Heritage postcards to help fight second runway threat

The threat to local heritage is highlighted in a new postcard set from Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) which goes on sale this week in a bid to raise funds towards the campaign’s second runway fighting fund.

SSE commissioned the cards from Saffron Walden artist Bruce Hyatt whose illustrations of four well-known and much cherished listed buildings within striking distance of Stansted at Broxted, Clavering, Great Hallingbury and Thaxted. Printed black on silky white card, each postcard comes with its own envelope. The reverse of each gives a short description, with plenty of space for writing messages.

Douglas Kent of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings who advised SSE on the wording used on the reverse of the cards explained: “The sheer scale of the potential damage to our heritage from the second runway plans would be nothing short of scandalous: namely the demolition of 35 historic buildings (13 of which are listed), and the devastating impact on the buildings left standing, including 800 year-old Tilty Church at the end of the proposed new runway. The settings of those which remain, including those featured on the SSE postcards, would be compromised by their proximity to an airport larger than Heathrow today.”

Within little more than a one-mile radius of Stansted there are 128 individually listed or groups of listed buildings. What’s more, the area is one of the most notable in England for medium-sized and smaller historic buildings, especially the timber-framed ones from the Middle Ages to the 17th century.

The postcards come in packs of eight (two each of four designs) and are on sale price £5 per pack at selected retail outlets [see note below] as well as by mail order (£6 per pack including postage and packing) from SSE (to whom cheques should be payable) at PO Box 311, Takeley, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts CM22 6PY. Further information is available by calling the campaign office on 01279 870558 or make use of the online order form.

NOTES
The four illustrations used on the cards are: Muscombs in Broxted; listed cottages at Clavering; St Giles Church in Great Hallingbury and Thaxted Guildhall.

Retail outlets stocking the cards are as follows (further stockists will be added to the website in due course, or can be obtained by calling SSE on 01279 870558):

Bishop’s Stortford: The Observer (North Street)
Chapel End, Broxted: Perry’s Nursery
Great Dunmow: Maggie’s Trinkets (High Street)
London: Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (37 Spital Square, EC1)
Saffron Walden: James Jewellers (Church Street) and the Tourist Information Office (Market Square)
Takeley: Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign Office (Four Ashes)
Thaxted: Guildhall Stores