Celebrating Evesham Mural – Abbey Bridge
In this section
The Brief
Artist Krishna Malla, also know as Tech Moon, was asked to work alongside young people from Ourside Youth Centre to help co design a Mural for the Abbey Bridge & Viaduct in Evesham.
A Survey was initially carried out with local residents, with over 500 people supporting the project, as well as providing suggestions on what the theme could be as well as what might be included in the final piece.
Both the residents and young people decided on a theme around Celebrating Evesham, with a focus on both the heritage of Evesham, as well as it’s connection to nature and the river.
The Background
The Abbey Bridge & Viaduct site was first identified by Evesham Place Board as a well-used area that could benefit from a piece of street art to make it more welcoming both for residents and visitors to Evesham.
The Evesham Place Board is a group of local businesses, civic and community organisations, event organisers and political representatives, supported by Wychavon District Council. The Board supports various projects around town that contribute towards the 20-year vision set out in the Evesham Town Centre Prospectus.
A feasibility study was undertaken and Wychavon District Council were able to secure funding to deliver the project through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with young people to be placed at the forefront of helping to design the mural.
The Artist
Tech Moon, aka Krishna Malla was born in Truro, and is now based in Bournemouth. With over 15 years professional experience in mural production, his work often blends the natural world with timeless classical elements.
Examples of his work can be found:
Krishna can be contacted at:
The Process
In the Summer of 2025 Communities Officers from Wychavon District Council conducted online and in person surveys with residents from Evesham to gauge their thoughts on the project, and to gain their input into the design process.
With young people being the centre of the project, the thoughts of young people were collected by visiting Evesham Adventure Playground, Ourside Youth Association, You Turn Centre, as well as parks and the leisure centre.
It was also important to collect the views of residents who most actively used the space around Abbey Bridge, so time was spent engaging with residents walking along the riverside footpath, utilising the adjacent playground, attending the regular park run, fishing on the river, or attending activities adjacent to the site.
A series of workshops were the carried out with young people with the support of Youth Workers from Ourside Youth Centre.
The first of these sessions involved artist Tech Moon involved workshopping with young people what hey would like to see within the design, taking into account some of the views from the resident survey.
The young people also had a chance to try their own hand at creating their own street art.
In further sessions, young people reviewed different design phases as they developed, feeding back changes for the artist to make alterations.
About the Design
The overall theme for this artwork is Medieval Britain. Artist Tech Moon wanted to utilise aesthetics that relate to this time period to create a medieval atmosphere that reflects such a key point in Evesham and Britain's history.
Gothic architecture - An architectural style that flourished between the 12th and 16th century, defined by pointed arches, flying buttresses and stained glass windows, evident in Evesham via the churches and Abbey, this will help create a coherent narrative of the overall mural and all the historic stories within.
Stained glass - will add vibrancy and classic aesthetics lined to the time period, a historic way of telling stories.
Heraldry - The system of designing, displaying and regulating hereditary symbols, such as coats of arms, to represent individuals, families, or groups.
Simon De Montfort - White lion on red background
Royals - 3 Yellow lions on red background
Banners - A Gonfalone is a vertically hung banner emblazoned with a coat of arms.
Metal - The shiny textures make great focal points of a painting allowing use of light.
Swords and shields - Symbolic imagery of historic battles
Marble / light stones - Overral colour of the pillars and surrounding features will be light to make the space feel open and non intimidation, and also give away to playing with the framework of the beams/ pillars in creating architectural elements.
Nature - Universally understood imagery that will engage younger audiences.
The Battle of Evesham
A sword and shield showing the heraldry of Simon Demontfort; this heraldry is also depicted on the statue of a knight’s horse.
The Battle of Evesham was the decisive battle in the second Baron’s War of 1265.
The Battle marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester and his rebellious Baron’s, against those of Prince Edward.
It was described by the contemporary historian Robert of Gloucester as the “murder of Evesham, for battle it was none,” for the way that the battle turned to massacre, and how the royalist victors killed and mutilated the defeated army.
Montfort had called for two parliaments, one to strip King Henry of his unlimited authority, while the second was to include citizens from the towns. These parliaments have been viewed as the founding of representative democracy.
Simon de Montfort is an important historical figure in Evesham with his name being adopted by the local high school, GP surgery, a veterinary practice, several local businesses and a monument placed in Abbey Park, marked with a stone brought from his birthplace in France.
The Battle of Evesham is celebrated in Evesham with several events throughout the year.
