The sentinel gallery was the mass project of potter Pru Green. What lay on the Chapel Road site originally was a St John’s Ambulance hall; long ago the space was used for meetings for the Scouts and the local choir. Wivenhoers vaguely planned to refurbish the site into a local cinema but sadly were unable to fund the project, resulting in the abandonment of a once loved public space. 

In 2011 Pru Green purchased the site and the first planning application was submitted. To demolish the originally building in favour for a sleek, post-modernist build combining her own living space, workshop and public gallery. Having already played host to exhibitions of local East Anglian artists, Pru felt ready to reproduce this on a larger public scale. 

The architect was Laurie Wood & Associates and has created a truly modernist building, despite controversy among some Wivhonians, we believe the sleek design adds cultural diversity to an already thriving small town.

After years of planning permissions being submitted and rejected, in 2014 the gallery was finally given the go-ahead and the build began. Now it would be possible that this new building could give back to Wivenhoe a space that would be of benefit to the whole community. 


Now owned by Debra Weiss and James Johnston, the gallery is moving in new directions, A true home for art of all kinds ....and periods. 

Debra has been an oil painting conservator and restorer for 35 years , working now from the studio at the gallery , she will be happy to give you advice on any conservation requirements for your oil paintings .

Write up of the opening night, 13th March 2105