Title:
Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell to accompany cycle tours of Essex
Level: Category
Sound Archive
Level: Fonds
ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
Level: Sub-Fonds
Arts Development
Level: Series
Spoke'n'Word Project
Scope and Content:
[Part 1:] 'Anthem for Essex': with some background sound effects (2 minutes 29 seconds)
[Part 2:] 'River to River': describes the path of the River Colne to the sea (2 minutes 30 seconds)
[Part 3:] 'Dead in the Barmaid's Bed': with brief introduction, spoken in Essex accent (1 minute 6 seconds)
[Part 4:] 'The Last Ferry' (1 minute 13 seconds)
[Part 5:] 'The Cycle Path' (1 minute 37 seconds)
[Part 6:] 'The Sound of a Bike' (1 minute 12 seconds)
[Part 7:] 'Talkin' Essex': with brief introduction, spoken in different Essex accents (1 minute 55 seconds)
[Part 8:] 'Shipshape Underway (Excerpt)': with brief introduction (1 minute 53 seconds)
[Part 9:] 'The Horseman at the Window': with brief introduction (2 minutes 49 seconds)
[Part 10:] 'Thorrington Tidemill' (1 minute 39 seconds)
[Part 11:] 'The Ruins of St Peter's Church': with brief introduction, poem about ruined St Peter's Church near Alresford (2 minutes 1 second)
[Part 12:] 'The Shipyard' (1 minute 9 seconds)
[Part 13:] 'To Braintree': with brief introduction (45 seconds)
[Part 14:] 'The Cornershop': with brief introduction, poem about Barton Stores, a former cornershop in Wivenhoe (1 minute 49 seconds)
[Part 15:] 'Poor Mohammed's Daughter': with brief introduction, poem about the war in Iraq, written for The Independent newspaper in 2003 (2 minutes 16 seconds)
[Part 16:] 'Shipshape 1 (Excerpt)': with brief introduction (2 minutes 29 seconds)
[Part 17:] 'The Dark Days Down to Christmas' (3 minutes 3 seconds)

Recorded by Carl Seager at the Octagon and on location
Sleeve design by Arts Services
Photography Charlotte Bernays
Dates of Creation:
2007
Extent:
32 minutes 3 seconds
Creator Name:
Martin Newell
Admin History:
'Spoke'n'Word' was part of a programme of cultural events run by Insite, a partnership of the district, borough, unitary, and county councils of Essex and Arts Council England, East. The programme ran from 2005 to 2007 and was hosted by the Essex Development and Regeneration Agency. It delivered a total of ten projects 'that promoted Essex and empowered people to celebrate their unique identity' (information from Insite Essex website, accessed 6 December 2007).

The 'Spoke'n'Word' project involved poet Martin Newell and visual artist Charlotte Bernays leading cycle and walking tours around Essex, punctuated by readings of Newell's poetry. The tours ran for two seasons, in 2006 and 2007. After requests from participants in 2007, a 'Spoke'n'Word' CD of some of Newell's poems was published. Charlotte Bernays also created a sculpture exhibition titled 'Violent Sweeps and Tiny Tremors'.
Copyright:
Copyright Martin Newell
Physical Characteristics:
MP3 files created from audio CD
Not Available:
Use digital copy available on Soundcloud

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Subjects Cycling Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Subjects Dialects Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Subjects Ships Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Personal Names Martin
Newell 		Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names Asia, Iraq Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names Braintree Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names River Colne Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names Thorrington Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names Wivenhoe Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Place Names Church of St Peter
Alresford 		Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell
Document Types Sound recording Spoke'n' Word: Poems written and spoken by Martin Newell