpture, which led to the reassessment and subsequent listing.

It is one of the city’s best known pieces and frequently features in articles about the city, including the video that accompanied Cliff Richards’ Wired For Sound.

Less well known is MS Series No 1, the bright red steel sculpture that has stood outside Challenge House (formerly Sherwood House) in Bletchley since the early 1970s.

The sculptor was Bernard Schottlander and the piece was one of four that were acquired by MKDC after they had been seen at an exhibition of his work at Park Royal, London in 1972. The other three are now in the Fred Roche Gardens in CMK.

This is the first time that sculptures in the city have been listed in their own right, although some pieces (notably the Circle of Light and The Whisper) are protected by being included as integral parts of Listed buildings (The CentreMK and the CMK Library respectively).

Tim Skelton, chair of Milton Keynes Forum, said “This is wonderful news for the city and it is good to see national recognition, once again, for the heritage of Milton Keynes.

“We are particularly pleased that our efforts concerning Octo have been rewarded – it’s a wonderful piece and a perfect combination of art and location It was an inspired commission.

“Public art is a vital component of any town or city and we are lucky that we have always had people with vision to promote it.”

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