The little-known story behind Derby's mysterious ceramic skull collection

You may have passed Friar Gate hundreds of times but how often have you looked down and spotted an unusual display on the ground near The Greyhound Pub?

A series of heads poking out from the ground are nestled at bases of several tree trunks on Friar Gate in Derby city.

They are made of ceramic, pale blue-dove grey and sit clustered together under a few trees.

If you didn’t know they were there and happened to stumble across them on a night out, we wouldn’t blame you if you jumped out of your skin and threw in a blood-curdling shriek for good measure.

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The sculptures were made in 2000 by artist Tim Clapcott.

They commemorate the Reform Bill Riots of 1831 when rioters freed prisoners from Derby Gaol.

The heads are thought to represent condemned prisoners coming out from underground cells into the light. 

The sculpture was installed as part of the Sustrans cycle route improvements.

Sustrans which is a portmanteau of ‘sustainable transport’ is also a British charity that encourages people to cycle, walk, and use public transport instead of cars to alleviate traffic.

Over the years, people have added their own interpretation of the meaning behind the display.

Posting on Instagram, one person wrote: ‘There is another story behind these heads. If you walk further up Ashbourne Road you will see a couple at the junction of Vernon Street. Wrongly imprisoned people escaped the gaol after the rioters broke down the door and released all the prisoners, who went forth to lay siege in Vernon Gate Prison.’