'Sharpsichord' must leave Faversham

ARTIST and musician Henry Dagg has scotched rumours that his latest creation will have a home in Faversham.

Henry, who has created the world's only "Sharpsichord", says the weird and wonderful musical instrument - real name, a pin barrel harp - will be leaving the converted factory in Millfield Road, Faversham, once he has found a place to display it in London.

He took three years constructing the extraordinary stainless steel music box for the English Folk Dance and Song Society. It plays English Country Garden and was to be the centrepiece for the society's garden in London.

But since completing the commission, the society, the Big Lottery Fund and Mr Dagg have all agreed the garden would not be safe enough - a decision that attracted the attention of the national media and raised hopes that it might find a home in Faversham.

Henry said: "Unfortunately, some of the media ran away with the idea that the sharpsichord was redundant and available to anyone with a big garden. I'm sorry if that meant disappointing anyone who hoped it would end up in Faversham, but if we can house it in the right venue in London, it won't be all that far away and it will reach far more of its intended public."

A number of music venues in London will be approached about providing a suitable space for the music box, with public access. They will be asked to consider adopting it on a long-term loan.

The length of the project - which was backed by £25,000 of public money - left Mr Dagg with just £9,000 to cover his personal costs. He said: "I would like to thank the many friends and supporters, mostly local, who made donations and raised funds to enable the work to keep going."

The Sharpsichord can be seen in action on Youtube, under "pin-barrel harp".

Henry made the news in 2004 when he created a musical fence at his home in Millfield, Faversham. The metal structure was "tuned" to perform notes when hit with a stick.