Friends of Centurion Way

Dear Friends of Centurion Way Supporters

You kindly gave us your email and online support some years ago when we were fighting to save the path from diversion by the developers of Whitehouse Farm. Thanks to you and a public campaign, we saved the original route of the path!

Since then, the community has stepped up to bridge the gap in Council funding – a hard-working volunteer User Group helps maintain the path and cuts back undergrowth, and Friends of Centurion Way have continued to campaign to save this cherished path and its artwork from decline.

Our current plans are ambitious – to restore the charming and attractive Gateway Arch over the start of Centurion Way near Bishop Luffa school and the railway bridge – the arch fell down in 2015 and West Sussex County Council (Highways) put it in storage. We now have almost raised enough to reinstate the archway. Indeed, we already raised enough to cover what we originally believed would be the reinstalment costs. However, because Centurion Way is registered as a highway, there is an additional £4,000 cost to have a licenced firm install the Arch in full compliance with West Sussex County Council policy. 

We are ready to restore the arch in galvanised steel to ensure a long life whilst retaining the original artwork, and to put this landmark back next to the railway bridge, where it stood for over 20 years. It’s a wonderful gateway from the city to the Downs, and a meeting place for three national cycle ways – Centurion Way, Salterns Way and ChEmRoute (NCN2).

With the support of the South Downs National Park Authority, we want to install two information boards – one at the arch and one at the Gang Men sculptures at the amphitheatre. We would love to extend this to a third board and a resting bench by the arch if funds permit!

There are regular FOCW events on the path, which have been reported in the local press and on our informative website and Facebook account.

We have never asked our supporters for any money for our campaigning, events, insurance or operating costs. Now we ask you to donate now towards the Arch. Grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, City Council, Miller Homes etc allowed us to kick off the project, but now a community fundraise for the last £4000 towards the arch and interpretation boards is the final step. Our target date is the end of February 2025 – in due course, the area around the arch will be re-landscaped as part of the future southern access road, but the path remains protected and on its current route and the developers have committed to working around the restored arch and the path to enhance this area.

For information, we link/include pictures below the horizontal line showing the arch and the other three artworks on the path. Also an example of other civic work in Fareham from our blacksmith. For updates, pictures and more information, please go to our website at http://www.centurionway.org.uk/. Or follow us on Facebook or email our project lead volunteer, Carley Sitwell, on carleysitwell@gmail.com for more information.

We have no plans to ask for money again, but if you enjoy the path and care about protecting it for the next generation, then please support us with a donation for the arch & boards. We are a small group of volunteers that have achieved big things so far, and we are really grateful for your support.

If everyone who enjoys the path and its artwork gives us a small donation – we shall easily smash our target! Please step up and give what you can to enhance the path for the next generation! THANK YOU from the Friends of Centurion Way

TO DONATE (NO MINIMUM)
Please donate through crowdfunding at GoFundMe at: https://gofund.me/1e63b422 – look up our page Centurion Way Gateway Arch
OR scan the QR code on your phone for a link to GoFundMe
OR donate directly into our bank account (Sort: 30-96-26, Lloyds a/c: 37087460)
to save crowdfunding fees – but please do email to let us know you have contributed.

QR code for GoFundMe

The Original Gateway Arch in 1995

The Chichester Road Gang created by David Kemp 1995

The Amphitheatre Earthworks designed by Justin Marshall 1995

Primary Hangers at Lavant Road Bridge created by Richard Farrington

The Falklands Arch Fareham by Peter Clutterbuck

On Saturday 16th November 2024, Carley Sitwell and Julia Smith gave a comprehensive presentation at the Westgate AGM about the reinstatement of Richard Farrington’s wonderful Gateway Arch.

Please follow the link if you wish to see a PDF version of the slides that they presented Nov-24-FOCW-Presentation

We are ready to fundraise – help us raise £8000+ to restore this wonderful arch and artwork!

Local Community Group, Friends of Centurion Way (FOCW) are one step closer to realising their ambition to restore a wonderful piece of community artwork on this 9km walking/cycling path along the disused railway from Chichester up into the National Park, with plans to extend its route all the way to Midhurst and the South Downs Way. They have received a significant conditional grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (specifically for community heritage and artwork) via the District Council in addition to previous support from the City Council and a smaller grant from Miller Homes.

FOCW formed to save this wonderful path and its artwork from decay and decline. Having saved the southern end of the path from diversion from new housing, it is delighted to be working with other user groups, South Downs National Park Authority and West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to reinstate its finest artwork – the Gateway arch at its southern end – which creates a meeting point and marks the crossing point of three cycleways – Centurion Way to the north, the Salterns Way to the South and the Chichester/ Emsworth NCN 2.

