Berkhamsted Castle

The Tile Mosaic Map is a mosaic mural in Hemel Hempstead, mounted on the side of the NCP car park at the north end of the Marlowes pedestrian area, on the corner of Hillfield Road.

This whimsical piece of mid-20th century Modern art was designed in 1960 by the eccentric cartoonist and inventor Rowland Emett (1906–1990). It depicts historic towns in the surrounding area such as Hemel Hempstead, Dunstable, Hatfield and St Albans. Notably, on the left part of the mural is a cartoon representing Berkhamsted.

Emmet’s illustration shows William the Conqueror mounted on horseback at Berkhamsted Castle. William is handing a key – perhaps the Keys of St Peter’s Church – to a man in a top hat. This distinguished-looking man may be intended to represent Lord Brownlow, who purchased the Berkhamsted estate from the Duchy of Cornwall, but he was only a young man at the time. Nevertheless, this quirky piece of Modern art is a delightful monument to our local history.

Rowland Emett was a cartoonist with a distinctive style, whose work was published in several prominent magazines of the day, including Punch, Life and Radio Times. He also turned his hand to eccentric kinetic sculptures, similar to the elaborate designs of Heath Robinson, and he designed the elaborate inventions for the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.