World Art Utopia

Knife Angel

The Knife Angel by Alfie Bradley, a 27-foot steel angel covered in about 100,000 blunted knives and blades, standing with outstretched hands.
Artwork FileOswestry · UK Tour

Knife Angel

SeenOct 2026

Alfie Bradley and the British Ironwork Centre · Oswestry, Shropshire, UK (touring the UK) · 2018

Photo from the Street Art Utopia archive (SAU media #64943; WAU media #10965). Artwork: Alfie Bradley & British Ironwork Centre.

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The Knife Angel is a 27-foot angel made from around 100,000 knives and blades handed in through UK police forces, created by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry. Since Liverpool Cathedral in 2018 it has toured more than 50 UK cities and towns to raise awareness of knife crime. Its 2026 stops included Plymouth, Newark, Ely, Shrewsbury and Edinburgh, and the centre now says it has temporarily returned home to Oswestry. Source Source Source Checked

Back home in Oswestry, October 2026: the British Ironwork Centre tour page (verified modified 19 October 2026) states that the Knife Angel has temporarily returned home to Oswestry after its September 2026 stop in Edinburgh. Source Checked

More photos

The full Knife Angel standing outdoors on tour in March 2020, with its wings of blades spread behind it.
2020 The full figure on tourPhoto: Domersr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Close-up of the Knife Angel’s open hands and the thousands of colored blades that cover its body, photographed in September 2022.
2022 Close-up of the hands and bladesPhoto: JOHN K THORNE / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)

4 things to know

  1. Messages on the wingsThe wings carry messages engraved by families who lost loved ones to knife crime, alongside messages from former offenders, Edinburgh council says. Source Checked
  2. Built from amnestiesThe Ironworks made 200 knife banks and held amnesties so people could hand in knives anonymously; police-seized knives were added too, according to Wikipedia. Source Reported
  3. A national tourThe British Ironwork Centre lists every host since Liverpool Cathedral in November 2018, with stops booked into 2027. Source Checked
  4. A summer in ShropshireIn 2026 it stood in The Square in Shrewsbury from 17 June to 31 July as part of the UK National Youth Anti-Violence Tour. Source Checked

Where it is

Home base at the British Ironwork Centre, Aston, Oswestry, Shropshire, United Kingdom; the sculpture tours cities and towns across the UK on the National Youth Anti-Violence Tour. Source Checked

Open in MapsUK tour page

Sightings

  1. 2018Nov

    First tour stop: Liverpool Cathedral · British Ironwork Centre

  2. 20223 Mar

    In Worcester · Chris Allen, Wikimedia Commons

  3. 202623 Mar

    On the Piazza in Plymouth until 30 March · Plymouth City Council

  4. 202621 Apr

    In front of Newark Town Hall until 19 May · Newark and Sherwood council

  5. 202622 May

    On Palace Green by Ely Cathedral, 20 May to 17 June · Ely Standard

  6. 202617 Jun

    The Square, Shrewsbury, 17 June to 31 July · What’s On Shropshire

  7. 20261 Sep

    Kirkgate, Leith, until 27 September · City of Edinburgh Council

  8. 202619 Oct

    Temporarily back home at the British Ironwork Centre, Oswestry · British Ironwork Centre

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports. Publication dates are not camera dates.

In the sources

City of Edinburgh Council1 September 2026

Knife Angel comes to Edinburgh to raise awareness of the devastating impact of violence and knife crime

“the Knife Angel is made from around 100,000 knives and blades surrendered through police forces across the country.”

Who made it and what it is made of.

Read the source →

What’s On Shropshire15 June 2026

Knife Angel visits Shrewsbury as part of UK National Youth Anti-Violence tour

“The sculpture, made from over 100,000 seized blades, was specifically created to highlight the negative effects of violent behaviour”

Why the sculpture was made.

Read the source →

The facts

Makers
Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre Source Source Checked
Material
Around 100,000 knives and blades surrendered through police forces Source Source Checked
Completed
2018 Source Source Checked
Height
27 ft (8.2 m) Source Source Checked
Tour
Over 50 UK cities and towns since 2018 Source Checked
2026 stops
Plymouth (March), Newark (April–May), Ely (June), Shrewsbury (June–July), Edinburgh (September); next listed: High Wycombe, April 2027 Source Checked
Now
Temporarily back at the British Ironwork Centre, Oswestry Source Checked

Related

All sources & image credits

Artwork File · Last checked 8 November 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files