Stories from the Tower
A community stories project hosted by Slowfall Projects, 27th to 30th August 2005
website: http://storiesfromthetower.slowfall.org
The bells of St Augustine's Tower, Hackney, were ringing at all times of the day over the bank holiday weekend when visitors to the tower signalled as they reached its summit. Over two hundred people crossed the threshold and came to look around the oldest building in Hackney, so participating in Slowfall's latest project.
Slowfall, a local artists group, were the first group to open up St Augustine's Tower with an art exhibition called "Ringing" last summer. The show was very well received, particularly by local people who had always been intrigued by the building. So many people had a story to tell about the tower or the local area that the ‘Stories from the Tower’ project was conceived. This four day event allowed people another chance to visit the tower and share their stories - either fact or fiction. Members of Slowfall were on hand to record the tales, which will all be typed up and put onto a website.
At first, many people didn’t think they had much to say, but while chatting, all sorts of interesting stories began to emerge. There was the little boy who told a dramatic story about St Augustine's Tower, a king and a dragon or the lady who had travelled across the world to find out about her ancestor from Hackney, and ended up staying two doors down the road from where he had lived. One lady brought a medal she had been awarded from school, featuring the tower, and a man told us of the time he and a group of friends had been walking through the graveyard and seen a ghost. Real and imaginary tales were equally relevant, with urban myths just as valued as historical fact. What was important was that the opening of the tower acted as an important focus for all the stories of the local community, and to visitors of the borough.
The idea is that this project will build up to be a record of many different perspectives of St Augustine's Tower and the local area. People who couldn't make it over the weekend are encouraged to submit stories online and add to this project which will add contemporary tales to the history of this amazing building. "Info and Ideas" sheets are available to any schools or individuals who would like a copy.
Last updated on 18th February 2007
