West Sussex County Times, Friday, April 4, 1986
Many brave men lost their lives during the ‘war to end all wars’ and there can be few more fitting memorials to those sons of England than the Balcombe murals.
Painted in 1924, the murals in Balcombe's Victory Hall are a unique reminder to all of the suffering of war, and, like the men depicted in the work, the paintings are now locked in a battle to survive.
Following water damage to one section last year, the murals are to be restored to their former glory this summer. Restoration work, which will take six weeks to complete, is to be carried out by experts from English Heritage.
Dust, dirt and general use of the hall have all taken their toll on the murals, painted by Neville Lytton, resident of nearby Worth, and a friend of the Denman family.
Building of the Victory Hall began in 1923. Commissioned by Lady Denman well-known figure in the Women's Institute and long associated with Balcombe, it was built as a tribute to those who gave their lives in the First World War. Work on the murals started in April the following year and by August the paintings have been completed.
The murals cover all four walls of the main hall. One side shows the German and British troops fighting, the centre panel depicts a stretcher-bearing party, and the other long side of the hall illustrates peace. On either side of the stage, standing guard over the work are Sorrow and Hope, depicted as classical Greek figures.
Taken for granted by villagers who perhaps do not realise their full historical worth, the murals depict life as it was, but are also a grim reminder of the sacrifices of others.
Incorporated in the story are portraits of local people and the artist himself, along with an auburn haired lady Denman, seen directing the workers on the building of the village hall.
The Victory Hall management committee, responsible for the upkeep of the building, plans a number of fund-raising events in future months to help raise money.
While a grant had been awarded by English Heritage, the management committee felt unable to comply with some of the conditions and so are seeking help from other sources.
Mrs Joan Dutton, Balcombe Parish Councillor and a member of the hall management committee, says: "the villagers care about the murals a great deal. They accept them as being there, they are part and parcel of the hall. I think if anything happened to them people would be upset. As with everything, however, things often aren't missed until they have gone.”
Mrs Dutton, who has a personal interest in the murals, carried on: "the work, due to begin in June, will be very delicate. It will be a gradual process of cleaning a bit at a time. It is a very specialised job. Something had to be done before an important part of the village's history was lost forever.
The murals are Balcombe's heritage."
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