The View from Here 2012

A colloquial history of Croft Castle in Hereford

Many philosophers and anthropologists have theorised about the everyday, drawing our attention to that which is considered so ordinary that it is mostly overlooked, but when segments of everyday life are isolated and shown in a new context, they do in fact, become remarkable, marvellous and extraordinary.

This enchanting little book was produced following an artist residency as part of the Time Will Tell arts programme at Croft Castle in Hereford and was commissioned by Meadow Arts and the National Trust. The artwork, which takes the form of a book and walking trail, has been a collaboration with local people who work and volunteer at the Castle and live in the surrounding villages. Their contribution has been to work with Strange Cargo to build a colloquial history of the site, with the man anecdotes, histories, rumours and information handed down across many generations, that many locals willingly found time to share, making their own personal musings about this ancient edifice available for all to read.

The artwork was viewed as an installation in the Stables and as a trail that ran throughout Croft Castle and its grounds, which located the stories in their surroundings. It is a very personal, beautiful and rich history, which is still evolving.