A recent addition to South Cliff Gardens is the Star Map, also known as the Star Disc.
This installation is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom, with a diameter of 26 meters, and may be the largest in Europe.
The disk features 42 fiber-optic terminals that represent the 42 brightest circumpolar stars visible from Scarborough.
The Pole star is positioned near the centre of the map and can be used to identify several well-known star patterns, including the Big Dipper, also known as The Plow. Capella, the brightest star visible from the disk, is also the sixth brightest in the night sky.
The map indicates sunrise points along the North Sea, marked on the nearby inner-wave wall seating. Informational boards assist visitors in utilizing the map
There is a viewing point near the Putting Green where scenic views of Scarborough’s South Beach and the lighthouse and castle can be enjoyed.
Standing at the center of the disk, where all the lines converge, visitors can determine their geographical coordinates: LATITUDE: 54 degrees, 16 minutes, 15.4 seconds NORTH of the Equator and LONGITUDE: 00 degrees, 23 minutes, 36.8 seconds WEST of the Greenwich Meridian.
From this central point, it is noticeable that True North is directly aligned with the tower of St Mary’s Church.
The historical significance of the site lies in its original use as the first large tidal bathing pool in Britain and the largest in Europe, measuring 330 feet long and 167 feet wide.
Constructed in an art deco style, it was filled with fresh seawater from the tides.
Smith’s ambitious plans included features such as changing facilities, diving boards, and water chutes, and the pool was intended to serve as part of the town’s sea defences.
The development also formed part of a broader initiative to enhance the South side of the town, aiming to replicate the successful improvements made at North Bay, such as the introduction of beach huts that had boosted tourism.
Many of these features, such as the Clock Café, additional cliff paths, and the Italian Gardens, are still present today.
The Tidal Pool officially opened in 1915.
The Tidal Pool closed for good in 1989.
The pool was filled in and demolished in 2003.