Trawl Door, Pillar and The Circle



Sculptor Richard Farrington created three steel sculptures in 1990, which are situated on the clifftop of Huntcliff which is 365 feet above sea level, on Cleveland Way in Saltburn.

Trawl Door is a sculpture of the open door of a fishing trawl net, which shows a fish about to be caught, and plankton on the other side of the sculpture. It is inspired by the equipment used by Whitby's fishermen. The Pillar is a marker post from which four sculptures hang, including objects such as a star and a jellyfish. The four sculptures symbolised the elements of sky, earth, air and sea. The Circle consists of a large ring from which several shapes such as a horse, a starfish, a cat and other sea creatures are suspended. The horse represents the local Cleveland Bay Horse, and the cat represents the cat hunt in the 1300s. In 1996 The Circle was thrown off the cliff into the sea, and unable to be recovered. Farrington had to produce a replica, which has been used as the backdrop of a Midsummer wedding, and featured in Saltburn writers' group's stories.

The sculptures were created as part of The New Milestones project for which Farrington was commissioned, that aimed to bring together sculpture and environment. The artist collaborated with the commissioners and local support group in Skelton for his work. They were created at the Skinningrove British Steel plant with local metals, referring to the district's history of industrialism. The project was organised by Cleveland Arts, with support from Common Ground, Northern Arts, British Steel and Langbaurgh Borough Council.