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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 14:52:14
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Professional artist Ron Dellar, who lives in the centre of the village, is proposing a new village sign which reflects the ancient heritage of Angmering rather than the present one which contains a green plastic tree (of no particular species) within a triangle resembling a snooker ball frame.
Ron recently sent the following letter to Angmering Parish Council - which he is happy to make public - but has not had any acknowledgement to date: quote:
LETTER TO ANGMERING PARISH COUNCIL FROM MR RON DELLAR (Sept 2013)
One year ago, in a far from appropriate manner it has to be said, I sought to persuade the Council of the merit of my proposals in relation to the village sign.
Hearing nothing from the Council, I assumed that I had been unsuccessful and consequently retrieved my design from the Council Offices.
Undeterred, I now seek the opportunity of presenting my ideas once again to the Council but this time in the form of an Agenda item and at a convenient date.
Beforehand, however, I outline my thoughts on this matter in the following manner:
1) I fully appreciate that the Village sign originally adopted by the Council was produced by a Council member for which initiative he is to be commended. However, for such an important matter as the image projected by a village sign, it would have been more appropriate had the design been the subject of a competition.
2) It was not subject to the scrutiny of a competition though.
3) The question is: What is the function of a village sign?. In my opinion it should convey to all who see it a clear image signifying the special, particular and unique character of the place – an image both simple and at the same time powerful and unforgettable.
4) I have to say that the present image falls far short of all these criteria – it is so forgettable in fact that few of the inhabitants I have spoken to can even remember it. All it says is “Here is a green plastic tree set inside some sort of triangle whose purpose is unclear”.
And that’s it – A plastic green tree. Inside an off-white triangle. Now looking decidedly tired and grubby.
Not exactly a good image for Angmering.
5) I have designed a number of logos in the past, completed murals for London Transport, E.M.I. and others, though my principal activity has always been that of a Portrait Painter (exhibited once in the same exhibition as Juliet Pannett run by The Royal Portrait Society).
6) The alternative design I propose for the Angmering Village sign refers to Angenmaer or Angemaer, the Saxon name to which was later added the suffix “ING” marking this as one of the very first Saxon settlements in Sussex.
Angmering was founded by the Saxons following the collapse of the Roman occupation; it was farmed by Saxons; its layout set by Saxons; and the banner of the Saxons was carried by the army under the command of King Harold to the ill-fated battle of Hastings in 1066.
If ever there was a place to raise the Saxon banner once more, it is here.
This is the principle underlying my design – a design that celebrates the ancient history of Angmering.
7) If my design for a new Angmering village sign were to be accepted, I see no reason – aesthetic or rational – why it should call for the existing Parish Council logo on its letterheads or Council sign to be replaced. Indeed, it is obvious that a new village sign need not affect whatever logo the Parish Council may or may not use; the two designs of Village sign and Council logo could easily run in parallel with each other.
I look forward to the opportunity of addressing the Council and setting out my proposals in greater detail and to hearing from you in due course.
Sincerely,
Ron Dellar
Angmering Village Life has set up an on-line survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/KHSGRXX where you can see both the current and the proposed signs and will be able to vote on the one you prefer. You can also see Ron's letter and a larger version of the design at www.angmeringvillage.co.uk/news/VillageSign-Dellar.pdf
Also feel free to make your comments here on this topic. |
I believe in responsible free speech. I do not necessarity agree with every statement made in these Forums and do not expect everybody to agree with me |
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luckyduck
Moderator
United Kingdom
169 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 17:28:53
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| I agree that the current sign is not appropriate, but as Ron says in his note above, we also need to make sure that any new sign is right - I am not sure that having the name scattered round the corners is good, or easily readable - unless we can also put in the current village name in a clearer position. I am all for showing our history, but any visitor to the village or a web page would wonder where Angemaer is. If he can add in the current village name suitably, and maybe even a reference to our earliest recorded date, he will get my vote. |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 18:10:50
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| The name "Angmering" is in a straight line at the bottom of the sign but is in Old English script. Perhaps that should be in a more modern font. "AN GE MA ER" could stay in the old font. |
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Paul
Advanced Member
319 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 20:34:56
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I'm concerned at the repeated, and apparently derogatory, use of "green plastic tree". Is the phrase "green tree" not sufficient? It is plastic because the sign is plastic, presumably for durability. If it was made of metal/paper/wood, would Ron have said "green #material# tree". For me, this starts to flaw the argument. My first thought on seeing the proposal was "Why is there a Wessex gryphon" on it? Or should that have been "Why is there a white indeterminate material Wessex grypon on it?"?
I have it in the back of my mind that the tree has a significance, but can't place it. Perhaps Neil or someone else who is well-versed in Angmering history can clarify.
