Peacock butterfly

Tucked beside the path through Boscombe's Woodland Walk, this small wooden sculpture of a peacock butterfly is the work of chainsaw artist Tom Harvey, known professionally as Carver Harvey, who carves wildlife subjects from timber salvaged on site.

Part of a wildlife trail

The peacock butterfly is one of several carved creatures dotted along Woodland Walk, the tree-lined nature reserve linking Boscombe's high street to the clifftop above the beach. Elsewhere along the same paths you can look out for Harvey's woodpecker, wood mouse, stag beetle and woodlouse carvings, alongside his larger Tree of Life sculpture and hand-carved welcome marker, all part of a wider 2025–26 refurbishment of the reserve, funded through the Towns Fund and Community Infrastructure Levy, which also added a wildlife pond, sensory garden and new nature trail signage.

Visiting

The sculpture sits in open parkland with no gates or admission charge, so it's free to see at any time. It makes a nice detour if you're exploring Boscombe on foot, pair it with a wander through Woodland Walk itself, or explore more of the area in our guide to things to do in Bournemouth.

Peacock butterfly good to know

What is the Peacock Butterfly sculpture in Boscombe?

It's a chainsaw-carved wooden sculpture of a peacock butterfly, one of several wildlife carvings by artist Tom Harvey installed along Woodland Walk, the nature reserve linking Boscombe high street to the clifftop above the beach.

Who carved the Peacock Butterfly sculpture?

It's the work of chainsaw sculptor Tom Harvey, who trades as Carver Harvey and has carved wildlife pieces from wind-fallen timber along Woodland Walk, including this peacock butterfly, a woodpecker, a wood mouse, a stag beetle and a woodlouse, alongside a larger Tree of Life sculpture and a carved welcome marker.

Is the sculpture free to visit?

Yes. It stands in open parkland on Woodland Walk with no admission charge, so you can see it at any time as part of a walk through the reserve.

Where exactly is it?

It's beside the path through Woodland Walk Nature Reserve in Boscombe, the wooded walkway that connects Boscombe's high street with the clifftop and Overcliff Drive above the beach.