Manual Ref* NFnnCR004 Show 2 images 2
Title*

Cromer Prospect
County Norfolk   District Council North Norfolk 
Civil Parish or equivalent Cromer  Town/Village* Cromer 
Road West Cliff Esplanade 
Precise Location The Pier 
OS Grid Ref TG220425  Postcode NR27 
Previous location(s)  
Setting Seafront regeneration scheme- part of the architectural redesign of the pier forecourt  Access Public 
Artist/Maker Role Qualifier
David Ward  Artist(s)  with 
Shaun Ruffles  Designer(s)  and 
Chris Baldwin  Designer(s)  and 

Commissioned by

 North Norfolk District Council and the Arts Council of England (Commissions East) 

Design & Constrn period

 2005 

Date of installing

  

Exact date of unveiling

  

Category
Abstract Animal Architectural
Commercial Commemorative Composite
Free Functional Funerary
Heraldic Military Natural
Non-Commemorative Performance Portable
Religious Roadside, Wayside Sculptural
Temporary, Mobile Other  

Object Type
Building Clock Tower Architectural
Coat of Arms Cross Fountain
Landscape Marker Medallion
Mural Panel Readymade
Relief Shaft Sculpture
Statue Street Furniture War Memorial
Other Object Sub Type: Compass

Subject Type
Allegorical Mythological Pictorial
Figurative Non-figurative Portrait
Still-life Symbolic Other

Subject Sub Type
Bust Equestrian Full-length
Group Head Reclining
Seated Standing Torso
Part Material Dimension
Compass  Brass and black granite  Dia 3 m 
24 lines  Black granite  W 10 cm 
Standing stones  Black granite  H 1 m 
Lights  Embedded bulbs   

Work is
Extant Not Sited Lost

Owner/Custodian

 Cromer Town Council 

Listing status
Grade I Grade II* Grade II Don't Know Not Listed

Surface Condition
Corrosion, Deterioration Accretions
Bird Guano Abrasions, cracks, splits
Biological growth Spalling, crumbling
Metallic staining Previous treatments
Other  
Detail:

Structural Condition
Armature exposed Broken or missing parts
Replaced parts Loose elements
Cracks, splits, breaks, holes Spalling, crumbling
Water collection Other
Detail:

Vandalism
Graffiti Structural damage Surface Damage
Detail:

Overall condition
Good Fair Poor

Risk
No Known Risk At Risk Immediate
Signatures/Marks  
Inscriptions Inlaid brass inscriptions (clockwise, west to east): Lifeboat H.F. Bailey - Welcome Home of Sheringham, 17th February 1931. 1 life saved /Lifeboat Benjamin Bond Cabbell - Hero of Goole, 3rd December 1897. 4 lives saved /Lifeboat Henry Blogg - Francois Tixier of Dunkirk, 8th July 1948. 16 lives saved /ILB D 197 - George William of Gt. Yarmouth, 1st May 1981. 2 lives saved /Lifeboat The Good Hope - Boston Jaguar of Lowestoft, 15th November 1973 /Lifeboat Ruby and Arthur Reed - Nimrod of Jersey, 14th Nov 1977. 1 life saved /Lifeboat Henry Blogg - Sea Gem Oil Rig, 28th December 1965 /Lifeboat Benjamin Bond Cabbell - Emulous of Middlesborough, 4th March 1970. 5 lives saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey II - Thursonian of Wick, 11th Dec 1928. 5 lives saved /Second lifeboat - Achilles of South Shields, 28th October 1839. 8 lives saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey II - H.M. Destroyer Vortigen, 15th March 1942. 11 bodies recovered. War Grave /Lifeboat Guy and Clare Hunter - Helm Spray III, 28th July 1985. 2 lived saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey Mount Ida of Piraeus, 9th October 1939. 29 lives saved /Lifeboat Her Majesty the Queen Tange of Whitby, 6th November 1998. 3 lives saved /ILB D463 - Man in the Sea, 2nd October, 1999. 1 life saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey- Nephrite of Glasgow, 1st January 1924. 12 lives saved /1st RNLI Lifeboat - Sutcliffe of Harwich, 21st July 1867 Lifeboat Louisa Heartwell - Kronprincessan Victoria of Hangesund, 27th Novemember 1917. 6 lives saved /Lifeboat Ruby and Arthur Reed II - Happy Bear, 13th October 1993. 5 lives saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey - English Trader of London, 26th October 1941, 44 lives saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey - Convoy 559 (4 vessels), 6th August 1941. 88 lives saved /Lifeboat Harriot Dixon - Taara of Parnu, 6th August 1941. 8 lives saved /Lifeboat H.F. Bailey - Giorgia of Rotterdam, 21st/22nd November 1927. 15 lives saved 

Description (physical)

 A compass inlaid in the pier forecourt is central to the scheme from which radiate 24 lines which pass through granite standing stones and point out to sea in the direction of rescue missions. The names of each lifeboat- ship rescue and the number of lives saved have been cut and inlaid into the black granite lines (typeface by Ray Carpenter). At night the scheme is illuminated with projections onto the flint walls of the esplanade with each stone projecting an uplight into the sky 

Description (iconographical)

 According to the lead artist the ‘Prospect’ of the title refers to a view (out to sea and the horizon) as well as meaning 'to look forward'. The scheme as a whole celebrates 200 years of Cromer’s lifeboats. The compass includes as part of its design two hands symbolizing prayer and the act of remembrance (the design based on the compass in the HF Bailey lifeboat in Cromer’s RNLI museum). The 'standing stones' vaguely boat-shaped in cross section represent lifeboats. The lighting is intended as a reminder of the beacon that burned on the corner of Cromer Church tower before the first lighthouse was built 

Photographs

 Date taken:  13/5/2006
Date logged:  16/5/2006

Photographed by:
David Hulks

On Site Inspection

 Date:  13/5/2006

Inspected by:
David Hulks

Sources and References

 www.commissionseast.org.uk, 12-May-06 www.rafmarham.co.uk/tourism/cromer.htm, 15-May-06 www.northnorfolk.org/arts/default_5774.asp, 15-May-06 

Database

 Date entered:  15/5/2006

Data inputter:
David Hulks