Ditchling: Signs of the Seaside

The Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft in the East Sussex village of Ditchling has long been on my bucket list. When I spotted that their temporary exhibition this year was on seaside signage, I managed to actually get there!

This exhibition, Signs of the Seaside, is on until 3 September and comprises new commissions, historic artefacts, photos, posters and books showcasing the typography of the British seaside.

Although I very much enjoyed the main exhibition, I was expecting a larger permanent collection or display providing contextual insights on the museum's history, the wider local artistic community, why the focus on typography etc. This may be in part linked to a need to now downplay the Eric Gill connections. But they are still happy to be displaying their connections to funding received from the Sackler Family.

They do have a nice cafe and shop with a number of items linked to another famous Ditchling resident, Dame Vera Lynn.

Whilst in Ditchling, I also popped to nearby St Margaret's Church to doff my cap at the memorial for Dame Vera Lynn (and Henry Lewis), and then had a drink in the Dame Vera Lynn room at the Nutmeg Tree cafe opposite.

So Ditchling's been crossed off the bucket list! It's unlikely that we'll meet again!

Bucket List Item Completed: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft (29 July 2023)