Chatham Elephant Mural

Chatham Elephant Mural

Continuing to reveal the hidden stories of Chatham through public art, this week we saw our fourth mural painted.

Acclaimed artist Curtis Hylton was commissioned by Arches Local to respond to a list of local stories, and took inspiration from the story of the ‘Chatham Elephant’.

In 1913, Sydney Turner, a Luton resident, made a remarkable discovery in Upnor: the bones of the Chatham Elephant. These belonged to a straight-tusked elephant, an ancient species dating back approximately 400,000 years, with a height of nearly 4 metres and weighing around 10 tonnes. Excavations took place in 1915, revealing what is considered to be the largest elephant species ever found in Britain. Today, London’s Natural History Museum is home to Turner’s extraordinary findings.

Located on Newnham Street, this mural wouldn’t have been possible without the support of mhs homes, the UK’s largest independent landlord, who kindly donated their wall.

If you have a wall or local story you’d like to have considered for future murals, please get in touch!


High Street’s First 24/7 Defibrillator

Chatham High Street’s First 24/7 Defibrillator

Arches Local is pleased to announce the installation of Chatham High Street’s first fully accessible, 24/7 publicly available defibrillator.

The initiative was sparked by concerned residents of Pembroke Court in late 2023, who rightly highlighted the critical lack of accessible defibrillators in the area. Their voices were heard, and we took action, partnering with FirstPort and leveraging support from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Defibrillator Scheme to make this project a reality.

Installed this week, the defibrillator is conveniently located for quick access and use by anyone in an emergency. Thank you to all who contributed to this vital project, especially those residents at Pembroke Court who championed the idea.