Working in partnership for the people of Herefordshire
Field Work
A yearlong project undertaken by The Rural Media Company between June 2006 and June 2007, Field Work brought to the public’s attention the story of Crafta Webb.About Crafta Webb
Crafta Webb is now a lost Herefordshire village, with little known about it. A few stones lying in a field are all that signify where the village once stood. It was once a populous hamlet near the top of Bredwardine Hill.
The hamlet owes its origins to the squatters who flocked to Bredwardine to claim resident status, and by the mid-1800s was populated by 400 people. Home to families and craft makers, Crafta Webb sprang up over night, when an erect chimney stack with smoke meant one could claim land rights. The settlement had its own grocer, tailor and shoemaker, and cottage lectures were often held, with speakers travelling from across the country.
The primary aim of this project was to work with the communities of Bredwardine, Staunton-on-Wye and Letton to create two films about Crafta Webb. Working with these communities, and possibly even discovering descendants of the Crafta Webb settlement, the project hoped to shed light on this forgotten part of Herefordshire heritage, using modern media technology.
The first film was a drama telling the story of the “lost village”. The second was a documentary covering the whole of the project, showing the background to the making of the dramatic film.
The dramatic film highlighted issues such as land rights, livelihoods, housing, poverty, social development and opportunity – issues that still affect rural populations today. Additionally, both films reflected how the social, natural and historic environments of river-based communities affect the way local people live their lives, economically, culturally, socially and recreationally.
In creating these two films, a Field Work Production Company was formed out of the local communities - a core group of whom acted as a steering committee throughout the project and received training in all aspects of digital media. This group was entirely responsible for the “making of” documentary film, and also took a production role on the dramatic film.
The Crafta Webb drama was performed entirely by members of the local communities – it is their story, their heritage and their right to be the ones to tell it.
Workshops began in June 2006, which will included research, training sessions, scriptwriting, casting and rehearsals. The dramatic film was shot on location in April. Throughout all of this, the documentary film was also shot. In June 2007, both films were premiered at specially staged events, with DVD duplicates made ready for distribution regionally and nationally.
Adrian Lambert / Nic Millington
The Rural Media Company
Sullivan House
72-80 Widemarsh Street
Hereford
HR4 9HG
Tel: (01432) 344039
Email: info@ruralmedia.co.uk
Website: www.ruralmedia.co.uk