Information on these events and for more information on the Battle of Evesham can be found on the event website: Home | Battle of Evesham
Could you survive a real medieval battle? Find out by watching History Hit’s documentary filmed during the Battle of Evesham Festival: Watch to the documentary on YouTube.
A perch from the River Avon
Evesham sits on the banks of the River Avon, and is one of the key geographical features for the town.
The Avon has been significant in the forging of Evesham’s history.
It has acted as an important water course for trade, bringing great wealth to the Abbey in the Medieval period, and to the Vale of Evesham in general through the trade of many of its grown products.
The river and its banks are also an important area for leisure; enjoyed by locals for long walks, festivals, picnics, boating and other recreational pursuits. Fishing is also a common pass time in Evesham, and it is a frequent sight to see anglers on the banks of the Avon.
The depiction of a perch here not only nods to the breadth and beauty of the natural wildlife in and along the Avon River, but the perch is also the emblem for the Evesham Angling Association and Festival.
Asparagus
Evesham is known as the fruit and vegetable basket of England, historically known for its fertile land and market gardening.
The region produces a wide array of crops, from plums, apples, pears, and various vegetables.
The most famous of these crops is the Evesham Asparagus, which is affectionately known locally as Vale Gras.
The asparagus depicted in the mural is known as “a round of gras”, unique to the area; a round of asparagus contains 15 spears tied together.
Vale Gras is prized not only across the UK, but across the world for its quality; the reason is its unique growing conditions. Heavy clay, alongside a warm dry micro-climate, lead to a superior asparagus that’s succulent and tender.
Every year the gras is celebrated during the Vale Asparagus Festival. The festival features Jemima Packington, the world’s only Asparamancer, who can read the future with nothing more than a handful of asparagus, and Gus the Asparagus Man.
For more information: Vale of Evesham Asparagus - Vale & Spa
A Vision by the River
The image here of the Virgin Mary is connected to the story of the founding of Evesham in AD 701.
Evesham takes its name from an 8th Century swineherd called Eof (also Eoves). It became known as ‘Eof’s Homme,’ meaning Eof’s land, and then later Evesham.
According to tradition, Eof had a vision of the Virgin Mary while looking after his pigs down on the banks of the River Avon.
On recounting his vision to the Bishop Egwin of Worcester, the bishop, visiting the river himself, saw the same vision of the Virgin, whereupon he decided to found the Abbey on what would become Evesham.
This Abbey would be one of the most important and wealthy Abbey’s in the country, until the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century
St Egwin’s Pilgrimage
The image here of a fish and a key, link not only to Evesham sitting beside the river Avon, but also to the story of St Egwin and his pilgrimage to Rome.
As a bishop Egwin was known as a protector of orphans and widows and a fair judge. However, he struggled with the local population over the acceptance of his stern discipline over things such as Christian marriage and clerical celibacy.
These resentments made their way back to his superiors, so Egwin sought vindication through a pilgrimage to see the Pope.
To prepare for this journey, Egwin locked shackles to his feet and threw the key into the river Avon before making his long pilgrimage to Italy.
Upon entering Italy, his company went fishing in the Tiber, and prepared a good size fish to eat, upon preparing to dine they came upon a key to his leg chains, allowing him to free himself from their constraints.
He was absolved of his criticisms by the Pope, returning to England to found the Abbey at what would become Evesham.
St. Egwin is an important figure locally with a number of places bearing his name.
The Robins
The robin depicted here both incorporates one of the mural’s themes of wildlife, as well as linking to Evesham United Football Club who are nicknamed The Robins.
Evesham United FC was founded shortly after World War II by returning servicemen, where they would play at Crown Meadow, only a stone’s throw from this Mural.
The club later moved to Comon Road in 1969, before a final move to it’s current location on Cheltenham Road in 2012.
To learn more visit: Club History | Evesham United FC
The Whalebone Arch
An unusual site in Evesham, an arch located in Workman Gardens made from the 5-meter-high jaw bones of a Greenland Bowhead Whale.
The whale was caught in 1820 by a whaler hailing from Evesham called Mr Stanton and sent back to his friend Dr Cooper, living at what is now Evesham Hotel. In 1906 the bones were donated and erected over the entrance to Workman Gardens on the banks of the river, and became a popular landmark.
The jawbones, suffering from damage and decay, were later returned to Evesham Hotel to help with their preservation.
As a replacement, an oak statue of a Bowhead Whale sits in Workman Gardens under a replica metal arch of the jawbones.
