THE rich history of Innerleithen has been captured in a vibrant new gateway sign – thanks to the creative collaboration of townsfolk.

A plan by Innerleithen Community Trust to replace the original signs at the entry points to the town, which were erected in the days of the old District Council, coincided with a new design of the St Ronan’s logo.

Local designer Patrick Corley-Jackson has created a new image of St Ronan, which, not only features on the new signs but can also be used more widely by the community.

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Chairman Ross McGinn said: “Innerleithen Community Trust (ICT) carried out a refresh of the signs a number of years ago but wear and tear, vehicle damage, and fading meant they looked tired.

“ICT put together a project to replace the signs and this coincided with Patrick’s new design of the St Ronan's logo that was widely welcomed in the town and appears on the new signs.

"We were able to obtain funding through the SBC Small Schemes to make and erect the new signage. Patrick has been invaluable in creating the design, with appropriate agreed text, and working with the installers to give us modern, informative, and easy to read signage that will benefit those who seek to know what our community has to offer.”

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Talking about the new design, Patrick said he wanted to bring the Innerleithen crest into the 21st century.

“The original Innerleithen coat of arms is a beautiful intricately crafted motif but this makes it very difficult to use and reproduce within a modern digital context. My goal was not to dismiss or usurp the town’s historic crest but to produce a simplified and newly crafted image of St Ronan that can be more easily used across social media, on merchandise, banners, signage and so on.

“The starting point for the creative process was my research into the imagery of brass rubbings. The monumental brass plaques from which these rubbings derive often appear in churches commemorating notable figures from the Middle Ages including saints and clerics. The newly created Innerleithen town logo of St. Ronan is our contemporary interpretation of this religious iconography.”

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A number of townsfolk were consulted, including Keith Belleville, Marshall Douglas, Ross McGinn, Ted McKie, Susan Meikle and Stewart Wilson and, through an iterative process during the lockdown, they arrived at the image displayed on the signs now erected.

The design work has been gifted by Patrick to Innerleithen Community Council.

Community councillor Jackie Couchman, who helped facilitate the project, said: “Patrick has impressed me throughout with his generosity, his professionalism, his attention to detail and his responsiveness to feedback. He finalised the design options for the signs and researched local suppliers to carry out the work. Ross was able to secure funding through Innerleithen Community Trust, nurse the project through the planning process, and was able to get an agreement for the new position of the sign on Traquair Road.

“I’m delighted with the end result and think it chimes with Innerleithen’s place as a small Borders town that is up for the challenges and opportunities ahead.”