Two striking new murals celebrating Bridlington’s heritage and wildlife have transformed prominent walls in the town’s Old Town and harbour area, drawing widespread praise from residents and visitors alike.
The colourful large-scale artworks, commissioned by East Riding of Yorkshire Council as part of a £125,000 regeneration project funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, have already become major talking points across the town.
Painted by Harrogate-based professional mural artist Sam Porter, of Mural Minded, the murals were created to reflect Bridlington’s rich history, culture and natural identity while encouraging more people to explore the area.
Sam has spent around four weeks completing the two pieces, working from designs inspired by ideas put forward by local residents during public engagement sessions. One mural, painted in Bridlington Old Town on High Street, features a powerful and symbolic depiction of the Gansey Girl, surrounded by imagery rooted in local folklore and tradition.
The Gansey Girl, representing the wives of fishermen who would knit warm gansey jumpers for their loved ones at sea, forms the centrepiece of the mural. Sam said his interpretation was inspired by the well-known Gansey Girl sculpture by Stephen Carvill on Bridlington harbour, and that he worked closely with the sculptor while developing the design.
“I love what it signifies,” Sam said. “The Gansey Girl knitting a gansey jumper for her loved one to come back from sea is such a loving, thoughtful thing to do. I felt it could also relate to someone praying, as they would in Priory Church, which is why I placed her in front of my depiction of the priory window.”
Behind her sits a representation of the Priory Church window, intended to draw the eye and reinforce the connection between faith, hope and waiting. To the left, a jackdaw appears carrying a lantern — a nod to the Old Town legend of the jackdaw, which is said to have inspired builders trying to move a cross through the priory doorway centuries ago.
Sam explained that the jackdaw has long been a symbol closely associated with Bridlington Old Town, particularly around the old hospital, where those born there were affectionately known as “jackdaws”. He added that the bird, shown carrying a lantern, also references Greek mythology, symbolising wisdom, knowledge and light.
To the right of the Gansey Girl, a swallow carries an amber jewel, symbolising the safe return of sailors from sea and the idea of coming home.
Porter said the murals had been among the most personally meaningful works of his career and described completing the back-to-back commissions as one of his proudest achievements.
“The reaction has been massively positive,” he said. “The amount of nice comments and people coming to look at the murals while I’ve been painting them has been amazing. I’ve seen so many posts about them on social media, almost daily.”
Even before completion, the murals had begun attracting attention well beyond Bridlington, with visitors travelling from across the region — and in one case more than 100 miles from Oldham — to see them in person.
Alongside the murals, the regeneration scheme also includes improvements to Westgate Park in the Old Town and Harbour Road, aimed at increasing footfall and boosting pride in the town’s historic quarters.
