A town proud of where it came from, and clear about who it is — Seaham's seafront, harbour, and community spirit make it one of the most characterful places on the North East coast.
He arrived in the spring of 2014, intended as a temporary display for the First World War centenary. He never left. Seaham's "Tommy" — officially titled 1101 (Eleven-O-One) — is now the most visited landmark in County Durham and one of the most photographed sculptures in the North of England.
The title refers to the first minute of peace: 11:01am on 11 November 1918, when the Armistice silenced the guns. The figure depicts a lone British soldier seated on an ammunition crate — not triumphant, not marching, but quietly exhausted. Head bowed, rifle grounded, eyes cast down. It is a portrait of survival, grief, and endurance simultaneously.
The statue is 9 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 1.2 tonnes, and is cast in corten steel — a type of weathering steel that develops a rich, rust-coloured patina over time, darkening and deepening with each season. On the Durham coast, where salt air and North Sea winds are ever-present, Tommy has aged beautifully.
When the exhibition ended, the people of Seaham refused to say goodbye. A community committee formed, fundraised, and raised £102,000 to purchase Tommy outright. In 2015 he was permanently installed on Terrace Green, close to Seaham's war memorial — where he stands to this day. Beneath the paved plinth is buried a time capsule containing a personal letter from sculptor Ray Lonsdale, children's artworks, war remembrances, and a Victory Medal.
"The first minute of peace — 11:01am, 11 November 1918."
Location: Terrace Green, Seaham seafront (off North Terrace, SR7 7JE). Free to visit, all year round.
Durham-born sculptor Ray Lonsdale has scattered over 20 corten steel figures across the North East, each honouring a community, a trade, or a sacrifice. A visit to several of them makes for an extraordinary day out.
A 1950s RNLI lifeboat coxswain stands at Seaham Harbour Marina in full oilskins. Unveiled in 2016 and known locally as "Tommy's Little Brother," this figure was commissioned to honour the brave men of Seaham's RNLI lifeboat station, which served the town from 1870 to 1979.
A powerful nine-foot figure with a hole torn through his chest — representing the "ripped out heart" of mining communities following the pit closures. "Marra" is local dialect for a close friend or workmate. Deeply affecting.
A tribute to the young boys who began work underground at ages 12 or 13 as coal miners. The innocence of childhood set against the brutal reality of pit life — one of Lonsdale's most poignant works.
Honouring the Bradford brothers of Witton Park — the most decorated family in WWI, with two Victoria Crosses among four brothers. Only one survived. A stirring tribute to extraordinary sacrifice.
"Da said men don't cry" — Lonsdale's exploration of masculinity, stoicism, and the emotional cost of the mining culture that told generations of North East men to suppress grief and trauma.
Ray Lonsdale's sculptures are spread across County Durham and the wider North East — from Murton to Shotton, Sunderland to Scarborough. A dedicated trail map is available from Durham County Council.
Built by the Marquess of Londonderry to ship coal from his inland collieries, Seaham Harbour opened in 1831 and shaped the town for the next century and a half. Today it is home to a modern marina and a working fishing port.
The harbour is worth exploring on foot — its distinctive series of interconnecting locks reflect the engineering ambition of the Victorian builders. The quayside is a pleasant walk, with views back along the Durham Heritage Coast cliffs. Look out for The Coxswain, Ray Lonsdale's lifeboat coxswain sculpture, at the marina entrance.
Sea angling is popular from the harbour walls and the beach, and the marina occasionally hosts visiting pleasure craft alongside the local fishing boats.
Modern marina facilities. Car parking available (charges apply). Pleasant waterfront walk.
Popular with local anglers from the harbour walls and pier. Cod, coalfish, and flatfish common catches.
Ray Lonsdale's tribute to Seaham's RNLI crews stands at the marina entrance. Equally moving as Tommy.
Kittiwakes nest on the harbour walls in spring and summer. Grey seals occasionally visit the outer harbour.
Seaham's town centre was substantially redeveloped in the 2000s around the Byron Place shopping complex — named in homage to the town's most famous literary connection.
Byron Place brings together a range of high street shops, supermarket, and services in a covered centre a short walk from the seafront. The town centre also has a selection of independent shops, cafés, and local businesses along the main streets.
The Victorian and Edwardian terraces that line Seaham's streets are a reminder of the mining boom that built much of the town — these streets once housed the workers and families of the collieries that defined community life here for over a century.
Seaham sits at the heart of the Durham Heritage Coast — a 11-mile stretch of dramatic limestone cliffs, rocky bays, and deep wooded "denes" (valleys) running from Seaham south to Crimdon. The coast is designated for its geology, ecology, and landscape.
The England Coast Path runs through Seaham, connecting it to the wider network. Walks north towards Sunderland or south towards Horden and Hartlepool offer spectacular cliff-top views. Dolphins and porpoises are occasionally spotted offshore in summer.
Surrounding AreaTommy is free to visit all year round. The beach is always there. And the North Sea always has something to say.