Herodsfoot, Cornwall - Thankful Villages #16

'The only Thankful Village in Cornwall. I met my friend Johny Lamb.
We ruminated on converted chapels and bisected windows, when extra floors are put in. Emma Easy added backing vocals a few days later.
There is a perfectly timed gunshot in verse two. It makes Johny smile.
A Thankful Village is a settlement where every soldier returned alive from World War 1. The term was coined by Arthur Mee in his 'King's England' series of guides. Current data suggests there are 54 in England and Wales.
In this project I intend to visit every Thankful Village and create some visual and audio artwork in situ.
It is not necessarily important that the work is finished in the village but it is important that the inspiration comes directly from recording and writing within the location.'

A Thankful Village is a village where every soldier returned alive from World War 1. The term Thankful or Blessed Village was coined by Arthur Mee in his set of guidebooks, The King's England in the 1930s. Darren Hayman is visiting each of the 54 Thankful Villages and making a piece of music and a short film for every one focussing on village life. Some take the form of instrumentals inspired by location, some are interviews with village residents set to music, others are new songs with lyrics or found local traditional songs.

The songs only rarely deal directly with The Great War, Thankful Villages is a random device to choose small locations and explore aspects of community and history. The work is inspired, written and recorded in situ with some post-production added at home in London.

• https://vimeo.com/126433822