Tendring Beasts
with the East Anglian Folklore Centre
Help us bring mythical straw creatures to life.
This summer something mythical is stirring.
We’re creating four straw beasts: spectacular wearable sculptures inspired by folk traditions and local legends. We need you to bring them to life.
Images courtesy of The Armagh Rhymers.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. For the festival Essex’s own Fred Mizen, a straw craftsman, created two monumental straw sculptures for the famous Lion and Unicorn Pavilion. These artworks greeted visitors to a space exploring the character of Britain, the lion stood for realism and strength, the unicorn represented fantasy, independence, and imagination. Mizen’s original creations no longer survive, so we want to bring them back.
We don’t want to make replicas, instead we’re inviting you to reimagine them for Tendring today.
A little history…
Strawcraft crown made for the Festival of Britain by Fred Mizen 1951. MERL 52/73-80
Fred Mizen with his lion and unicorn sculptures. Photography by John Tarlton, 1951.
What are we making?
With the East Anglian Folklore Centre and local straw craft artists we’re using traditional techniques from corn dolly making, thatching, and straw plaiting to create a series of wearable straw mummers, spectacular costume sculptures inspired by the folk traditions of masked performers who once travelled from village to village bringing stories, mischief, and celebration.
As well as creating a lion and the unicorn we will be making St Osyth, the famed guardian of the priory. The Anglo-Saxon abbess, refusing to submit to the demands of Viking raiders, was beheaded. Legend tells that she picked up her head and carried it to her final resting place, and that a spring appeared in the spot she was struck. She is our symbol of resilience, strength, and our connection with nature.
How can you get involved?
Kennedy the Unicorn and Marti the Lion will step out at Clacton Airshow on 27 and 28 August at 11am, 1pm, and 3.30pm both days. Say hello to the beasts you helped make and visit the Creative Tendring stall to make your heraldic flag.
They’ll also be appearing at:
Walton’s Between the Tides Festival (19 and 20 September)
Harwich Guy Carnival (31 October)
They’ll be wandering through the festivals collecting memories and stories of the coast, and gathering ideas for the future.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at St Osyth Summer Sounds to make a patch for St Osyth’s robes or design a beast. Look how far we got!