Morden Tower
Encyclopedia
The Morden Tower in Back Stowell Street on the West Walls
of Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade 1 listed building. For the last 45 years (since June 1964) Connie Pickard has been custodian of Morden Tower, and has made it a key fixture of Newcastle's alternative cultural life. Countless memorable music and poetry events have happened at Morden Tower in that time, which Connie has run largely single-handedly and often out of her own pocket.
and Connie Pickard took out the lease.
It has developed a national and international reputation for attracting some of the most outstanding UK and American literary figures working during this period. It has been particularly noted for its association with many Beat and Black Mountain poets.
Tom and Connie Pickard were instrumental in bringing about the Newcastle’s Poetry Revival. During this time they amassed a collection of books and pamphlets not obtainable in bookshops at the time. Using the Morden Tower as a venue for poetry readings and a book room they ensured Tower audiences were kept in touch with writing from Edinburgh, Paris, San-Francisco, Greenwich Village, Liverpool and Ladbroke Grove.
During the 60s and 70s the Tower was an inspiration and catalyst for other counter culture ventures, in particular an out post for Alexander Trocchi project among other things.
Basil Bunting
gave the first reading of Briggflatts
in the Morden Tower, on 22 December 1965. More than any of the host of celebrated poets to have read there, Bunting perhaps embodies the fusion of international modernism with local oral tradition for which Morden Tower readings are noted: the intimate, simple space of the Tower's upper room has been recognised by poets and audience alike as an ideal location for voiced poetry.
‘Morden Tower – simply the most congenial place in the world in which to perform poetry’ Bob Cobbing
Poets who have read there include, Basil Bunting
, Allen Ginsberg
, Ted Hughes
, Lawrence Ferlinghetti
, Gregory Corso
, Seamus Heaney
, Tom Raworth
and many others.
Despite a lack of funding Morden Tower is still a popular venue for poets and experimental musicians, such as John Hegley
and A Hawk and a Hacksaw
.
of Lindisfarne
, Grayson Capps, Les Cox (sportifs), Twentymen, Paul Smith
of Maxïmo Park
, Teitur
, John Power, Chris Corsano, Mecca Normal, Sir Richard Bishop, Jack Rose, Cath & Phil Tyler, Burning Star Core, Prurient, Jakob Olausson, Jozef Van Wissem, C Joynes, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Peter Walker, Alasdair Roberts, James Ferraro, Monopoly Child Star Searchers, Calvin Johnson, Les Cox (sportifs), PARA and A Hawk and a Hacksaw
. Jumpin Hot Club and NO-FI promote some of the music gigs at Morden Tower.
Whitehouse
performed here in 1983, supported by Ramleh and The New Blockaders. Whitehouse's set has become notorious for an incident in which the entire audience walked out, after William Bennett had slapped a female audience member in the face.
Newcastle town wall
The Newcastle town wall is a medieval defensive wall, and Scheduled Ancient Monument, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was built during the 13th and 14th centuries, and helped protect the town from attack and occupation during times of conflict...
of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade 1 listed building. For the last 45 years (since June 1964) Connie Pickard has been custodian of Morden Tower, and has made it a key fixture of Newcastle's alternative cultural life. Countless memorable music and poetry events have happened at Morden Tower in that time, which Connie has run largely single-handedly and often out of her own pocket.
History
The Tower was built about 1290. It is one of five Drum towers that remain of the sixteen that were built on the line of the medieval town wall enclosing the city of Newcastle. The tower and wall were built on ground sloping towards the south, which formed part of the precinct of the Dominican of Black Friary. From the 16th century it had housed the Company of Plumbers, Plasterers and Glaziers.Poetry centre
The Morden Tower has been a major centre for poetry readings in the North East since 1964 when Tom PickardTom Pickard
Tom Pickard is a poet, radio and film maker who was an important initiator of the movement known as the British Poetry Revival....
and Connie Pickard took out the lease.
It has developed a national and international reputation for attracting some of the most outstanding UK and American literary figures working during this period. It has been particularly noted for its association with many Beat and Black Mountain poets.
Tom and Connie Pickard were instrumental in bringing about the Newcastle’s Poetry Revival. During this time they amassed a collection of books and pamphlets not obtainable in bookshops at the time. Using the Morden Tower as a venue for poetry readings and a book room they ensured Tower audiences were kept in touch with writing from Edinburgh, Paris, San-Francisco, Greenwich Village, Liverpool and Ladbroke Grove.
During the 60s and 70s the Tower was an inspiration and catalyst for other counter culture ventures, in particular an out post for Alexander Trocchi project among other things.
Basil Bunting
Basil Bunting
Basil Cheesman Bunting was a significant British modernist poet whose reputation was established with the publication of Briggflatts in 1966. He had a lifelong interest in music that led him to emphasise the sonic qualities of poetry, particularly the importance of reading poetry aloud...
gave the first reading of Briggflatts
Briggflatts
Briggflatts is a long poem by Basil Bunting published in 1965. The work is subtitled "An Autobiography." The title "Briggflatts" comes from the name of a meetinghouse in a Quaker community near Sedbergh in Cumbria, England...
in the Morden Tower, on 22 December 1965. More than any of the host of celebrated poets to have read there, Bunting perhaps embodies the fusion of international modernism with local oral tradition for which Morden Tower readings are noted: the intimate, simple space of the Tower's upper room has been recognised by poets and audience alike as an ideal location for voiced poetry.
