History of the Village Sign
DIAMOND JUBILEE VILLAGE SIGN FOR SIDLESHAM
The wooden post and metal sign originated from The Selsey Tram, a public house in Donnington which closed down. The Sidlesham Parish Council were unable to afford a new Village Sign which was estimated in the region of £5-6,000 so a member of the Parish Council contacted the purchasers of The Selsey Tram who kindly donated the sign provided the SPC ensured that the electrics to the sign were disconnected and its removal.
A local Electrician in Birdham and Knights Fencing volunteered their services and the sign was deposited in the garden of a SP Councillor, whose husband then removed the old paintwork and varnished the sign. This very exciting project to celebrate the Queens Jubilee has involved a number of local residents and it would not have been possible without their help and the support of local companies, the Parish Council and a grant from Chichester County Council.
XL Graphics finalised the coloured sign from art work provided by local artists (Moira Grice, Stephen Guise, Zena Macdonald, Sue Martin, and Sally Tynan). Richard Hall then varnished the wooden frame. Kate Viner made a stainless steel cockatrice which was painted black to match the metalwork. The sign has two quite different pictures. On one side there is the picturesque quay in Mill Lane with the local birdlife, and on the opposite side is the parish church of St Mary our Lady, a tractor and ploughed field, a Land Settlement Association house, and tomatoes and lettuce representing the various nurseries on the peninsular. The legendary figure of a cockatrice to sit on the top of the sign was chosen as there is already a cockatrice on the church tower weathervane.
The local Primary School and Sunday School organised an excellent scrapbook of how they celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee. This has been placed in a Time Capsule in the footings of the sign.
Local Builder Danny Edwards dug the footings for the sign concreted in a metal sleeve made by Trident Structural Ltd for free. Knights Fencing hoisted the completed sign into the sleeve and Danny Edwards’ staff completed the brickwork around the sign. An official plaque on the sign commemorates the Queen’s Jubilee.
The official unveiling of the plaque and the blessing of the sign on the Paddock Straight by Father Stephen Guise was at 2.0pm on Saturday 15th December 2012 and a number of local people and companies supporting the project attended. After the service they adjourned to the Church Hall where they were served tea and biscuits by Sidlesham WI. This has truly been a community project and put Sidlesham on the map.
Corina Hall
Sidlesham Parish Council
