You’re walking down the pier in a sleepy Devon seaside town, expecting maybe a nice ice cream or a view of some bobbing fishing boats, and then you see her. She’s massive. She’s pregnant. And honestly, she’s missing half her skin.
The damien hirst ilfracombe statue, officially named Verity, has been standing guard over Ilfracombe Harbour since 2012, and people still haven't stopped arguing about her. Some locals think she’s a masterpiece that saved the town’s economy; others think she’s a "grotesque" eyesore that looks like a biological experiment gone wrong.
But here’s the thing: most of the "outrage" you see online misses the point of why she’s actually there and what she’s supposed to be doing.
The Absolute Unit: Breaking Down Verity
Let’s get the stats out of the way because they’re kind of mind-blowing. Verity isn't just a big doll. She stands at 20.25 metres (about 66 feet) tall. To put that in perspective, she’s 10 inches taller than the Angel of the North.
She’s a beast of engineering.
The whole thing weighs over 25 tonnes. It’s not just one solid chunk of metal; she was cast in 40 separate sections at the Pangolin Editions foundry in Gloucestershire. Most of her is bronze, but the sword and her upper arm are made from a single piece of glass-fibre reinforced polymer.
Why? Because Devon weather is brutal. Before they put her up, they actually stuck a model of her in a wind tunnel to make sure she wouldn't topple over or snap in a gale. She’s built to survive sea spray, lightning, and the occasional grumpy tourist for at least the next few decades.
Why the "Half-Flayed" Look?
If you look at her from the left, she looks like a regular, albeit giant, pregnant woman. Move to the right, and things get... intense. You’re looking at muscle tissue, a skull, and a very clear view of a fetus in the womb.
Hirst calls it a "modern allegory of truth and justice." The idea is basically that "truth" isn't always pretty. It’s what’s underneath the surface. The sword she’s holding represents power, while the scales of justice are hidden behind her back, out of balance.
Some people find it "degrading" or "misogynistic," especially considering Ilfracombe has had its struggles with high teen pregnancy rates in the past. But others see it as a celebration of female strength. She’s standing on a pile of law books, looking out at the Bristol Channel like she owns the place.
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It’s definitely not subtle. But Hirst has never really done "subtle." This is the guy who put a shark in a tank of formaldehyde, after all.
What Really Happened With the 20-Year Loan
There’s a common misconception that the town "bought" this statue. They didn't.
Hirst, who has lived near Ilfracombe for years and used to own the The Quay restaurant nearby, basically lent her to the town on a 20-year loan. That means in 2032, she might be heading somewhere else.
Honestly, the "Hirst-on-sea" vibe has cooled down a bit since 2018. Hirst shut down his restaurant and his gallery (Other Criteria) on the seafront, leaving some locals feeling a bit abandoned. There was a lot of talk about "regeneration" and "gentrification" back in 2012, and while tourism definitely spiked—with people coming specifically to see the damien hirst ilfracombe statue—the town is still grappling with the same old seaside-resort issues.
Is She Actually Good for Ilfracombe?
If you ask the business owners on the pier, they’ll mostly say yes. She’s a "Marmite" attraction—you either love her or loathe her—but you have to go there to see her.
- Tourism: Thousands of people who would’ve just driven past to Woolacombe now stop in Ilfracombe.
- The "Icon" Factor: She’s become the literal face of the town on postcards and Instagram.
- Conversation: Love it or hate it, you’re talking about art. That’s a win in most books.
Recently, she’s even been given a "sidekick." A recycling bin designed to look like a fish (from the GreenSeas Trust) was placed near her to highlight marine plastic pollution. It's sort of a weird pairing, but it fits the "environmental and biological" theme of the area now.
Practical Insights for Your Visit
If you're planning to go see her, don't just snap a photo from the car.
First, walk the full 360. The transition from the "normal" side to the "anatomical" side is where the actual art happens. It’s meant to be jarring.
Second, look at the base. She’s standing on those law books for a reason. It’s about the struggle between human-made laws and the raw, biological "truth" of existence.
Third, check the weather. She looks completely different against a grey, stormy Devon sky than she does on a bright summer day. The bronze catches the light in a way that makes her look almost alive—or at least like she’s about to step off that pier.
What to do next
If you're in the area, don't stop at the statue. Walk up Lantern Hill to the St. Nicholas Chapel for the best aerial view of Verity against the harbour. Then, head over to the Tunnels Beaches to see the Victorian engineering that used to be the town's main claim to fame before Hirst showed up with a 66-foot pregnant lady.
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Check the local tide times before you head out, too. The harbour looks a lot more "majestic" when the tide is in; when it’s out, you’re mostly looking at a lot of mud, which kind of kills the "goddess of truth" vibe.