If you love Faversham, join us. We seek to Cherish the Past, Adorn the Present, Create for the Future

There is a new "boss" at the bottom of Preston Street

Is it a roundabout? No.
Is it a traffic island? No.
So what is it?
It’s there at the bottom of Preston Street.

In 2017 the hexagon-shaped traffic island/roundabout/‘thing’ at the bottom of Preston Street looked a mess. No one Tim Stonor spoke to knew what it was for or even when it had been built. Where it had once been home to bollards and signposts, these had since been removed and patched up with dabs of tarmac. What was left was a sorry sight of granite blocks, blue bricks and blacktop. 

There was, quite reasonably, some talk about getting rid of the hexagon: either bricking it over or replacing the remaining granite blocks with tarmac. But it struck Tim that the island was there, that it was unusual, that it seemed to make some drivers pause and think about how they should negotiate it - and that it might perhaps stay. 

So it then seemed that the appropriate and perhaps obvious thing to do would be to restore the island. But given that there was no need for a central lamppost or bollards, the question remained as to what should go in the middle of the hexagon. Tim settled on the idea of a stone or, borrowing from the terminology of the cathedral-builders, a ‘boss’. Whereas bosses are typically seen high up in medieval vaulting, at the intersection of ribs, Preston Street’s boss would sit at ground level, at the meeting of the three brick arms.

What should go on the stone? It seemed the best, most appropriate device would be the crest of the town. The Faversham Society agreed to pay for the stone, and for Clive Sherwood to make it and Faversham Town Council had KCC install it.

If you love Faversham, join us. We seek to Cherish the Past, Adorn the Present, Create for the Future

November 12, 2019

Leave a Reply

Opening Times

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
12 Market Place, ME13 7AE
10am to 4pm - Monday to Saturday
10am to 1pm - Sunday (opening hours may vary)

FLEUR MUSEUM - FREE ENTRY
12-13 Preston Street, ME13 8NS

Open Friday, Saturday & Sunday 8th, 9th, & 10th December. Friday & Saturday 15th & 16th December. Friday & Saturday 29th & 30th December

SECOND-HAND BOOKSHOP
11 Preston Street, ME13 8NS
10am to 3.30pm - Monday to Saturday

CHART MILLS
Off Stonebridge Way, ME13 7SE

Now closed until April 2024

Registered Charity  Number 1135262 - Company No 07112241
The Faversham Society - Registered Address: 10-13 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 8NS
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram