The town of Dorking in Surrey, has a long connection with the poultry trade. The Dorking chicken was bred locally and sold to London consumers.[1] The chicken is a popular local symbol and has featured in the logos of local clubs and societies, including Dorking Wanderers F.C., and on road signs.[2] Dorking councillor Neil Maltby proposed that the town commission a piece of modern art to sit in Deepdene roundabout and represent the town, and a cockerel was decided upon.[1]
The sculpture was created by Peter Parkinson of the Fire and Iron Gallery in nearby Leatherhead.[1] He built an extension to his house to allow him to work on the sculpture indoors.[2] It was modelled on Glen Two, a former exhibition and stud cockerel, owned by local poultry breeder Lana Gazder. It includes the distinctive fifth toe of the Dorking breed.[2] There were some difficulties in the process, as Glen Two was moulting at the time and had lost his tail feathers.[1] The sculpture took eight months to build and was erected in the roundabout on 5 February 2007.[2] There was some opposition to the statue during its design and construction, but it has since become a popular local landmark.[1]
