Mary’s Shell, Cleveleys
From Visit Cleveleys
Have you seen the public art trail at Cleveleys? Mary’s Shell on Cleveleys beach is just one of the pieces for you to explore.
Find this piece of sculpture at the northern end of the promenade, opposite Jubilee Gardens near to the seafront cafe. You can use postcode FY5 1LG which is The Venue, just across the road.
Mary’s Shell is a huge piece of public art. A metal sculpture, it’s part of the Mythic Coast art trail which brings the story of the Sea Swallow to life!
The Sea Swallow is Wyre’s own story book. Written for children, it blends local legends and folklore with real local features. Explore sunken villages and the petrified forest – which you can still see on the beach today.
Each primary school child in Wyre received a copy of the book back in 2011. Over a period of time the story has come to life through different artworks in the Mythic Coast trail.
It’s completely visible once the tide goes out, and large enough for you to climb inside it and take a really good look.
At a whopping 8m long and 4m tall, the shell weighs in at 16.5 tonnes. It’s fastened to its own concrete foundation, cast into the beach. Rough weather in early 2020 exposed the join between the shell and it’s base, for the first time since installation!
Once the tide goes out, you can climb inside the shell. Listen for the sounds of the sea and read the words from the story of the Sea Swallow, etched inside.
There’s one thing for sure, photographers love it! You’ll often see people with some serious camera gear, waiting for the right conditions for a perfect picture.