COLLISION & CONFLICT
PROJECT OUTLINE
Collision & Conflict will be a geolocated sound walk through the Northumberland Cumbria landscape. The walk will travel along Hadrian’s Wall National Trail taking Thirlwall Castle, Green Croft On The Wall, the pronounced ditch at Gilsland, preserved milecastle at Poltross Burn, 914m stretch of wall at Willowford and to roman bridge remains beside the River Irthing leading to Birdoswald Roman Fort.
Often called the Borderlands or Forgotten Lands, the area is wild, bleak, beautiful, and unforgiving. Conflict over boundaries have dominated the history of the area, leaving scars present on the landscape. Thirlwall Castle is where the barbarians ‘thirled’, or threw down part of the wall, during a raid in Roman times. Romans were replaced with Reivers, with Gilsland at the centre of conflict and raids between Reiver families. Conflict continues in contemporary rural Britain with contested views on what land should be used for; production, consumption, preservation, diversification.
ARTIST OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Greenhead Scarecrow Trail
We are participating in the Greenhead Scarecrow Trail and our scarecrow depicts the story of The Gold Table from Thirlwall Castle. Listen to story teller David Silk and singer Lindsay Hannon retell the tale in a border ballad style.
Lindsay Hannon + David Silk Come, let me tell ye…
Come, Let me tell ye… is a modern day Border ballad and spoken story in the style of traditional oral storytelling, hearkening back to the unique native song form of the Border lands of Northumberland and Cumbria. The folk narrative centres on the ruins of Thirlwall Castle, family home of Percival Thirlwall.
Legend has it one of that family brought back a great treasure from a far-off land (a solid gold table, no less!) but bought with it an evil being to guard over it. When Thirlwalls’ castle was finally burned by his enemies, this treasure, and its guardian, were sunk beneath a well in the grounds, and there they remain, awaiting anyone brave or foolish enough to go looking for them.
Credits:
Song written and performed by Lindsay Hannon
Story written and performed by David Silk
Additional dialogue by Sir Robert Carey
Additional sound effects by Zapsplat
