The winning design for a piece of public art to commemorate the Suffragette who interrupted the Epsom Derby 100 years ago has been announced.

The concrete ellipse design, by Mary Branson, will be erected on a roundabout in Epsom Downs, if funding and planning permission is secured, as a tribute to Emily Davison, who died after being hit by the King’s horse in 1913, and other women who have helped achieve equality and votes for women.

Following a call to local artists, six proposals were displayed at the Ebbisham Centre, which the public could vote for via a ballot box, until May 30.

The winning design was to be announced on June 4, but was postponed after Epsom Council said  the number of votes cast for the two most popular designs were "too close to call".

Ms Branson's design will be 8m wide by 4m and will feature a cross beneath the circle, forming the symbol for women.

Once a year, at dusk on June 8, the day Davison died at the Old Cottage Hospital in Alexandra Road, Epsom, the setting sun will appear held in its centre.

A bench is to be erected next to the roundabout, allowing people to sit and view the sunset.

Sarah Dewing, manager of the Emily Davison Memorial Project, said both finalists were "very good", but the judging panel - consisting of Councillor Clive Woodbridge, two Surrey artists and a representative from UCA Epsom - were swayed by Ms Branson because she has "previous experience of delivering a public art project".

Ms Dewing said that the other finalist, Emma Dallyn, had received the highest number of public votes, which totalled 400, but Epsom Council has not said how many votes were cast for each of the finalists.  

She said: "The public vote was to be taken into account by the committee.  Something on paper might look wonderful but it has to be creatively vigorous and practically possible.

"The council have been very supportive, but it’s a community-based project and we want to get the local community on board with it.

"We have tried to make the process as fair as possible and we have a committee who know what they are talking about."

She said that although the original announcement was to be made just four days after the public ballot closed, the judging panel decided it needed more time to make a decision.

Both finalists were asked to "develop their designs" and then presented them to the panel, with questions taken by the artist at the end.

Ms Dewing said: "We wanted to give the artists enough time to think about their designs and to enable the committee to make an informed decision.

"We didn’t want to rush and make a decision that wasn’t the right one."
 

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