They're All Looking At Me.

Historic abbey to show prestigious artwork.

A unique artwork by renowned sculptor Antony Gormley - made up of 40,000 unglazed, fired, small clay figures - is to go on show at Torquay's oldest building in the summer of 2009.

Antony Gormley, in case you didn't know and I didn't, is the guy who made The Angel Of The North which is a big statue up North somewhere. The oldest building in Torquay is Torre Abbey. The things with eyes are small, made of fired clay and are between 8cm and 26cm tall, there are 40 thousand and seven of then. They are going to be dumped, sorry set up in the Spanish Barn which is next to Torre Abbey It was used be the monks of the Abbey to store grain and other bits and pieces they had stolen from the locals. Council Tax I think they called it. The Barn got it's name when nearly 400 Spanish Tourists turned up without booking in advance at the height of the summer season in 1588 and there were not enough hotels for then to stay in so they ended up sleeping rough in the barn. Which probably explains the present council's policy on not letting run down hotels be turned into luxury apartments. But I digress.

The show will be free for anyone who wants to turn up between 27 June to 2 September 2009. Torre Abbey is on the sea front half a mile from Torquay Harbour, the number 12 bus from Torquay, Paignton or Brixham will drop you close by.