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The Old Roedeanians' Association have worked with the School Archivist and the Chair of the Estates Committee to identify several restoration projects which form an important part of the cultural heritage of the School.

The Sundial/Armillary Sphere:

The variously called Astrolabe/Sundial/Armillary Sphere situated on the front terrace was designed and donated to the School by it's Architect Sir J W Simpson in 1899 to commemorate his daughter, Clara Carrick Simpsons (No. 4, 1897M -1899L) time at Roedean.

Sadly it is badly eroded from a century of exposure to the wind, rain and salt!

The Sylvia Lawrence Friezes

Sylvia Lawrence was a younger sister of the Schools founders. She worked at studios in Paris, was a protégée of GF Watts the prominent Victorian artist and she taught at Roedean. She painted the 3 friezes above the fireplaces in the Housemistresses drawing rooms of Nos 1, 2, and 3 between 1898 and 1905.

They are important as Sylvia was linked to the Arts and Craft and Symbolist movement and she was a trailblazer in her artistic field. Like a number of other women artists she turned to mural painting at a time it was very much seen as a mans preserve.

Understandably given their age they are in need of some TLC.

The Ensigns

Four Ensigns given by the four Houses to HMS Collingwood, Hercules, Neptune and Canterbury in 1914 were flown at the Battle of Jutland and later returned to Roedean in 1919 when the ships were taken out of commission.

A fifth Ensign was flown on D-Day from the flagstaff on the front terrace at a time when HMS Vernon was stationed at the School.

Due to their fragility the flags were taken down in the late 1980's and are stored in a glass fronted cabinet in the entrance to the Chapel. We would like to restore the flags, and if possible, have them rehung in their original place.

The Fountain

The white marble fountain in the cloister garth was originally given to the school by OR, Muriel Silver (Abbott. No. 2, 1894-99). She was Head of House and her sister Frances Elaine Abbott (SS 1894-97) became House Mistress of the JH, School Vice President, ORA President and Member of the Council.

Sadly, the marble has deteriorated, the inscription is partly missing and the fountain itself is no longer in working order.

The Tiles

The glazed and intaglio tiles covering the walls in the Art Studio were designed and created by girls at the school during the 30's and 40's under the tutelage of the art mistress Dorothy Burt "DB" Martin. The intaglio tiles depict life at the school.

Some tiles have simply fallen off the walls, some cracked and some deteriorated. The mortar in places is unstable and there is section of wall which is uncovered. Further intaglio tiles of the school life at Keswick have been discovered together with loose glazed tiles from the same period which we hope will be used to tile the uncovered section.

For further information on all of these projects, please email heritage@oldroedeanians.co.uk.

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