Romsey has been historically associated with the railways since it was first developed in the 19th Century to provide homes for railway workers.
Local artist Harry Gray, who specialises in stone carving and sculpture, is working with Will Hill, who teaches Typography at Anglia Ruskin University, on the art work to be situated at the corner of Cavendish Road and Mill Road.
They are proposing an R shaped sculpture, in a bespoke typeface designed with reference to existing lettering around Mill Road, which will incorporate bronze plaques featuring inscriptions of stations or destinations that have been significant to local people.
Community members were invited to be part of the project steering group responsible for preparing an artist’s brief and for appointing the artist. The group included representation from East Mill Road Action Group, Romsey Action, the Mill Road History Project as well as local councillors.
The project will be funded through S106 developer contributions of £50k, specifically allocated for commissioning public art.
Residents are now being asked to comment on the proposals, which can be seen on the council’s website at www.cambridge.gov.uk/consultations, by 20 July, as part of a consultation which began on 20 June. Residents can also write to Public Art, Cambridge City Council, PO Box 700, Cambridge CB1 0JH to comment, or for a copy of the proposals.
An exhibition of the proposed work is currently on display at Coversure Insurance, 174 Mill Road, and will be available to view at East Area Committee meeting at 7pm on Thursday 20 July at Cherry Trees Day Centre, St Matthew’s Street. Comments on the proposals are welcome at both locations.
Comments and responses received will be collated and given to the artist and the project’s steering group, and will help inform the final art work.
Local residents who wish to contribute to the project are also being asked to fill in postcards, available at locations on Mill Road, to share their train journey stories. People can also supply their train journey memories online at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WBQ8LWY. A selection of the submitted journeys will be cast in bronze as part of the art work.
Cambridge-based educational production company HistoryWorks are sharing the postcards with local schools as part of a project called ‘Rhyme, Rhythm and Railways’ which also explores the railway heritage of Romsey.
Cllr Anna Smith, Executive Councillor for Streets and Open Spaces: “We are delighted to be commissioning a public art work for Romsey and this project will publicly announce and celebrate the rich heritage of the neighbourhood.”
“I would encourage residents to take a look at the proposals, and get involved in by sending in their stories and memories of the railway, which helped make this part of Cambridge what it is today.”
Will Hill said: “As a typographer with an interest in the way that lettering reflects regional histories, it was particularly exciting to collaborate on a project based upon my own neighbourhood.”
Harry Gray said: “Will and I both live and work in Romsey, so we are really excited about making this special artwork for our amazing and diverse community."
Helen Weinstein, Director of HistoryWorks, said: “It has been fantastic to engage young people and their families with the celebration of railway heritage in Romsey. We are very excited about the new sculpture and hundreds of primary school students have completed the ‘Romsey R’ postcards, contributing their favourite destinations and sharing their most memorable railway journeys.”
Due to the scale of the art work, it will be subject to a planning application, due to be submitted in the next few weeks.
For full information about the proposed art work visit https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/consultations/cavendish-road-public-art-consultation
To contribute details of train journeys to the project visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WBQ8LWY.
For more information about the artists visit https://www.harrygray.co.uk/ and http://www.willhilltypography.com/
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