Many residents of the Broadway estate in Tilbury are or were travellers. Consultations as part of a project to redesign the land around the tower blocks revealed that many still grazed horses around the estate. This has been seen as negative, especially when horses are neglected, or allowed to stray. The consultations raised the idea of including a special area for horses in the redesigned space around the flats, whilst excluding horses from other areas, such as the play area.
This project will research and document the hidden and marginalised culture of the travellers and other groups whose presence and way of life, particularly their relationship with horses, has shaped the local landscape. It will attempt to create a shared sense of pride in this heritage.
Local people will participate in workshops to collect and document oral histories and will also research the landscape and social history of the area, with help from the local museum.
The project will produce a CD-ROM, book, video and a web site, and will end with a launch event to celebrate these publications.
