The World in Miniature by Greville Marchant.
10am to 4pm Wednesday 22 - Sunday 26 October 2025
Admission free.
Greville Marchant was a man of many talents. Apprenticed at 16 as an antique restorer and cabinet maker, Greville learned to appreciate, repair and create beautiful pieces of furniture and house fittings. He ran his own business for many years, building high-quality fittings for exclusive homes. Greville went on to qualify as a Chartered Building Surveyor, working as a building pathologist and expert in party wall matters.
In February 2018 Greville was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer affecting his inferior vena cava – the largest vein in the body and a critical part of the circulatory system.
After a ground-breaking operation and months in hospital, Greville returned home to begin his new, much more limited life. He set about making the most of every day.
As Greville’s health deteriorated, his world shrank. And as his world shrank, so did his creations. Greville began a new career making miniature dioramas.
It all started when he was given an Airfix model of a Focke Wulf. It was much too simple to engage Greville, so instead of just making the model, Greville came up with the idea of a diorama depicting the Focke crashed in a river, with the German airman standing next to the wreckage held at gunpoint by a British soldier. Greville threw himself into the model with gusto, and created a detailed, perfectly executed piece of art.
After this, Greville’s imagination went wild and he began to make models which were both witty and beautifully painted. He was a perfectionist, paying huge attention to every detail.
He would come up with ideas in the middle of the night and spend the next day searching online for the necessary materials. Sadly, many of these projects remain unfinished as, on 10th June 2024, Greville died and with him died all his craftsmanship, ingenuity, and humour.
This exhibition is an opportunity for others to enjoy Greville’s miniature dioramas, and to raise funds for Sarcoma UK. Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments. It is the only cancer charity in the UK focusing on all types of sarcoma.
There will be a raffle and a silent auction to enable others to own a piece of Greville’s art.