A simple signpost yet a symbol of an ever changing countryside
A few weeks ago I walked along a footpath, a path I had followed many times before. At the junction with another bridleway stood an old signpost. Years of weathering had caused the wood to deform and split. I suspect the post itself was rotten where it emerged from the ground. Layers of lichen and moss had partially covered the names of the nearby villages – Turners Puddle, Throop and Tolpuddle. The fingerpost had character, a patina which would only appear given the passage of time. It complemented the farmland backdrop.
This simple scene spoke to me; a reminder of all the people that had worked on the land and had walked or ridden a horse along the bridleway between these old Dorset settlements. It was more than worthy of a photograph and I am so pleased I did so.
I returned to this same location only yesterday and I was saddened to find the old sign had been removed. It had been replaced with a new post with plastic signage. To my eyes this new sign was bereft of personality. There was no inclusion now of village names. I had the feeling that it was symbolic of the urban environment encroaching on the beauty of the countryside.
I fully accept that the old sign wouldn’t have lasted forever and at some point it would need replacing. However a ‘like for like’ timber sign would in my view have been a more sympathetic choice. If only I had personally witnessed its removal. I think I would have asked the contractor if I could take it home with me and find it a new home in my garden.
This change clearly illustrates and reinforces why I choose to photograph the rural area around me. To record what I see knowing that change is inevitable. It will probably happen very slowly of course and in truth I suspect very little will actually change in my lifetime, but change it will. However given recent Government announcements, which are sure to affect the farming community here in the UK, I feel the pace of change will only accelerate.
A photograph is all about capturing a moment in time, so I need to go out with my camera and document what I see before it’s no longer there.
alan frost photography 
3 Responses to “A simple signpost yet a symbol of an ever changing countryside”
I totally agree with your sentiments about the signpost. I have a similar situation with a fallen wooden fingerpost near Glyndebourne in East Sussex, close to where I live. I will check it out tomorrow and try and contact the local authority about their intensions. Hope I am not too late.
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Thanks for commenting and good luck. I hope it’s still there.
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Hello Alan, At last the fallen wooden fingerpost between Glyndebourne and Glynde village has now been replaced. The local authority is to be commended for replacing it with a new one, like for like. Its worth a look if you are ever down this way. Herewith some pics plus a view of Glynde in the clearing mist. Regards,
John Price

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