The new development in Billingshurst incorporates the remnants of Hammond’s Mill, and areas of land which had been used for hay fields. They have a tangle of grasses with mature oak trees dotted along older boundary lines.   These now form the public open spaces running through the parcels of new housing. The artist, Helena Roden, has developed a series of sculptures that are inspired by this chaotic tumble of the grass lands compared to the neatly mown lawns of the neighbouring gardens.

There are three forms; a traditional ‘stook’, a contemporary circular hay bale and a little house.   Each form is neat and tidy on one side and deconstructed on the other, an interpretation of how nature takes over.  Placed within the open spaces they offer a device to characterize each area within the otherwise anonymous fields and invite investigation and exploration. The five ‘houses’ all feature plants found growing wild in the public open areas; clover, buttercup, stitchwort, dock, and bullrushes.

The stook and the hay bale stand across from each other.

When the project was first commenced, Helena worked with the Wealden School and mets members of the community at the Billingshurst Summer Fair. This was in the days before Covid put a temporary stop to most activities. It became a series of unfortunate events; waiting for soil heaps to be relocated, lockdowns during the pandemic, waiting for foundations to be installed, finding serious illness interrupting work programmes. Finally the works are installed and looking resplendent in the sunshine.

Ideas shared and discussed at the workshops and the fair were used to develop the themes for the works.

Commission: Amblehurst Green

Artist: Helena Roden, Blacksmith: Gideon Peterson

Materials: forged steel, painted

Location: Billingshurst – public open spaces through the new development ‘Amblehurst Green’

Client: consortium for Amblehurst Green, comprising Persimmon Homes, Bellway Homes, Devine Homes