The Valentines Gas Lamp
The custom of sending Valentines or love tokens extends way back in history, linked to both pagan and Christian customs of fertility for which selection and pairing are a necessary requirement. The Valentine Lamp links this custom with the restoration and adaptation of an old lighting column recovered by Reg Ling during the repaving of Catherine Hill in Frome, during 1992. Having rescued the column from a skip, Reg decided to combine the romance of gaslight, the history of the column and the physical act of posting, to create the Valentine Gas lamp.
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Rob realised the lamp head is much higher than it looks from solid ground!
Under wraps for now! Just need the postbox...
"Let the lighting of this lamp today, the 14th February, dedicate this site forever to St. Valentine, patron and protector of all who find love, regardless of race, creed or gender."
There was then a chance to sneak a peak at the newly restored column within the hide, with its colourful painted roses, tulips and pansies; Reg has also been working hard on completing the work on the lantern head, which with a newly supplied controller from Sugg, is nearly ready; this just leaves the posting box to complete, so here's hoping the soft glow of gaslight will once again light up this corner of Somerset before too long.
Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Ceremony – Light your romantic lanterns!
The famous Valentine Gas Lamp in Frome, Somerset is one of the town's most romantic landmarks - set around heart-shaped cobblestones with a 'love seat' nearby under the glow of the gas lamp, looking down the historic cobbled street of Catherine Hill.
The annual Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Ceremony has been celebrated for the past 22 years and, this year, the event promises something different - a unique 'twist' to the ceremony - devised by Reg Ling, the lamp's renovator.
Please join us to celebrate Valentine's night on Saturday 14th February 2015. Bring your romantic Valentine lanterns, decorated however you wish. There will be prizes for the best childrens' and adults' lanterns.
Come rain or shine, at 5.30pm a firework will be let off summoning lantern-goers to the site in Catherine Hill. A crowd will gather to await the arrival of the lamplighter dressed in period costume. He will be carrying a traditional lamplighter's pole and will conduct the lighting ceremony which starts at 6pm. There will be mulled wine for adults and fresh fruit for the children.
Painstaking restoration work on the Valentine Gas Lamp still continues and donations to the project are warmly welcomed – we are relying on voluntary contributions to complete the restoration.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Letter published in the Frome Standard from Beverly Jones, wondering where the posting box has gone! "I walk past it [the lamp] every day, it gives me great pleasure and I often use the postbox. The Valentine's lamp is a wonderful thing that is unique to Frome." Beverly also kindly offers a donation towards the restoration, good timing as the Friends now have a bank account set up, and all contributions gratefully received - cheques made payable to Friends of the Valentine Gas Lamp can be sent to the Friends of the Valentine Gas Lamp c/o Reg Ling, 82 Forest Road, FROME, BA11 2TQ.
After many calls, and as reported in the local press, the Royal Mail has come up trumps and has this week started the restoration of the posting box. The box has been removed and this week Reg Ling will be meeting with local management to get repairs underway - welding up of a long-standing crack, and re-painting.
The Dedication
The site received dedication and blessing by the Mayor and Frome Council of Churches Chairman on 14th February 1993 during the lamplighting ceremony and a plaque at the site records the dedication:
"Let the lighting of this lamp today, the 14th Feb. 1993 dedicate this site forever to St. Valentine, patron and protector of all who find love, regardless of race, creed or gender."
The lighting of the lamp - by hand with a restored lamplighters pole - and re-dedication of the site each and every year since 1993 on February 14th - reflects Reg's continuing "love affair" with the lamp.
A Brief Guide to the Artwork - by its creator Reg Ling
The Site
| The lamp is set in a heart-shaped cobbled "bead" - blue granite to the left, and red to the right, for boy and girl respectively. There are 19 of each, 2 sets, just a coincidence that the lamp column was salvaged in 1992. The lamp sits exactly 1 metre from the bottom of the cobbled bead, and the aspect of the heart is set south at the head - symbolising warmth and life. The seat furniture and bollards are painted British standard green and the bench seat is decorated with Tudor Roses - black is entirely avoided on the site. |
The Column
The column base is painted Green to match the earlier green found during stripping off the old paint. The green symbolises Mother Earth as a supporter of life. The bright yellow plate matches the oldest colour of paint found under the green, so placing the oldest on the newest.
Moving upwards there are tulips, both red and yellow, retaining their leaves to depict growth from the ground, on a white background symbolising purity.
The small ringed section confines Tudor "wild" roses, again on a white setting, to show the conflict between the freedom of love and restriction to a single love. Theses roses are also reproduced on the bench seat.
The "mushroom " feature is a positive
bright blue, the first time gender appears on the lamp. The mushroom has mystery in the sudden growth without apparent seed, much revered in past ages. Love has similar
attributes, arriving "out of the blue" and "overnight" to take us by surprise. As we reach the post box, painted in the historical red with white lettering and gold "GR", two matching "arms" embrace the column in
a permanent show of attraction. Look closely and see the female gender reflected pink on the column, boy and girl now joined in love.
Continuing up the column, the white background remains,
roses are now added, showing tight buds and leaves which spiral upwards in a gentle whirlwind to the small band of gold. Note that there are a few thorns, care is needed to harvest the bloom of
love. The band of gold represents commitment, a change of mood, and the process of pairing now begins in earnest.
The small cube and opposite finials are in blood-red (colour linked with the post box), having hearts of gold set back to back, displaying generosity and mutual support. The cube is fed by the column painted pink below and blue above, to represent the joining of bloodlines resulting from success in fertility. The two cast hearts, their outer faces left unfinished, are the only parts added to the original column features.
The Lamp Head
The lantern is made in copper, gas lit
for of nostalgia, softness and gentle colour. The head sits on a six legged "frog" made to fit the old spigot on the column, and also carries a unique ladder bar. Yellow was chosen for this "new" part,
matching the base plate and taking up the yellow glow of the gaslight.
Just below the lantern there is a second gas valve with heart shaped operating lever (matching
the two hearts on the column) and chains - vertical when on, and turned to the west when shut off. This is used in the annual lighting ceremony, made in
brass and is designed to be
removable.
The Ladder Bar
As a working part of the lamp, the shaft repeats the green found on the column base but in place of the usual folded ladder-stay ends, Cupid's arrow takes a due East aspect, symbol of hope, brightness and birth; gold tipped for richness and certainty, with matching gold feathers for surety.
So there you have it and I hope you like some of the features. Pause a moment as you pass by, in mind if not in body, and may love, peace and prosperity be your close companions in life.
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