Project Leader, Carley Sitwell, picks up the story of the arch’s unusual history and the group’s ambitious plans to restore and reinstate the arch. “The original arch was sculpted from the hull of an old minesweeper from Portsmouth harbour in 1995 by Richard Farrington, and installed by WSCC with some other wonderful sculptures along the path, some designed by schoolchildren. The mythical figures across the arch were drawn up by a local Bishop Luffa student. The arch was taken down in 2015 when a wooden support rotted but working with Southsea blacksmith, Peter Clutterbuck, who has a number of civic installations to his name, the arch will be reinstored in galvanised steel for longevity with plans to gild and name the arch for posterity”.

In launching the GoFund Me fundraising, Ian Swann, Chair noted that “artwork is never cheap”, adding that costs had risen unexpectedly. A big blow to the group was having to use an approved WSCC contractor for the arch’s reinstallation and foundations at a cost of £7500 but the group are appealing to the community to help put the arch back where it fell. “The benefits of restoring the arch are far-reaching: its heritage value, a visually pleasing landmark and a a statement piece contributing to Chichester’s well-established reputation for public art. All this also has a daily impact on the many people who use the path for commuting, leisure, pleasure and mental health and wellbeing.” Ian adds “We would be hugely grateful if any local residents or users of the path could support us – donations big and small really can make this project happen.”

For updates on this project progresses and for more information on how to donate, please go to our website at http://www.centurionway.org.uk/. TO SUPPORT: Please donate to GoFund Me at: https://gofund.me/1e63b422 (Centurion Way Gateway Arch)

Julia Smith has just kindly shared these lovely images she created on Centurion Way.

She hopes people will share these images in  to promote maintenance and reinstatement of artwork on Centurion Way.

Please look through the gallery below and share these images with others.

The Friends of Centurion Way are delighted to share that we made a successful bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for funds to support our project to restore and reinstate the Arch at the southern end of the path. This Fund provides grants allocated by Chichester District Council for heritage and community projects and the restoration of the Arch met the criteria on many levels, and our application was accepted in full.

Our plans are ambitious – to restore and reinstate the arch by the end March 2025, rebuilding the original structure in galvanised steel. The original arch was sculpted from the hull of an old minesweeper from Portsmouth harbour in 1995 by Richard Farrington, and installed with the other sculptures along the path which remain in situ. With the help fo this funding, we will work with Southsea blacksmith, Peter Clutterbuck, who has a number of civic installations to his name, to restore the arch and its adorning original mythical sculptures. The arch creates a meeting point at the start of the path, marking the crossing point of three cycleways and signposting Centurion Way to the north – a wonderful link between City and Downs along its current 9km from Chichester to West Dean. The South Downs National Park authority has concrete plans underway to extend Centurion Way up as far as Midhurst through the national park and linking to the South Downs Way. As part of our reinstatement project, we also plan mounted information boards at the site of the arch and up at the amphitheatre near the other original sculptures, and hope to work in partnership with the South Downs National Park in sourcing these.

We have been awarded £17,500 by the UKSPF in addition to generous support from the City Council and a smaller grant from Miller Linden Homes. West Sussex County Council own the land and will assist us with the planning and permissions to reinstate the arch working around the approved plans for the new Southern Access Road and its junction with Centurion way. We are incredibly grateful to the local residents and councillors who have supported us over the years, first working to protect and prevent the diversion of the southern end of the path and latterly with our plans to restore the archway and celebrate the start of this wonderful community asset. Subject to final costs, there may be a small funding shortfall for which we may launch a local fundraising effort in support, and we will continue to post updates as this project progresses.

Friends of Centurion Way have a history of hosting community and fundraising events on the path over many years including Easter and Halloween trails, film shows, cycle rides and our popular Beating of the Bounds walk on New Year’s Day….. please look at our website http://centurionway.org.uk/ and Facebook site for details and more information on the history of the path. Whilst we have over 1000 supporters, we are a small core group of community volunteers and are very grateful for offers to help us, particularly in support of our events. Our most recent event was a fascinating talk on Centurion Way and the future plans for its extension, with guest speakers from the South Downs National Park and from our project lead on our plans to restore the Arch. We do not charge for membership and all are welcome.

For more information on the Arch Restoration project, please contact Carley Sitwell on 07891382961 or by email: carleysitwell@gmail.com