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!