Meet the team

 

David Hide - Chair

Hi, I've lived in Horsham since 2007 and quickly became aware that despite the international reach of Percy Bysshe Shelley, as one of the greatest romantic poets , Horsham's most famous citizen remained overlooked by many local residents. Most of our literary giants are commemorated far more vigorously than Horsham's Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Google names such as Dickens, Hardy and Shakespeare and you will see numerous festivals celebrating their work both here in Great Britain and around the globe. Yes, for a few years, we had an off the peg memorial, entitled ' Rising Universe' a fountain which was located in West Street. Maintaining it proved costly and the fountain regularly ran dry and in 2016 it was replaced by a roundel of silver birch.

For many of us the idea of a lasting memorial remained alive and is why our community group came together to look again and providing our town with such a memorial. I am proud of how far we have come and what we have achieved so far. Our aim is to secure a lasting memorial to Percy Bysshe Shelley, for  public enjoyment, inspiration and education, and to commemorate Horsham’s most famous citizen. If you share our aim then why not join our project - email shelleymemorialproject@btinternet.com and make a donation #bringingshelleyhometohorsham

 

Carol Hayton - Treasurer

I know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but one of my favourite things about my heavy, paperback, Penguin Classics, volume of Percy Bysshe Shelley's selected Poems and Prose is the reproduction of the painting of the Mont Blanc Massif on the front of it.

I have holidayed in the Alps several times and hauled myself to the top of a few peaks in the slipstream of my mountain-obsessed partner. The drama and beauty of these mountains is hard to match anywhere in the world, in my view, and I fully understand how Shelley would have found the inspiration to write one of his greatest poems, ' Mont Blanc' in this place.

It is a fantastic poem which I only fully appreciated when I heard it read out loud, twice, at the Shelleython this year, once by Chris Aldridge and a second time by the students from Tanbridge school. It is a really accessible poem that conveys the majesty and solitude of the landscape brilliantly. I particularly like the lines;

In the calm darkness of the moonless nights,
or the lone light of day the snows descend
upon that mountain - none behold them there. '

If there is a Shelley poem that holds a special significance for you, please tell us about it at shelleymemorialproject@btinternet.com

Stephen Sandham - Fundraiser

I came to Horsham in 2021 after moving out of London, where I lived for many years; though originally hailing from the North of England. It was a big change for me, but was exactly what I was looking for - an attractive market town, ideally situated between London and the South Coast, surrounded by lots of amazing countryside to explore.

When I met David, I was fascinated to learn about Horsham’s connection with Percy Shelley, and was keen to get involved with the Project. It’s a small group of enthusiasts who are all vigorously dedicated to achieving the goal of a permanent public memorial, in Horsham Park, to commemorate the life and works of the town’s most celebrated ancestor. It seems to me a huge void that there is no physical presence in the town to mark its heritage as the birthplace of this giant in the sphere of English romantic poetry. Where would Stratford upon Avon be if it didn’t recognise Shakespeare? The Shelley Memorial Project, with the support of the local community, hopes to change this oversight, and I am delighted to be playing a part in it.

 

Ted Gooda - Website editor

I’m a ghostwriter, and a secondary English teacher, and I’m fascinated by all aspects of the writing process. I enjoy visiting locations that are significant for the writers I enjoy reading. I visited Troyes in France a few years ago, home of Chrétien de Troyes - a twelfth century poet and troubadour famed for his writing on Arthurian subjects, and for creating the characters of Lancelot, Percival and the Holy Grail. I embarked on a pilgrimage to find his statue, but discovered that no such thing existed. Residents of Troyes had no idea that their town had such a famous literary father.

Unbelievable, I thought. Incroyable! Until I realised that anyone seeking Shelley in Horsham would be in exactly the same position.

The idea of a lasting memorial to Horsham’s literary giant is important. If you feel the same way, join us by sending an email of support to shelleymemorialproject@btinternet.com