‘Morden Tower – simply the most congenial place in the world in which to perform poetry’ Bob Cobbing
Bob Cobbing
Bob Cobbing was a British sound, visual, concrete and performance poet who was a central figure in the British Poetry Revival.-Early life:...
Poets who have read there include, Basil Bunting
Basil Bunting
Basil Cheesman Bunting was a significant British modernist poet whose reputation was established with the publication of Briggflatts in 1966. He had a lifelong interest in music that led him to emphasise the sonic qualities of poetry, particularly the importance of reading poetry aloud...
, Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, Ted Hughes
Ted Hughes
Edward James Hughes OM , more commonly known as Ted Hughes, was an English poet and children's writer. Critics routinely rank him as one of the best poets of his generation. Hughes was British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death.Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath, from 1956 until...
, Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, and the co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers...
, Gregory Corso
Gregory Corso
Gregory Nunzio Corso was an American poet, youngest of the inner circle of Beat Generation writers...
, Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
, Tom Raworth
Tom Raworth
Tom Raworth is a London-born poet and visual artist who has published over forty books of poetry and prose since 1966. His works has been translated and published in many countries. Raworth is a key figure in the British Poetry Revival. He lives in Brighton, England.-Early life and work:Raworth...
and many others.
Despite a lack of funding Morden Tower is still a popular venue for poets and experimental musicians, such as John Hegley
John Hegley
John Richard Hegley is an English performance poet, comedian, musician and songwriter.-Early life:He was born in the Newington Green area of Islington, London, England, into a Roman Catholic household. He was brought up in Luton and Bristol...
and A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
.
Significant Literary Events
- Pete BrownPete BrownPeter Ronald Brown is an English performance poet and lyricist.Best known for his collaborations with Jack Bruce, Brown also worked with The Battered Ornaments, formed his own group Pete Brown & Piblokto!, and worked with Graham Bond and Phil Ryan. Brown also writes film scores and formed a film...
gave the first reading on the 16th June 1964: BloomsdayBloomsdayBloomsday is a commemoration observed annually on 16 June in Dublin and elsewhere to celebrate the life of Irish writer James Joyce and relive the events in his novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904... - Basil BuntingBasil BuntingBasil Cheesman Bunting was a significant British modernist poet whose reputation was established with the publication of Briggflatts in 1966. He had a lifelong interest in music that led him to emphasise the sonic qualities of poetry, particularly the importance of reading poetry aloud...
gave his first public reading of BriggflattsBriggflattsBriggflatts is a long poem by Basil Bunting published in 1965. The work is subtitled "An Autobiography." The title "Briggflatts" comes from the name of a meetinghouse in a Quaker community near Sedbergh in Cumbria, England...
in 1965 - Allen GinsbergAllen GinsbergIrwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
gave his first European reading of Kaddish - Ed DornEd DornEdward Merton Dorn was an American poet and teacher often associated with the Black Mountain poets. His most famous work is Gunslinger.-Overview:...
gave his first European Reading of Gunslinger
Morden Tower Publications
- King Ida’s Watch Chain - 1965: A collection of Poems by Basil Bunting. A new format magazine designed by Richard HamiltonRichard HamiltonRichard Hamilton may refer to:*Richard Hamilton , Irish officer*Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne , Irish MP for Navan*Richard Hamilton , American actor...
- The Spoils – Basil Bunting 1965: Cover design and photographs by Richard HamiltonRichard HamiltonRichard Hamilton may refer to:*Richard Hamilton , Irish officer*Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne , Irish MP for Navan*Richard Hamilton , American actor...
, distributed by Migrant PressGael TurnbullGael Turnbull was a Scottish poet who was an important precursor of the British Poetry Revival.Turnbull was born in Edinburgh and grew up in the North of England and in Canada...
Music at Morden Tower
Morden Tower also has a history of promoting new and experimental music. Musicians that have played at the Tower include Alan HullAlan Hull
Alan Hull was an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Tyneside folk rock band, Lindisfarne.-Career:...
of Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne (band)
Lindisfarne were a British folk/rock group from Newcastle upon Tyne established in 1970 and fronted by singer/songwriter Alan Hull. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun...
, Grayson Capps, Les Cox (sportifs), Twentymen, Paul Smith
Paul Smith (musician)
Paul Smith is the singer for the British indie rock group, Maxïmo Park.-Biography:...
of Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English...
, Teitur
Teitur Lassen
Teitur is a Faroese singer-songwriter. On 3 March 2007, he was awarded Best Male Singer at the Danish Music Awards.The word teitur is Old Norse and means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name....
, John Power, Chris Corsano, Mecca Normal, Sir Richard Bishop, Jack Rose, Cath & Phil Tyler, Burning Star Core, Prurient, Jakob Olausson, Jozef Van Wissem, C Joynes, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Peter Walker, Alasdair Roberts, James Ferraro, Monopoly Child Star Searchers, Calvin Johnson, Les Cox (sportifs), PARA and A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
. Jumpin Hot Club and NO-FI promote some of the music gigs at Morden Tower.
Whitehouse
Whitehouse (band)
Whitehouse are a pioneering English power electronics band formed in 1980, largely credited for the founding of the power electronics subgenre.-History and personnel:...
performed here in 1983, supported by Ramleh and The New Blockaders. Whitehouse's set has become notorious for an incident in which the entire audience walked out, after William Bennett had slapped a female audience member in the face.
External links
- Official site of MordenTower