The artists in residence

Back in 1907 the now controversial sculptor Eric Gill [you may remember his Prospero and Ariel statue on the outside of the BBC Broadcasting house was defaced by a man with a hammer a couple of years ago] moved to the small East Sussex of Ditchling. In 1921 he set up the Guild of St Joseph and Dominic which was a Roman Catholic community of arts and craftsmen which drew many others to join him. The museum focuses on this period of the village's development, but Gill is less prominent than he once was reflecting the changing attitude towards him. As a man he was deeply flawed, but the magnificence of his work speaks for itself. I went with my friend E and it was a first visit for both of us. To be frank I can't for the life of me see what drew people here in the first place😆 The village has been here since at least 765AD and was in the hands of King Alfred the Great by the 9th century. By 1086 it was noted for having 196 households which would have been considered large by the