Ziggy Stardust Sculpture
The sculpture is in honour of David Bowie playing at the Dunstable’s Queensway Hall in 1972. Queensway Hall used to be where Asda is now, and many other famous musicians played there too. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (often shortened to Ziggy Stardust) was the fifth album of David Bowie. It was released on 16 June 1972. Ziggy Stardust focuses on a character, Bowie’s alter ego. The Dunstable District History Society put together an article about this and there is also some footage here of the moment David Bowie played there.
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The concept behind the wooden sculptures
The inspiration came from recognising notable historical significances in Dunstable as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme. Crafted entirely from English oak, the sculptures were created using wood sourced from various locations, including Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and a golf course near Southampton. The wood used was from trees that had been cut down as part of general land management. Dunstable Town Council commissioned sculpturer Peter Leadbeater who brought the historical vision to life.
Thanks to funding from Historic England Dunstable HSHAZ scheme and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) through Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) for making this project possible.
