The Droitwich Spa mural is much smaller than the example we have just seen in Worcester, and forms just one panel (although of course it is actually made up of a series of individual panels).
As always, let's try and decode some of the history shown. Starting with Salinae, which is the Roman name for Droitwich.
And unless that is some form of synchronised swimming, the figures in the blue section represent bathing in the brine baths. Rock salt and brine has been extracted in Droitwich since Roman times, and the local brine is said to be the strongest natural salt water known.
Below the Droitwich coat of arms is the motto "Sal sapit omnia", which translates as salt seasons everything. And below that is "Wychavon", the name of the local district council.
The next section of the mural shows King Ethelbald (King of Wessex, dies 860) granting Evesham Abbey the right to a Droitwich salt pit.
According to the Droitwich spa website (www.droitwichspa.com), these next two figures are "King John who gave a charter, granting salt rights, to the burgesses of Droitwich in 1215, and St Richard in his bishop’s robes."
Salwarpe is the river which flows through the town, whilst Middlewic, Helperic and Upwic were the locations of salt wells.
The coat of arms are those of Hereford and Worcester.
The ship is the Mayflower. Edward Winslow, born in Droitwich in 1595, was one of the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed to America on this ship in 1620.
The Royal Brine Baths were opened in 1836, whilst the motif below it celebrates the reign of Queen Victoria.
Underneath the pot below the penny and shilling coins is the signature of Henry and Joyce Collins, dated 1976. Although in this case the order is Joyce and Henry Collins, not the other way round.
Photographs taken on 15 July 2019.
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