Sheringham's promenade has become the canvas for a journey back in time beginning with this 29-metre art installation depicting a scene from the end of the last Ice Age (about 11,700 years ago). This vibrant artwork, brought to life on 127 recycled scaffolding boards, showcases the rich fauna that once roamed this land, featuring life-size renditions of hyenas, mammoths, birds, and many intricate details for visitors to explore. Conceived and executed by the volunteer group 'Sheringham Art', this mural is a testament to the local area's significant archaeological finds, including the oldest human footprint found outside of Africa and the most complete steppe mammoth skeleton. This collaborative effort not only celebrates the town's deep history but also demonstrates the collective creativity and ambition of the local community and marks the start of a series of public participation art projects that will eventually run the entire length of the promenade!

Support future projects and local artists

Sheringham Art sells limited print editions of local artists’ work for the public to take home and enjoy. Purchasing a print not only raises money for local artists, supporting the local art industry, but also helps to fund community art projects. When considering taking home a souvenir from Sheringham, why not buy a high-quality, locally-produced artwork that supports the community?

The Devensian Ice Sheet

The Devensian Ice Sheet covered much of the British Isles and parts of Northern Europe during the last glacial maximum, making the land below it uninhabitable. The imagery of a "wall of ice" often conjures up dramatic scenes like what you might find in fantasy movies, however, the reality of ice sheet edges is less dramatic. In some areas, particularly over the higher terrain of Scotland and parts of Scandinavia where the ice sheet was anchored, the Devensian Ice Sheet could have reached thicknesses of up to 2,000 to 3,000 meters (about 6,500 to 9,800 feet), however, the edges of ice sheets, where they met ice-free land, were more likely to be sloped, gradually thinning as they extended outward.

Earliest Evidence of Humans

Flint tools and animal bones have been found in the Happisburgh area, with some artefacts dating back 840,000 to 950,000 years, making them the earliest known evidence of human activity in Britain, and indeed, northern Europe. This evidence came from layers of sediment known as the Cromer Forest Bed, providing a glimpse into the environment and the life of early humans in the area.

Humans Are Here To Stay

Human presence in Britain had been intermittent over hundreds of thousands of years, with groups arriving and disappearing. The most recent and permanent settlement of Britain by humans, marking the start of continuous habitation, is believed to have occurred only at the end of the last Ice Age around 11,700 years ago. The transition to a permanent settlement was facilitated not only by the retreat of the ice sheets but also by the rise in sea levels that eventually isolated Britain from mainland Europe, making it an island. This transition is marked by changes in stone tool technologies and the adaptation of lifestyles to exploit the rich, new environmental niches that developed in post-glacial Britain. This period is characterised by small, nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers.

Hunting For Fossils

The area is renowned for significant fossil finds, including the most intact Steppe Mammoth ever discovered, just a few 100 metres away at West Runton. You too can practice safe and responsible fossil hunting by collecting small fossils found on the ground, and avoiding digging into, or damaging the cliffs. Larger fossils should be left undisturbed for everyone to enjoy, and any rare discoveries should be reported to the Sheringham Museum.

Acknowledgements

Designers

Colin Seal
Panagis Matsangouras

Participating Schools

Sheringham Primary School
Sheringham High School
Woodfields School

Funders

Norfolk County Council
Sheringham Town Council
Sheringham Carnival
Sheringham Society

Lead Artists

Colin Seal
David Barber

Sheringham Art would also like to thank:

  • Malcolm Abbs Building Contractors - who volunteered their labour and materials to install the artwork

  • North Norfolk District Council - who prepared and lent us their wall and assisted during the planning phase

  • The Windham Arms - who provided a workshop

  • Altrad and Perenco - who donated the recycled scaffolding boards

  • Canham Consulting and SMG Architects - who provided planning and supporting work at less than cost price