Ventnor is set to become part of a national ‘Bell Community’ project with the installation of a piece of public art.
A ‘Tide and Time Bell’, designed by international sculptor Marcus Vergette, will be placed on Ventnor seafront if the Isle of Wight Council approves its planning permission.
The bell will ring ‘gently’ at high tide, and be tuned to blend in with the sound of breaking waves, with a unique design for Ventnor.
Words and designs are inscribed on the bell, made out of a wave catch and clapper, that would have significant meaning to the community.
It is part of a national project that will eventually see 16 of the bells placed across the UK. Since 2009, 7 have so far been installed in Scotland, Wales, London, Lancashire and Devon.
The bell for Ventnor, would be around 1.6m tall and located at the bottom of the steps next to the Rotunda Bandstand, between the high and low tide marks. It would be cast in marine bronze and have an estimated lifespan of 10,000 years.
In planning documents, Sculpture South say the bells are a powerful catalyst for community activities, stimulating creativity while highlighting the threat of rising sea levels driven by global warming. The rise of water levels and the flow of water due to the tides moves the clapper to strike the bell and create gentle, musical patterns.
In its heritage statement, on behalf of the applicant, Venture South, Rainey Petrie Architecture, says it is hoped the bell will add to the development of the cultural scene in Ventnor by inserting a significant piece of public art into this unique and historic setting, with its strong and lasting relationship with the sea.
It is proposed, if the bell is installed, Ventnor Town Council would become its legal owner.
To view the plans, 21/02504/FUL, you can visit the council’s planning portal. Comments can be made until 4th February.
An how much will this cost, waste of time, money and effort, just listen to the waves alone.
If I read the article correctly, this is a national project by an organisation called Sculpture South, which implies – without actually saying so – that the bell may be donated by that organisation. What makes me say this is the comment that says “If installed, Ventnor Town Council would become its legal owner”; this is a strange thing to say if the VTC were to be buying it, because it would then automatically be the legal property of VTC anyway! There has been no mention of VTC buying the thing, so I repeat my suspicion that it is being donated.
The answer is in the headline THE COUNCIL that means noooooooo
Great idea this gives Ventnor seafront an additional attraction for visitors. Its something that they are not going to see just anywhere and a 10,000 year lifetime its going to work out preety cheap!
ART and a sewerage station go well together T— and time waits for no man
A life span of 10,000 years? I expect it will end up at the beach at Godshill by then!