New Publication Announced: Notes Upon an Estuary Entity

I am delighted to announce that work is now underway on a new publication, Notes Upon an Estuary Entity, a collaborative book project exploring the origins, development and folklore of SKALLI.

The publication brings together the talents of acclaimed author John Reppion and illustrator Camille Smithwick, who are joining me in creating a unique account of Liverpool's newest folklore figure. The book will trace the emergence of SKALLI from initial concept through to its installation overlooking the River Mersey.

Presented as a recently unearthed Victorian document, Notes Upon an Estuary Entity purports to be the observations, theories and collected testimonies of an anonymous nineteenth-century antiquarian investigating reports of a strange being said to inhabit the tidal margins of the Mersey Estuary.

Blending folklore, maritime history, speculative archaeology and fiction, the publication explores the elusive figure known as SKALLI through fragments of field notes, eyewitness accounts, sketches, local legends and scholarly conjecture. Rather than offering definitive answers, the text invites readers into a world where folklore and history become increasingly difficult to separate.

The publication continues the evolving mythology surrounding SKALLI, extending the project beyond sculpture and into the realm of literary folklore. Richly illustrated by Camille Smithwick and developed in collaboration with John Reppion, the book adopts the form of a recovered historical artefact, as though a forgotten volume from the Victorian era has resurfaced after more than a century.

Notes Upon an Estuary Entity will be launched at Nettle, Port Sunlight, on 24 September 2026.

Further details, including pre-orders, launch events and publication previews, will be announced in the coming weeks.