Although the You Are Hear project has finished, you can still sample some of the treasures of the Essex Sound and Video Archive at a site near you. Find your nearest listening bench or audio-video kiosk from the list below. You can also read more about the listening benches on our Essex Sounds website.
Audio-Video Kiosk Tours
Our touring touchscreen audio-video kiosks play a selection of recordings from the Essex Sound and Video Archive. The tours have now finished, so the kiosks have moved to their new homes in our two Archive Access points: at Saffron Walden Library and Harlow Museum.
We also have a permanent kiosk in the Reception area at the Essex Record Office. Have a play the next time you visit!
Listening Bench Installations
Our listening bench tours have also come to an end, but you can still find the benches in Essex! Find your nearest bench from the list below.
- Basildon, Westlake Park, Bowers Gifford: Launched 31 March 2017 [Currently awaiting repair]
- Burnham-on-Crouch, West Quay: Launched 8 December 2017
- Castle Hedingham, St Nicholas Church: Launched 5 April 2017
- Chelmsford, The Meadows, Backnang Square: Launched 18 July 2017
- Clacton-on-Sea, West Cliff Theatre, Tower Road: Launched 31 July 2017; audio updated September 2018
- Clavering, Blacksmith’s Corner: Launched 15 July 2017; audio updated July 2018
- Coggeshall, Doubleday Corner: Launched 11 July 2017
- Colchester, Castle Park: Launched 4 June 2016; audio updated June 2017
- Epping, St John the Baptist, St Johns Road: Launched 4 November 2017
- Galleywood Heritage Centre: Launched 1 July 2017
- Great Dunmow, town square: Launched 28 June 2016
- Great Waltham, Banbury Square: Launched 7 August 2016; audio updated June 2018
Harlow Museum, Muskham Road: Launched 16 September 2017- Harwich, St Helen’s Green: Launched 24 September 2016
- Kelvedon, Packhorse Bridge: Launched 31 July 2016
- Saffron Walden, Museum, Museum Street: Launched 30 June 2016
- Southend-on-Sea, METAL, Chalkwell Park: Installed 25 June 2018
- Southend-on-Sea, The Pier: Launched 14 June 2017
- South Weald, Weald Country Park: Installed April 2018
- Witham, River Walk: Launched 18 November 2017
See if you can visit all the benches! Download this map to help you find them. Send us a picture of yourself with each bench, and tell us which sound clip was your favourite. Get in touch with your #benchselfie through Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail.
Hi. This project sounds very exciting! I should like to find out how much funding is needed for a listening bench – I am a local councillor in Oxford. Please can you send me a contact who can give more information? Many thanks.
Hello, I am also interested in installing listening benches in our local community as part of our WWI Remembrance project. Please can you send details of cost and a supplier? Thank you.
I am contacting you on behalf of Little Baddow History Centre, to find out more about the Listening Benches and possibly get involved, using our sound archives.
Hi, i am very intrested in the process of getting a listening bench installed on our green open space in loughton, how can start this process ?
Thanks for getting in touch. We have just responded by e-mail; let us know if you do not receive this.
Hi Boreham Parish Council would love to fund a listening bench in our Parish. Very interested to hear of your project, are you able to advise us on the best way to approach this please?
Thank you for your interest. Can you please e-mail us at info@essexsounds.org.uk and I can give you more details?
Thanks for finally writing about >You Are Hear: Bench and Kiosk Tours | <Loved it!