Village sign
| 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: | The Tye |
| Town: | Alfriston |
| Parish: | Alfriston |
| Council: | Wealden District Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | BN26 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Road or Wayside |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | Next to the path leading to St. Andrews Church |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 151 |
| Grid reference: | M1 |
| 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 : | Frank Fox-Wilson |
| Role: | Carver |
| Name : | Penelope Ellis |
| Company/Group : | Brendan Devitt-Spooner, Wood Design, Angmering |
| Role: | Designer |
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General Information
| Commissioned by: | Alfriston Millennium Committee |
| Construction period: | December 1999 - May 2000 |
| Installation date: | 01/05/2000 |
| Unveiling date: | 01/05/2000 |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Owner custodian: | Alfriston Parish Council |
| Object listing: | Not listed |
| Description: | A village sign on a tall oak post, set on a green in the centre of the village. The carved wooden sign has two different sides, each carved with a range of symbolic and other references to the history of the town. |
| Iconographical description: | 'The idea of a village sign is to illustrate prominent features of the village's history and buildings in a unified and colourful collage. On the Alfriston sign, one side depicts the area around the Tye, the other side focuses more on the village centre. A noticeably different style of carving and choice of colours for each side helps to portray these different locations and 'moods'. Depicted on the sign are: St. Andrew's Church; glovemaking; White Bridge; ropemaking; The Clergy House; Cuckmere River; bell-ringing; St. Andrew's Shield; smugglers; shop fronts; The Star Lion; the Chestnut Tree; the Market Cross; a soldier; the Car Park Tower; Sussex martlets and Alfriston School. (Village sign information leaflet) |
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Classification
| Categories: | Sculptural, Roadside / Wayside, Free Standing, Functional, Commemorative |
| Object type1: | Marker |
| Object subtype1: | Post |
| Object type2: | Street furniture |
| Object subtype1: | Post |
| Subject type1: | Pictorial |
| Subject subtype1: | Group |
| Subject type2: | Figurative |
| Subject type3: | Symbolic |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | Post |
| Material: | English oak |
| Height (cm): | 335 |
| Part 2: | Sign |
| Material: | Cedar wood |
| Height (cm): | 75 |
| Width (cm): | 75 |
| Depth (cm): | 10 |
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Object Condition
| Overall condition: | Good |
| Risk assessment: | No known risk |
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History
| History: | The suggestion of a village sign was accepted by a meeting of parishioners as a project for the Millennium year in the Spring of 1999. It was unveiled on May Day 2000 by Lord Healey during the village Millennium celebrations. It was sited on The Tye as it is an important focal point of the village. The designer, Penelope Ellis and wood carver, Frank Fox-Wilson carried out between them some 300 hours work on the sign. Fox-Wilson is the Rector of the Cuckmere Valley Churches. A prototype of one side was first made from old timber to test the logistics of the carving of the design. The actual sign was constructed in cedar 4'' x 10'' blocks. Cedar was chosen for its resistance to weather wear. The carved sign was coated with acrylic primer, standard undercoat and gloss and finished in signwriter's enamels. Work took five months to complete and the materials costs were £500. All local contributors gave their time free of charge.
'The idea of a village sign is to illustrate prominent features of the village's history and buildings in a unified and colourful collage. On the Alfriston sign, one side depicts the area around the Tye, the other side focuses more on the village centre. A noticeably different style of carving and choice of colours for each side helps to portray these different locations and 'moods'. Depicted on the sign are: St. Andrew's Church; glovemaking; White Bridge; ropemaking; The Clergy House; Cuckmere River; bell-ringing; St. Andrew's Shield; smugglers; shop fronts; The Star Lion; the Chestnut Tree; the Market Cross; a soldier; the Car Park Tower; Sussex martlets and Alfriston School. (Village sign information leaflet) |
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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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