Sunday 17 May 2009

Tracing The Map

'Tracing the Map - Memorising Glastonbury High Street' is a four part documentary tracing the changes in the high street over one hundred years from 1900 to 2000.

Part One:


Part Two:

Part Three:

Part Four:


Click here to view the archive site for photos of Glastonbury high street and shops.

The High Street is a doorway to our communal history, a constantly changing reflection of our social and commercial community - a map in need of tracing. Glastonbury High Street is unique. A distinctive town, with a profound and resonant history, it has transformed from a market town to a pilgrimage centre and 'new age mecca', with most of the traditional businesses flourishing in the town fifty years ago being replaced by new ventures. Openings, closures. A constantly changing High Street.

Over the turn of the Millenium, we interviewed around 35 people across generations of residents and shopkeepers producing an extraordinary archive. All the original material will be lodged with the Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury for future generations.

This programme is not intended as a definitive study of the High Street, or even a detailed account of the history. It is a picture, a portrait, a poem, charting some of the extraordinary changes that Glastonbury has seen. Out of the twenty hours of collected material, a four part documentary was made.

Credits:

Produced and Edited by Sue Palmer

Editing, Sound Mix and Additional Interviewing by Stephen Clarke

Website Design and Photography by Stephen Clarke

Music used in the programme: Jaki Whitren, John Cartwright, Gog Canteen Band, Jo King.

Other music is collected from buskers in the street.

Participants: Joan Snuggs, Eric King, Barry Taylor, Alister Seighart, Rohini Drury, Katie Billing, Cherry Lewis, Ralph Ford, Herbie Snook, John Cullen, Ann Culein, John Brunsdon, Richard Squire, Neil Bonham, Jan Morland, Rachel Pike, Pat Looney, Dorrinda Haramis, Mary Evans, Nick Nicholson, Jack Harris, John Phillips, Bruce Garrard, Margaret Kimber, Robert Ayles, Frances Howard Gordon, Michou Godfrey, Pat Leyshon, Brigit Gooderson, Lyn Simmonds, Lindsay Harrington, Leslie Wright, Blanche Williams, Gareth Mills.

This project was partly funded by Mendip District Council, The Town Centre Fund, The Glastonbury Trust and the Glastonbury 2000 Millennium Committee.