Object Details

Statue of St Cuthman

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Makers
General Information
Classification
Object Parts
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Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright for Photograph:

Creative Commons

Location

Street:Vicarage Lane
Town:Steyning
Parish:Steyning
Council:Horsham District Council
County:West Sussex
Postcode:BN44
Location on Google Map
Object setting:Road or Wayside
Access is:Public
Location note:Opposite the Church of St. Andrew
Page:130
Grid reference:A3
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.

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Makers

Name : Penelope Reeve
     Role:Sculptor

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General Information

Commissioned by: Millennium Celebration Group Steyning 2000
Construction period:2000
Installation date:2000
Unveiling date:2000
Work is:Extant
Owner custodian:Steyning Parish Council
Object listing:Not listed
Description:Statue of St. Cuthman, the builder depicted sitting on a stone block gazing to the right in the direction of St. Andrew’s Church. His right foot rests on a depiction of the ‘Steyning Stone’ (the original was discovered in 1938 and is in the porch of the church. It may have been the centrepiece of pagan worship on the site where the church now stands.).Behind the right leg of the statue is depicted a bag of builder’s tools.
Iconographical description:Saint Cuthman of Steyning (d. 8th Century) was an Anglo-Saxon shepherd who became the Patron Saint of Steyning. His legend says that he built a wheelbarrow in which he moved his ailing mother around with him, until eventually his wheelbarrow collapsed as he reached Steyning, whereupon he settled and built his Church. After the Norman Conquest his relics were transferred to the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, which had gained possession of Steyning.King Alfred the Great’s father, Ethelwulf of Wessex (839-856) was buried here in the church of St. Cuthman (now St Andrew's), before being transferred to Winchester. (http://www.chequerinnsteyning.co.uk/)
Signatures:Carved into stone at base, facing south:
PENELOPE REEVE
2000
Inscription:Carved into stone at base, facing east:

ST.CUTHMAN
BUILDER

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Classification

Categories:Sculptural, Religious, Free Standing
Object type1:Statue
Object type2:Sculpture
Subject type1:Mythological
     Subject subtype1:Seated
Subject type2:Figurative
     Subject subtype1:Seated
Subject type3:Portrait

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Object Parts

Part 1:Statue
     Material:Portland stone
     Height (cm):150
     Width (cm):180
     Depth (cm):140

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Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Condition 1 of type:Surface
     Condition 1: Biological growth
     More details:Biological growth to the top of the depicted Steyning Stone due to water collection.
Condition 2 of type:Structural
     Condition 1: Replaced parts
     More details:The nose of the figure has been broken off by vandals in the past and the replacement is evident.
Condition 3 of type:Vandalism
     More details:According to local newspapers, the statue has been repeatedly vandalised since its unveiling.
Date of on-site inspection:11/12/2007

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History

History:Commissioned by the Millennium Celebration Group Steyning 2000, which raised £9,000 for the project.

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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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