Grey goose legend art at King's Lynn railway station

West Norfolk Council has approved its own plans for two 8ft split feathers outside King's Lynn station, on the town's Blackfriars Road.

The artwork, by Annabel McCourt and Adrian Riley, will commemorate the Brotherhood of the Grey Goose Feather, a secret society which protected travellers through the Fens before the low-lying lands were drained.

Members of the brotherhood carried a feather from a greylag goose (Image: Matthew Usher)

King's Lynn Civic Society said it supported the move but criticised the "significant lack of publicity and promotion of the appointment of the artists, the creation of these features, the significance of the feather and the concept of the secret code".

Members of the 17th century brotherhood carried a split greylag goose feather and were sworn to help anyone who produced one and said a password.

The council said in a planning statement: "The Norfolk tradition of splitting the grey goose feather dictated that any fellow native producing a split feather and accompanying secret password was guaranteed assistance, whatever the personal cost.

An artist's impression of the feathers which will stand outside King's Lynn station (Image: BCKLWN/Annabel McCourt/Adrian Riley)

"This artwork of two halves is carefully and sympathetically designed to be located at King’s Lynn Railway Station.

"Its location is vital to convey the story of welcome, friendship and assistance."

The work forms part of a programme of public art works funded by money from the government's £25m town deal for Lynn.

Six projects, costing a total of £245,000, will be placed along the route between the railway station and Lynn's waterfront.

The split feather will be sited outside the railway station in King's Lynn (Image: Google)

The council hopes they will "improve the perception of the town" and encourage more people to explore it.

It says the feathers will enhance the area without detracting from the "enchanting" listed terminus building behind them.