Bringing out the poety in the heritage of city street
WHITEFRIARGATE HISTORY EXPLORED
WHITEFRIARGATE has become the first street in Hull to have its own dedicated poem featured on its pavements.
The words of Hull poet Vicky Foster have been etched along the historic city centre street, which links Queen Victoria Square with the Old Town.
Marking National Poetry Day, the new poem draws on Whitefriargate’s long history and some of the people who have lived and worked there over the years.
Vicky said: “It was important to me to write a poem that captured a sense of both the history of the street and the spirit of the people who’ve built that history.
“I also wanted the poem to end with the idea of possibility and thinking about what might come next, because history and identity are constantly changing and we get to make choices about what happens next and how we take care of our places.”
She was recently appointed as
Whitefriargate’s poet-in-residence in a joint commission by Hull’s High Street Heritage Action Zone, the Humber Mouth literature festival and Wrecking Ball Press, which has a shop and café on the street.
Two short films made by Wrecking Ball Press are also be released for National Poetry Day - one of Vicky reading the poem which is being screened at Trinity Market and one of her talking about the inspiration behind her poem.
Both films can be found online via the Humber Mouth website.
Chris Collett, public engagement manager for Historic England in Yorkshire, said: “Whitefriargate has a rich heritage, which has provided a great source of inspiration for Vicky’s poem.”
Councillor Rosemary Pantelakis, portfolio holder for culture at Hull City Council, said: “Whitefriargate is a key part of our heritage.
“The historic street is one of the most recognisable and much-loved places in our city so it’s fantastic to see projects like this unearthing stories and celebrating its rich history.”