At a well-attended annual gathering last Friday, December 1, Rye Conservation Society announced award winners for 2017. These awards highlight projects that celebrate what makes Rye unique and different.
The first award went to Alex MacArthur for beginning the refurbishment and reuse of the Monastery on Conduit Hill and for the simple but imaginative signage. “There can be few places in England that can boast the skeleton of a Bengal Tiger in a Victorian vitrine” said Julian Luckett, vice-chairman of the society.
Next was the award to Rosie Furnival “for the exemplary redecoration and signage of The Fig at 2 High Street. The use of colour in articulating the shopfront and its sophisticated signage is particularly successful”.
Finally, he congratulated Helen Bloomfield for retaining the old shop lettering below the bay window of the Apothecary on the corner of the High Street and East Street. “There was no need to preserve this fragment of visible history that help to illuminate Rye’s past,” he said “but she did”.
Amber Rudd MP made an appearance, warmly greeting old acquaintances and commending the Society for its work in conservation of the historic townscape. It was an opportunity for members to make and renew contacts in a relaxed atmosphere, enhanced as last year by refreshments amply supplied by David and Jen Tomkinson and a glass of wine.
Photos: Kenneth Bird and David Bookless
Photos: Kenneth Bird and David Bookless
Excellent projects all: well done. Maybe next year we could also have some ‘carbuncle’ awards – the dreadful ‘Catcher in Rye’ with its blue plastic signage comes to mind?