Frogmore at 40

Lewes-based independent publisher The Frogmore Press turned forty in May

Founded in 1983 by André Evans and Jeremy Page at the eponymous Folkestone Tearooms, once a haunt of H G Wells, the Press has published hundreds, possibly thousands, of established, emerging and neglected writers in its bi-annual journal The Frogmore Papers, the Papers’ online sibling Morphrog, collections by individual poets and anthologies.

Its annual award for poetry, the Frogmore Prize, has been won by a distinguished roster of poets that includes Tobias Hill, Mario Petrucci and Lesley Saunders, and is now itself in its 37th year. Winners and shortlisted poems for the Frogmore Prize 2023 will appear in the autumn edition of The Frogmore Papers (number 102).

The 100th number, featuring new work by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, was published in September, and Frogmore at 40, a festschrift* celebrating four decades of publication, appeared in May. This collection showcases contributions from each of the Press’s individual publications and includes work by John Agard, Brian Aldiss, Sophie Hannah, Tobias Hill and Grace Nichols, among others.

The latest publication from the Press marks something of a new departure, being the sumptuous, hybrid and unique Meridian: A Walk from Sussex to Yorkshire by Lewes bookseller Matt Birch. After years of curating, looking at, and selling travel and nature-based memoirs, Matt developed a strong urge to go on a journey of his own, and in a parallel journey, write it up as a book. Meridian invites you to join him on his internal and external journey. Reflecting the rhythm of a long walk, his photographs alternate with short pieces of writing that meander through history, politics, nature, literature, music, etymology, prose and poetry as he follows this line cutting through a cross-section of England.

Within the pages, there is a real synergy between the large format photographs and their associated, short essays. The book is both a descriptor of some typical eastern English landscapes (and a selection of the people, flora and fauna that they support), and a wider celebration of the rich knowledgereward that a long journey across this land can gift the reasonably curious and observant walker.

In his afterword, Matt reflects back on the value of the walk. He appreciates the self-reflective opportunity provided by a long-walk experience, and how this journey allowed him to realise with enhanced clarity what really matters in his own life.

Meridian** is published by The Frogmore Press, a 40-year-old independent small press based in Lewes, and is available from Skylark in the Needlemakers, Lewes, or from the Frogmore Press. Email frogmorepress@gmail.com for details.

For more information about Frogmore Press, their publications and how to subscribe to The Frogmore Papers go to www.frogmorepress.co.uk and www.morphrog.com

*festschrift = a volume of writings by different authors presented as a tribute

**Meridian is reviewed on page 78 www.frogmorepress.co.uk