We’re working with West Lindsey District Council to improve the wayfinding in two of its main towns, Market Rasen and Caistor.
Less than 10 miles apart, the towns each have a distinct history. Our job is to uncover and celebrate their stories, to draw in visitors and encourage them to walk a little further and stay a little longer.
Market Rasen is, as the name suggests, a historic market town which drew carters in from the surroundings villages to sell their wares on market day. There is a well-documented historic rivalry between the town’s two corn exchanges in the town, and a river (the Rase) which runs through the heart of the town.
Caistor, Market Rasen’s smaller neighbour to the north, is eminently walkable. Famous for the Caistor chair, its origins lie as a Roman camp – part of the original defence wall is still visible within a resident’s garden – but the town’s street pattern reveals its medieval influence. Its narrow streets limit views, making it difficult to maintain a sense of direction through natural cues.
Both towns have very few existing signs, which are either outdated or weather-worn. So, for each town we are pulling together a wayfinding strategy to help move people along in the right direction, as well as reveal more of the towns’ unique stories.
“Now that we have a good understanding of each town’s legibility and key destinations, we’re turning our attention to how we can improve the sense of arrival in each town, and how we can use a fresh signage design and improved mapping to better reveal the stories of each place and strengthen the sense of place.”
Hannah Southwell, Graphic Designer
Our signage concepts will help the Council secure funding for both projects’ implementation. At the next stage, more detailed designs will help inform the tenders used to secure a contractor for the works.
