Millennium Sculpture Garden
| Browse information by: Location Makers General Information Classification Object Parts Object Condition History References Photographs |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright for Photograph: Creative Commons |
Location
| Street: | Church Lane |
| Town: | Chiddingly |
| Parish: | Chiddingly |
| Council: | Wealden District Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | BN8 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Garden |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | Next to the Church Car Park. |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 97 |
| Grid reference: | J6 |
| The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks. | |
| OS Reference: | TQ544142 |
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Makers
| Name : | Sue Nunn |
| Role: | Sculptor |
| Name : | Helen Mary Skelton |
| Role: | Letter carver |
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General Information
| Commissioned by: | Funded by The Arts Council, South East Arts, ESCC, Wealden DC |
| Commissioned also by: | Chiddingly Parish Council and local firms and individuals |
| Construction period: | 2000 |
| Installation date: | 2000 |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Owner custodian: | Chiddingly Parish Council |
| Object listing: | Not listed |
| Description: | A circular sculpture garden in the centre of which stands a carved oak bole on a stone base. The central bole features key village landmarks. Encircling the central piece are four tall allegorical figures and two wooden benches. The wooden sculptures were all carved from a single 150 year old oak tree. Wooden plaques affixed to the surrounding fence describe the sculptures and the Millennium project and list all of the residents of the village at the time of the Millennium. |
| Iconographical description: | The four archetypal figures symbolise the Seasons and the Family of Chiddingly. The central bole features key village landmarks, and records and captures the history and myths of the village. |
| Signatures: | Carved around the stone base of the Oak bole:
CHIDDINGLY MILLENNIUM OAK SCULPTURE Sue Nunn - Sculptor SPIRIT OF THE VILLAGE 2000 AD Carved into the stone base of the birdbath: GEORGE KENNARD 2000 |
| Inscription: | MILLENNIUM GARDEN ''Though in the world outside there is strife, Here may there be peace. Though in the world outside there is hate, Here may there be love. Though in the world outside there is grief Here may there be joy.'' Wooden inscribed plaque attached to the inner aspect of the fence surrounding the garden: SPIRIT OF THE VILLAGE Carved by sculptor Sue Nunn from a single 150 year-old Oak grown in Chiddingly, these four archetypal figures symbolise the Seasons and the Family of Chiddingly. The central bole features key village landmarks, beneath which are engraved the family names of those resident in the village at the Millennium. Chiddingly was recorded in the Domesday book, and now almost a thousand years later our Millennium Sculpture records and captures the history and myths of the village and something of the spirit of the place, the sacredness of its hedgerows, trees and countryside. At the base is the title plinth carved in Dunhouse Sandstone by letter cutter Helen Mary Skelton. Wooden inscribed plaque attached to inner aspect of the fence surrounding the garden: CHIDDINGLY MILLENNIUM OAK SCULPTURE AND GARDEN This project has been made possible by generous grants, donations and support from: The Arts Council, / South East Arts, East Sussex County Council, Wealden District Council, Chiddingly Parish Council; Abbott / Joinery, Adams and Remers, American Express, Albourne Stone and Marble, Boron, Chandlers-BMW, / Cuprinol, Davies and Tate, Elphick and Son Ltd., Farley Farm, Farm Photographic, George Hammond Plc., / Jenners, Laughton Agriplant, Mark Caruthers Carpenter, Nigel Braden Architectural Designs and Consultancy, / P.B.Fencing, P. and P. Paving, Penrose Forest Products Ltd, Trencherlink, Ivan Vincent, C.B. Winter & Sons, / Wooden Wonders Ltd., Marilyn Ambroziak, Rex and Gill Bretten, Joyce and Ken Boulter, Sandi Cook, Peter / and Pam Dye, Kevin Hannah, Corin Hardy, Noel and Winnow Hardy, Dave and Barbie Harrison, Terry / Hungerford, Dawn Jackson, George Kennard, Edward and Jose Loosemore, Jeni Longley, Brenda and Jerry / Longley, David and Kay Miller, Tony and Ros Penrose, Andrew Smith. Peter Hamlin, Lord of the Manor of / Chiddingly, has provided an endowment to preserve the sculpture into the future. Underneath this plaque is a second one carrying a list of names of those who helped with the fencing and establishing of the garden. Wooden inscribed plaque attached to inner aspect of the fence surrounding the garden: THE CARVED OAK BOLE Here you will find: Two cheeses amongst the roots near Chiddingly Church denoting the story of the / Jefferay family who lived at Place Farm during Tudor times and were reputed to walk to the Church / on ''cheeses''. An Onion Pie by the Village Hall symbolises the poisoning of William French by his / wife Sarah Ann, who added arsenic to his onion pie and was the last woman to be hanged in Lewes / Prison. A 16th Century Cannon near the school is a reminder that the Sussex Weald was the centre / of the Iron industry. There are many ''hammer ponds'' found locally from which the iron was cast, / linked to place-names such as Gun Hill and Furnace Lane. A Galleon represents the fleet that fought / off the Spanish Armada, -many locally-grown oaks were used to build ships. A Bottle Kiln by the / Six Bells Pub represents the early brick-making industry at the Dicker. Also to be discovered is a / motorbike, a more modern village legend, and by the Shop is a shoe last in memory of the Russell / and Bromley shoe business started by John Clifford Russell who lived in the village. You will also / see a swap – a smaller version of the scythe used locally since the earliest days of agriculture. Carved in a circle surrounding the stone bowl of the birdbath: HARMONY . TRANQUILITY . PEACE A further wooden plaque carries the names of the Chiddingly Festival Committee and the Millennium Oak Advisory Group who oversaw the project and the carved logos of the main funders. Underneath several of the inscribed plaques are vertical plaques holding the names of all the residents of the village at the time of the Millennium. |
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Classification
| Categories: | Sculptural, Functional, Composite, Free Standing, Commemorative |
| Object type1: | Sculpture |
| Object type2: | Landscape |
| Subject type1: | Figurative |
| Subject type2: | Pictorial |
| Subject subtype1: | Group |
| Subject type3: | Allegorical |
| Subject subtype1: | Group |
| Subject type4: | Symbolic |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | Carved centrepiece |
| Material: | Oak bole with Dunhouse Sandstone base |
| Height (cm): | 100 |
| Width (cm): | 55 |
| Depth (cm): | 55 |
| Part 2: | Wooden sculptures x 4 |
| Material: | Oak |
| Height (cm): | 250 |
| Width (cm): | 40 |
| Depth (cm): | 40 |
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Object Condition
| Overall condition: | Good |
| Risk assessment: | No known risk |
| Condition 1 of type: | Surface |
| Condition 1: | Corrosion, deterioration |
| More details: | General weatherwearing to the wooden pieces. |
| Date of on-site inspection: | 18/07/2007 |
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History
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References
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Photographs
Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
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