05-07-2025
'They're looking for possibilities beyond the horizon': the Iron Men 20 years on
For twenty years, they've stood motionless on the sand - yet still, they manage to surprise. Today (July 1) marks two decades since Antony Gormley's 'Another Place' was first installed on Crosby Beach, and in that time the Iron Men have become part of the Sefton coastline's soul.
To mark the milestone, the ECHO asked visitors on the beach what the statues mean to them - whether they've known them for years, or are meeting them for the very first time. Avis Mayo had travelled all the way from New Zealand to visit the site, where 100 cast-iron figures are dotted along three kilometres of beach and into the sea.
'They're amazing really,' she said, looking out across the sands. 'The fact that they can remain standing for that long and not have been washed away is incredible.'
READ MORE: Xabi Alonso phone call helped Liverpool beat Man City and Chelsea to £17.5m transfer
READ MORE: 'Fit and healthy' man, 20, given devastating diagnosis
The figures - each moulded from Gormley's own body - were originally a temporary installation when they first appeared in 2005, sparking local debate. Some residents felt they were haunting or unwelcome; others grew attached. Ultimately, the statues stayed.
Jill Chesworth, who now lives locally, remembers the early days well: 'When they arrived, they were supposed to be temporary. I have friends around here who were pleased when they were made permanent.'
Neil Sanford, visiting from Allerton, was surprised to learn the statues had already reached their 20th birthday. He said: 'I didn't think it was as long as that. I thought it had been about 10 years," adding: 'The windmills in the distance are an amazing backdrop.'
For others, the figures still retain an eerie allure. 'They're deceptive,' said Matthew Wright, standing on the sand. 'You look at them and you think they're going to move.'
He'd been wondering about their meaning, too. He suggested they're 'looking out for possibilities beyond the horizon - or thinking about where humans came from and they want to return to the sea," before joking: 'Or they might be looking for their next home in Wales.'
The statues have become a symbol of Merseyside's northern coast, with their quiet watchfulness offering something different to each visitor.
Vereena Jones, who was visiting from elsewhere in the UK, admitted she was seeing them for the first time despite several trips to the region. She said: 'There's more of them than I knew.
'I've never got to see them, even though I've been here [Merseyside] several times.'
Another Place has weathered time and tide - but 20 years on, it seems the Iron Men are going nowhere. Still staring out to sea. Still stirring something in everyone who visits them.
