Missing posts, Missing Pieces: an afternoon of light heritage activism

Ever wanted to do your bit to help Hackney’s historic environment? Well, here’s your chance! Join us for a tour with a practical purpose around Shoreditch.

From Pillar To Post https://www.hackneysociety.org/from-pillar-to-post-recording-hackneys-most-vulnerable-historic-street-furniture/ is The Hackney Society’s current public heritage project, which is inviting people to help us build a full picture of all the historic posts, pillars and stones that can be found on Hackney’s streets and in its parks.

These types of street furniture cluster in Shoreditch more than anywhere else in the borough. Many examples were given Grade II listed status in 1975 which gives them legal protection. Problem is, quite a large number of them have gone missing since then.

This tour will visit the sites of all of the listed posts in Shoreditch to take photographs and make notes about which ones survive and which have been lost. This will help the relevant authorities better understand what has happened and what actions might need to be taken in the future.

The photos and notes taken during the tour will be contributed to Historic England’s Missing Pieces project https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/missing-pieces/. In fact, the plan is to do this as we go using smartphones.* Enjoy that dopamine hit from knowing you’ve done a good thing right there and then!

You will also be shown how to add them to our own Hackney Locations Database https://locations.hackneysociety.org/HackneyMap.html, a growing digital map of many of the buildings and features that make Hackney such an incredible place.

If you simply fancy a meander through Shoreditch that’s fine too; as we go, we’ll talk a bit about the area’s history and development, and the pressures facing its built heritage in the present day. The route is flat and step-free although may require very minor detours to make use of drop kerbs. The pace will be slow and stops frequent but the route could add up to being a couple of miles (3 kilometres) in total length.

We’ll finish pretty much back where we started, with the option of refreshment and a sit-down in The Princess of Shoreditch pub on Paul Street.

Note. As this is an outdoor event held in late November decent weather cannot be guaranteed! If the forecast is truly terrible weather on the day it is likely that the event will be postponed; everyone who has booked will be notified and the message will be communicated via Hackney Society social media channels as well.

*To contribute photographs to Missing Pieces, create an Historic England account via https://account.historicengland.org.uk/ (this page explains the full range of things that an Historic England account enables you to do). There are hundreds of other nationally-listed heritage assets around Hackney so you can submit Missing Pieces contributions for them as well!