After 12 years our beloved Alice Table is starting to decay and can no longer be repaired. The Alice Table has become a focal point of the reserve, creating a photo opportunity for visitors and a chance for imaginative play alongside long lasting memories.
Our Alice Table:
Back in 2012 there was a commission for natural play equipment, themed around the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party from Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. Out of this- thanks to the generous donation from Impetus Environmental Trust- came wood sculptor Andrew Frost’s design of our Alice Table. Two oak discs were transformed into a table with boots for legs and dressed with a tablecloth, tea cups, plates and a teapot which the dormouse peaks out of. A set of 8 thrones were also created from cedar and oak allowing visitors to sit at the table. In total the table is 10 feet long and weighs over two tonnes!
This is the original sketch design for the Alice in Wonderland table. The care and thought that went into the design of this amazing sculpture paid off- it has been loved by visitors ever since its installation!
But why is the mad hatter hosting a tea party at Saltholme? Unlike the Hatter’s riddle in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, this one has an answer....
Lewis Carroll grew up on the river Tees- less than 20 miles from RSPB Saltholme- in the village of Croft-on-Tees. Don’t you think Carroll would feel right at home at Saltholme among characters from his most famous book? Plenty of Carroll’s animal characters can be seen here at RSPB Saltholme, including the mad march hares which can be seen boxing in the spring.
The Alice Table’s Legacy:
The Alice in Wonderland Table has been a picnic spot, photo opportunity, navigational tool and much more- it has certainly added a lot to our wonderful reserve!
There were high hopes for the Alice Table; the aim of this incredible sculpture was to help people realise what a wildlife wonderland Saltholme is, as well as encouraging people to spend more time outside enjoying the reserve.
Since then, over 720,000 people have visited RSPB Saltholme and many of these will have picnicked or played around the Alice Table, and many more photos will have been taken. If you’ve taken a photo then please share it with us!
Looking Forward:
So, what’s next? In the Autumn the process to remove the Alice Table will start. We are hoping to save some of the chairs and relocate these around the reserve for you to enjoy. We’re also starting to look for a replacement that will inspire the next generation, creating a photo opportunity connecting the nature and the landscape at RSPB Saltholme. We can’t wait to see what is designed!