The small society: Is the idyll of the English village dead?
Not according to photographer Eamonn J McCabe, who tells Gillian Orr how he escaped London to document the beauty of rural Sussex's Firle
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The quintessential English village is often regarded as a lost settlement, a rural idyll from a bygone era where fathers play cricket at the weekend, the locals prop up the bar of the lone pub, grandmothers oversee a bake sale and children run down to the local shop to buy sweets. Does it really exist anymore?
It might be an idealised vision, but when the London-based photographer Eamonn J McCabe visited the village of Firle in the South Downs, he found it to be alive and well. Asked by a friend to take some photographs of life in Firle that they could sell to raise money to do up the village hall, McCabe made the journey and was surprised with what he discovered.
"When I started taking photographs I thought to myself, 'wow, this is so much more interesting than I thought it would be,' recalls McCabe. "I quickly began to see it as a really special place and I totally fell in love with it." Having lived in the capital since birth, village life was alien to McCabe. "I found the community down there to be really special, especially coming from London, where I don't even know my neighbours."
As McCabe became more enthralled with Firle, so the project grew, and he found himself returning every weekend to photograph the different landscapes and various residents. A fashion photographer by trade, here his subjects are a world away from the glossy, professional models he is used to shooting for Vogue and Elle.
The resulting book, About A Village, reveals a curious state of duality present in the village. In the photographs of street parties and schoolchildren playing there is a sense of nostalgia and innocence, while the more dramatic shots of imposing hills and huntsmen remind you of the history and tradition that a village is steeped in.
Those with no experience of country life will no doubt be left with a desire to visit such a charming community, while those who know all about village living will instantly recognise the delightful quirks. Firle may be unique, but in its sense of community, it remains familiar.
'About A Village' by Eamonn J McCabe is published by Frances Lincoln £16.99. To order a copy for the special price of £14.49 (free P&P) call Independent Books Direct on 08430 600030, alternatively visit www.independentbooksdirect.co.uk
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments