Billy Bragg to Auction Guitar for William Blake’s Cottage Restoration

Musician Billy Bragg is putting one of his guitars up for auction to aid in the restoration of the West Sussex cottage where the poet William Blake composed Jerusalem. The Blake Cottage Trust states that the Grade II listed property in Felpham requires an immediate £175,000 for a new thatched roof and essential structural repairs. The trustees have indicated their aim to secure a total of £3m. This sum is intended for the comprehensive restoration of the cottage and its gardens, alongside the construction of an educational centre designed to perpetuate Blake’s legacy in the fields of writing, printing, and engraving. Bragg has characterized the cottage as “one of the most important buildings in English literary history”. Blake resided in the cottage between 1800 and 1803, during which time he wrote the lyrics that would later form the hymn Jerusalem. Hubert Parry set Blake’s text to music in 1916, 89 years following the demise of the poet and artist. Bragg has maintained a long-standing connection with William Blake, having recorded his own rendition of Jerusalem in 2006 and launched the album William Bloke in 1996. Doug Nicholls, chairman of the Blake Cottage Trust, commented: “It was a fantastic surprise to us when Billy wrote to us to say he would like to auction a guitar to support our work. “He like many other popular entertainers are aware of our work and are really keen to support it.”This is an absolutely brilliant way to give us some support.” The Blake Society acquired the building and placed it into a trust in 2015, with the intention of restoring the property. However, in 2021, the cottage was added to English Heritage’s at-risk register. Mr. Nicholls stated: “The person who has without any doubt been the most impactful and influential in our cultural tradition, William Blake, doesn’t have any of his residences preserved.”This is the one of course where he had a very creative period and he wrote Jerusalem.” Bragg is currently receiving bids for his Epiphone 2016 Olympic Masterbilt Archtop semi-acoustic guitar. On the eBay auction page, Bragg mentioned that he utilized the instrument extensively throughout his 2016 and 2017 Shine A Light tour alongside American singer-songwriter Joe Henry. The winning bidder will personally collect the guitar from Bragg in Dorchester, Dorset. For updates, follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.