Artwork to honour Cardinal Wolsey

Mike Liggins on the appeal to raise money for a statue of Cardinal Wolsey

The search is on for an artist to produce a £100,000 tribute to one of Suffolk's most influential figures, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

Wolsey was born in Suffolk in 1471 and is fondly remembered locally for his important building work in Ipswich.

But a gate and St Peter's Church are the only physical local legacies of the man who was Henry VIII's chancellor.

Over 50 artists from across the world have expressed an interest in producing the artistic tribute to Wolsey.

Once the artist has been identified and their work complete, the piece will be placed close to Curzon House on St Peters Street in Ipswich, within walking distance of four parishes of Tudor Ipswich where Wolsey grew up.

BBC Suffolk presenter Mark Murphy suggested the tribute five years ago and he's now helping with the appeal to raise the £100,000 required to make the idea a reality.

"I'm pleased that Wolsey is going to be remembered in this way," said Mark.

His passion for building

Wolsey's dramatic rise to power began after he was ordained, becoming chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and later to Henry VIII, who employed him on diplomatic missions.

Wolsey's relationship with the king caused much jealousy among his peers, and his wealth allowed him to indulge his passion for building.

Between 1528 and 1530 Wolsey built the Cardinal College of St Mary in Ipswich. This was a school which was linked to what became Christ Church in Oxford.

Despite Wolsey's fortune and fame his undoing came when he failed to secure Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

Because of this Wolsey became widely disliked, particularly among those around Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's new love interest and in 1530 Wolsey was arrested for treason.

Following his downfall much of Wolsey's legacy was destroyed, although in Ipswich Wolsey's Gate and St Peter's Church still stand and the cardinal remains an important part of Suffolk's history.

The Parish of St Lawrence

Wolsey spent much of his childhood with his uncle in the Ipswich parish of St Lawrence and the five bells at St Lawrence Church, which date back over 500 years, have become known as the 'Wolsey bells'.

St Lawrence church bells rang again as part of a £100,000 restoration project

Following a restoration project in September 2009, the bells sound just as they did when Wolsey heard them.

The team behind the campaign is keen to see Wolsey recognised for his important work and the efforts he made to improve life for the people in his home town.

"Most towns make sure that their famous son is commemorated in some way, but we just have not done what we should," explained Dr John Blatchly, former headmaster of Ipswich School and one of the campaign patrons.

Find out more about the Thomas Cardinal Wolsey Project .