THIS IS FINDON —  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

STANLEY ROY BADMIN'S FINDON SCENES

Copyright Valerie Martin 2002.

The majority of the following images of Stanley Roy Badmin's work have come to me via his son-in-law, Tony Hammond who lived at nearby East Preston with his wife, Liz.   As the crow flies, East Preston is some five miles south-west from Findon and they and can see the slopes of Cissbury Ring under which our village nestles. 

The above watercolour is by Stanley Roy Badmin of St. John the Baptist Church.  It depicts an Autumn Wedding in Findon in 1985 and there is a little story attached to the above painting.  It is said that when he sat down in this peaceful corner of Findon, the scene was deserted.  The only sounds came from the birds in the trees on Church Hill.  He then became aware of cars arriving and parking in the quiet lane close to the church.  He continued painting and his work from then on took shape and developed into Autumn Wedding in Findon.  That is a charming story.  I cannot help wondering whose wedding it was?

I will follow on with another small watercolour of our church —

and yet another of the church...but this time with its neighbour, Findon Place, the old Manor of Findon —

...and Findon Place from the front —

This is the approach to the north side of Cissbury Ring (through Nepcote).  I'm here early every morning so I know it intimately.  Although there are some differences from when the sketch was done.  Some interesting comparisons.  The fencing stumps are no longer in the foreground. The sign post in the foreground has vanished over the years... and so has that on the summit.  The seat is no longer at the foot of the Ring. There is no longer a stile into the Western Escarpment.    The straight path up the centre of the hillside no longer exists and the area is now fully wooded ... in fact, there are more bushes everywhere. 

On to the view from Cissbury Ring looking southwards towards the English Channel.

And here is the Gun Inn at The Square in Findon —

This is a map of the Findon area executed by Roy and indicating a walk —

Findon Village Antiquities — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.