Church Lane, Little Tey, 2018

Some of the new recordings we have made are as a comparison to archive recordings from the past. But we have also been thinking about sound ecology in regards to the future, and have decided to record in locations that are going to potentially change vastly in the (near) future. One of the reasons for this change could be the proposed garden village initiative led by the government to fulfil a quota of new houses in the county. So, I will be visiting potential sites for these to document them before any potential change.

The second place I visited was Church Lane (the first being Salmon’s Lane), and only a short way off of the main A120 Coggeshall Road I found the modest St. James the Less Church, with a small pond and convenient bench not far away. It was a lovely spot so I spent twenty minutes or so soaking up the ambience. A fella and his dog both came to investigate me, with the man telling me that buzzards and roe deer are a common sight here but that the cuckoos haven’t been heard for a few years. The dog gave the mic a good sniff and my hand a lick. With the setting sun behind me and the black bird, wood pigeons and coots I certainly enjoyed the fading warmth of the day in a peaceful location, whilst contemplating what may be about to transform the place.