Wokingham Mosaics

Featuring a design of oak leaves and the date the Market was first mentioned in a royal charter. The Oak is a symbol that appears throughout Wokingham’s history. This mosaic (no1. on the map) can be found in the Market Place, west of the Town Hall.

“Wokingham’s Market Place sits at the very heart of the town. The regular weekly markets that are held here were sanctioned nearly eight hundred years ago in 1219 by Henry III. For Wokingham, the 13th century Market Charter underlined it’s status and importance as a significant market town and, in the years that followed, that legacy has lived on in the Market Place.”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: High Steward of Wokingham

Further detail about the Market Place can be found in the below video.

Featuring a stylised design of a red lion portrait , this mosaic (no. 2 on the map) can be found in the Market Place outside the Red Lion public house,

“If you are a regular ‘quizzer’, you probably know that “The Red Lion” is one of the most popular pub names in the UK. However, Wokingham’s Red Lion boasts numerous other claims to fame. The building is one of the town’s oldest – with parts dating back to the 15th century.”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: ‘morearts.’

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a naturalistic design based on a field poppy, this mosaic (no 3. on the map) can be found near the Town Hall heading towards Peach Street.

“The red poppy is an iconic symbol marking the remembrance of all those who’ve given their lives in war. It was inspired by the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, written in 1915 by Canadian doctor Lieutenant Colonel John McRae in memory of a close friend and comrade who was killed at the battle of Ypres.”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: The Wokingham Society

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a stylised design of a series of firework bursts, this mosaic (no.4 on the map) can be found at the junction of the Market Place  and Broad Street. It’s placement is significant as this is where the event procession starts each year.

“For over thirty years, the skies over Wokingham have been lit up by one of the town’s major annual events, ‘The Wokingham Fireworks Charity Spectacular’. Apart from providing a safe and dazzling family friendly extravaganza, the event has raised thousands of pounds – mainly for local charities and good causes. ”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: Wokingham Fireworks Charitable Trust

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a stylised design of a needle and cotton reel, the mosaic (no.5 on the map) can be found outside Boots the Chemist on the Market Place. It’s placement is significant as this is where the Heelas department store once stood.

“Many long-term residents of Berkshire will be familiar with the name Heelas. Wokingham’s store was initially taken over by William Heelas as a drapers shop at the end of the 18th century. Aside from assorted fabrics, it also stocked hosiery, handkerchiefs, haberdashery and hats”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: The Wokingham Society

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a stylised design of an evergreen bush, this mosaic (no. 6 on the map) can be found at the end of Bush Walk (so named after the Inn) within Peach Place.

“Looking at Bush Walk shopping arcade today there are a few clues as to the history of the Bush Inn which once dominated this location. It laid claim to the longest continuous recorded history of any of Wokingham’s public houses on the same site – until it’s closure in 1987. ”

Artist: Rosalind Wates
Sponsored by: Wokingham Borough Council

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a series of metal and mosaic fish, this mosaic (no 7 on the map) can be found on the wall of the Methodist Church within Peach Place.

“The Town Council were planning to commission a series of mosaic roundels reflecting the town’s history, we decided to commission a sculpture for the corner of the church that would face into the new Peach Place and we wanted the sculpture to be based on the Christian symbol of fish. The mosaic artist, Rosalind Wates, was very enthusiastic about the idea and designed a shoal of fish that would sweep across the side of our building.  She researched the fish living in the Sea of Galilee and found the colourful St. Peter fish that could be inspiration for the mosaic fish, and a carp for the contrasting metal fish.” Wokingham Methodist Church

Artist: Rosalind Wates (Mosaic), Thrussells (metal fish)
Sponsored by: Wokingham Methodist Church

Further information can be found in the below video and on the Methodist Church Mosaic Sculpture page

Featuring a design based on a film reel with an iconic Charlie Chaplin silhouette, this mosaic (no. 8 on the map) can be found outside the Everyman Cinema on Elms Field.

“Wokingham enjoyed its first cinema, The Electric Theatre, which was situated in Broad Street. It opened in 1913 and saw the development from silent movies to the talkies, and from black and white to full colour.”

Artist: Paul Siggins
Sponsored by: The Arts Society Wokingham

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a stylised design of an alien plucking a flower reflected in an astronaut’s helmet, this mosaic (no. 9 on the map) can be found at an entrance to the Elms Field play park.

“Our future is in our children. Blast off into a world of childhood imagination in the fantastic play park on Elms Field. Astronaut, explorer, teacher, athlete, engineer…be anything you want to be.”

Artist: Paul Siggins
Sponsored by: Wokingham Town Council

Further information can be found in the below video.

Featuring a naturalistic design based off a pool of Koi carp, this mosaic (no. 10 on the map) can be found on Elms Field by the Memorial Bench.

“A mosaic to offer the opportunity to step off the daily treadmill, contemplate and spend a moment of calm.”

Artist: Paul Siggins
Sponsored by: Haines Hill Charitable Trust

Further information can be found in the below video.