{"id":228256,"date":"2025-07-01T03:30:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T03:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/228256\/"},"modified":"2025-07-01T03:30:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T03:30:13","slug":"theyre-looking-for-possibilities-beyond-the-horizon-the-iron-men-20-years-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/228256\/","title":{"rendered":"‘They’re looking for possibilities beyond the horizon’: the Iron Men 20 years on"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been two decades since Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ was installed on Crosby Beach\"TheThe Iron Men turn 20 today(Image: Conaill Corner\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

For twenty years, they\u2019ve stood motionless on the sand – yet still, they manage to surprise. Today (July 1) marks two decades since Antony Gormley\u2019s ‘Another Place’ was first installed on Crosby<\/a> Beach, and in that time the Iron Men have become part of the Sefton<\/a> coastline\u2019s soul.<\/p>\n

To mark the milestone, the ECHO<\/a> asked visitors on the beach what the statues mean to them – whether they\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re amazing really,\u201d she said, looking out across the sands. \u201cThe fact that they can remain standing for that long and not have been washed away is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The figures – each moulded from Gormley\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Jill Chesworth, who now lives locally, remembers the early days well: \u201cWhen they arrived, they were supposed to be temporary. I have friends around here who were pleased when they were made permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(Left(Left to right) Matthew Wright, Jill Chesworth and Vereena Jones visit Another Place(Image: Conaill Corner\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

Neil Sanford, visiting from Allerton<\/a>, was surprised to learn the statues had already reached their 20th birthday. He said: \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was as long as that. I thought it had been about 10 years,” adding: \u201cThe windmills in the distance are an amazing backdrop.\u201d<\/p>\n

For others, the figures still retain an eerie allure. \u201cThey\u2019re deceptive,\u201d said Matthew Wright, standing on the sand. \u201cYou look at them and you think they\u2019re going to move.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been wondering about their meaning, too. He suggested they’re \u201clooking out for possibilities beyond the horizon – or thinking about where humans came from and they want to return to the sea,” before joking: \u201cOr they might be looking for their next home in Wales.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statues have become a symbol of Merseyside\u2019s northern coast, with their quiet watchfulness offering something different to each visitor.<\/p>\n

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: \u201cThere\u2019s more of them than I knew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never got to see them, even though I\u2019ve been here [Merseyside] several times.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It’s been two decades since Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ was installed on Crosby BeachThe Iron Men turn 20…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":228257,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[89792,748,5765,393,4884,179,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-228256","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-another-place","9":"tag-britain","10":"tag-crosby","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-liverpool","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114775865888625030","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228256"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228256\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}