Artwork to mark spa town's 400th anniversary

Celebrations in 2026 will mark 400 years since Scarborough was designated as a spa town

An artist is to receive £95,000 to create an installation to mark the 400th anniversary of Scarborough's official designation as a spa town.

Natural mineral waters were discovered bubbling beneath the town's cliffs in 1626 by a woman known as Tomyzin, or Thomasin, the wife of prominent citizen John Farrer.

The first spa buildings followed in 1700, constructed by local entrepreneur Dicky Dickinson, who introduced a fee for people to "take the waters".

To commemorate the anniversary in 2026, North Yorkshire Council said it wanted an artist to create a new "heritage installation", which would become a permanent feature in the town's spa area.

The council said it was "an exciting opportunity for a new, site-specific artwork to reference and celebrate Scarborough's history as a spa town".

A spokesperson added: "We would like the commission to be a bold statement on the importance and historic significance of the spa and its history, to be enjoyed by locals and visitors for generations to come."

The council said the selected artist's payment included "all fees, studio time, travel, expenses, and the technical realisation of the installation, including equipment".

Scarborough's South Bay and Spa, circa 1896

The discovery of mineral waters in Scarborough led to the development of tourism in the town, which enjoyed considerable growth in the 18th Century.

Apart from taking the waters visitors could enjoy boating, horse racing on the beach and bathing in the sea, with great importance placed on the spa and the facilities for visitors.

The waters changed over the centuries and by the 1960s public consumption of the waters ceased altogether, with the remains of the wells no longer open to the public due to health and safety regulations.

The Spa Complex is seen as a legacy of Scarborough's importance as a resort.

North Yorkshire Council said without the discovery made by Mrs Farrer in the early 17th Century, the town would not have developed into one of England's first seaside resorts.

A spokesperson said the council was working with a group of Scarborough organisations and local history enthusiasts to support the forthcoming anniversary, known as the Scarborough 400 project.

It said the project would "celebrate the spa as the focal point of Scarborough's history as a spa town and resort".

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