Simon English
England Revisited
Summer 1971: Simon English visited 75 points across the country to write the word 'ENGLAND' on England.
Summer 2010: Simon English made a new artwork by revisiting those points.
Observation 1971
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Point:
47
Letter:
A
Date visited:
3rd September 1971
Flag:
On the sign marking the Leicestershire/Northampton Border. 1 mile south of Market Harborough.
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Observation 2010
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label
Point:
47
Letter:
A
Date visited:
21st August 2010
Observation:
On the Leicestershire sign where the A508 crosses the county boundary line just south of Market Harborough. This is not the same sign as I used in 1971, just the same position, as recent changes in county boundaries have not affected this spot. However the standardised nationwide county signs of the past have been ‘privatised’ so counties compete with hopefully distinctive identity logos and catch phrases, with typography, print colour and sign size. Where once we were all equal and timeless under the signage of the Ministry of Transport, now the people, businesses and public services have their group identity dictated by advertising companies and graphic designers. There is nothing so aging as been modernised.
Here Leicestershire sells itself in green with a fox and the legend ‘the Heart of Rural England’. To the south Northamptonshire competes with a bigger sign ‘Welcome to Northamptonshire. Let yourself grow.’ - illustrated by a five petal flower.
The same double pole six wire electricity line still crosses the road east to west overhead at this point. Apparently this is much the same however the hedges do not appear to be cut any more. There is elm die back, hawthorn and willow. This hides the view west where sheep once grazed in a field that now has a flock of old lorries and agricultural machinery. Clearly the expansion of Market Harborough south has put pressure on local farms. Fields on the town side of the boundary have, to the north east become the Necker Factory Shop, and to the northwest rugby fields for a local school, leisure centre and housing estates.
The urban spread is less apparent to the south of the boundary in Northamptonshire where Justin’s Park provides a residential site for the travelling community and Market Harborough Golf club occupies land on the other side of the road.
Inevitably the new housing, business and roads have contributed to the extra traffic trundling past point 47.
Points 46, 47 & 49