I presume I'm only allowed one vote, which I will consider, but my son was looking over my shoulder had no doubts that he preferred the current design.
If there is to be a vote, then perhaps it should be more widely available to villagers than those that use this forum.
The last competition I can recall run by the PC was for an "object" to sit outside the library to celebrate the Millennium. From memory, the designs had deep meaning which needed explaining rather than being obvious. Does this follow that style? |
Be careful what you ask for - you just might get it.
The views expressed in this posting are those of the author and must not be taken as representing any commercial, religious, political or other body. |
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patty
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
738 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 20:56:48
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Paul, I was told some years ago that the tree was a Lime tree representing the Limes on the Green.
I haven't been able to check that, but it does make sense.
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any comments and views listed above are those of myself personally and not as a Parish Councillor, and in no way reflect opinions of the Parish Council or any other professional bodies |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 21:20:00
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I had nothing to do with the idea for a new sign or the design. I am just facilitating a debate. Personally I like the design.
Regarding the material, like Ron I think that the plastic is tacky and dull. I suppose the nondescript tree is meant to symbolise the lime trees on the Green and the triangle represents the Green itself. However, these are just 100 years old. The Saxons probably founded the village some 1400 years ago and shaped the heart of the village we see today.
Wessex, Sussex, Essex were of course all Saxon kingdoms and no doubt all users of the Saxon gryphon symbol but I know little of Saxon banners.
Your son may also vote but I would not want individuals to multi-vote to distort the survey. This would be totally dishonest.
The survey is not just being conducted through these Forums. The survey here went live at the same time as one on the Angmering Village Facebook page. It will also be going on the AVL News page tomorrow morning. I just ran out of time this afternoon.
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2013 : 21:28:24
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Patty, having looked at tree outlines previously, the tree on the sign is not a lime tree but possibly the closest the Parish Council could probably get from a photo library to symbolise a lime tree.
It also has to be realised that the sign post has not been in the village for that long, and the plastic plate was only put on in the last few years when the wooden sign weathered, so it is not a design that generations have come to live with and accept. |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2013 : 09:17:57
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Analyse what the current village sign is saying to visitors (if they just happen to notice it) – “Here is Angmering – it has some fairly recently planted trees in its centre”. That is all and it’s blisteringly obvious anyway - trees that are not even as old as our Parish Council.
What the village sign should be saying to visitors is – “Hey, you’ve arrived in Angmering, an ancient market town and one of the largest parishes in Sussex with a rich and colourful history stretching back thousands of years". How all that is depicted is another matter.
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compost
Advanced Member
265 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2013 : 08:38:41
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As many of you may be aware, I am not to good at putting my point of view into words - so will do my best
1. As Ron states it maybe that the sign does need to be looked at and a new one put in place, and a competition could be run not just a vote on one option. I fancy having the name of the village changed to Compost's place (happy to pay for votes).
2. I personally like the writing on Ron's design but feel the Dragon/Griffin makes us look Welsh (nothing against the Welsh)
3. Is Rons idea one for the village or a bit of self publicity - Sorry if that sounds harsh - its not meant to be.
4.As stated by others, the comments about the material used in the current sign are really irrelevant. What material is Ron suggesting his new sign is made of?
5. As for the design logo on any new sign, what does Angmering produce a picture of in your mind, some will look back to farming, some may look to more modern times. |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2013 : 09:38:20
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Ron certainly was not pushing himself to paint the sign and was quite open to others reproducing his design. He just dislikes the present sign and feels it says nothing about Angmering's heritage.
I think he was envisaging that the sign was enamel on metal with perhaps the gryphon/draco (or whatever it is) possibly being embossed.
Dragons are not the preserve of the Welsh - their one is red. The gryphon proposed is white. The Saxon Wessex gryphon was gold, I understand. But I don't know much about mythical beasts.
Compost wrote:quote:
5. As for the design logo on any new sign, what does Angmering produce a picture of in your mind, some will look back to farming, some may look to more modern times.
What about some more ideas? |
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240felicia
Senior Member
172 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2013 : 00:22:55
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The suggested design has no meaning to me as a resident of Angmering.
This is the 21st century, though history is important, do we really need to romanticise about Saxon origins just to have a reason for Ron's design?
I think Ron's design is harshly coloured and the text is not going to be easy to read when passing through in a car.
The suggested design is not at all in keeping with most village signs I have ever seen, and I think it's too gaudy and in-your-face.
I would personally rather something symbolising the people who live in Angmering now, not just some random heraldry for the sake of it.
I don't see what the problem is with the tree, although rather a simple design, sometimes simplicity is a good thing.
Why spend money and time trying to fix something that isn't broken?
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