Saturday 11 February 2012

Saltburn Community Mosaics



These 5 mosaic panels were created to celebrate 150 years of Saltburn-by-the-Sea. We worked with over 2000 people to make them. They are located on the wall of Sainsburys loading bay, near the station.


The first panel depicts Saltburn foreshore from the end of the pier pre 1883. It depicts the vertical hoist and the Halfpenny Bridge. The birds are oystercatchers.

The second panel is set in the 1920's. Donald Campbell is sand racing in his Sunbeam, there's a steam ferry landing at the pier which used to travel all along the coast. There's also a sand yacht, beach huts, the cliff lift and a Pierrot clown. Swallows, swifts, sandmartins and housemartins can be seen too. The housemartins regularly nest on the pier.

The third panel shows one of the first steam trains to arrive in Saltburn being met by Henry Pease. The houses are Alpha Place which were the very first buildings to be built in Saltburn. This panel was unveiled by Nigel Pease, the great great grandson of Henry Pease.

The fourth panel shows Saltburn Town in the 1960's. The building on the left is the Brine Baths which was demolished in the 70's. We were asked by many people to include the Brine Baths in the mosaics. The town cryer is Sharon Wilson, who played a big part of the 150 celebrations. Sharon had no idea she was part of the mosaic and was surprised and delighted at the unveiling when she met herself face to face.

The fifth panel is the much loved Valley Gardens complete with Woodland Centre and Tea Rooms. There's an otter, dipper, heron, nuthatch, tawny owl, dragonflies and a kingfisher. The train is the new miniature railway engine the "Saltburn 150". On the viaduct you can see the Boulby Flyer on it's special journey from Saltburn to Boulby to celebrate Saltburns' 150th birthday.