By A Long Chalk
London is a palimpsest. It has many layers; sediments of lives through millennia. Individual lives are brief, but the city itself has memory.
By A Long Chalk is a guided walk originally written to accompany and celebrate a live performance of Longplayer at the Roundhouse (see below). The circular walk starts and ends at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm. The walk will take 100 minutes, plus a halfway stop at a pub for 2,000 seconds. (Well, perhaps a shade longer.)
The walk has been written in collaboration with Long Now London, a community of practice for long-term thinking. Robert has been interested in the Long Now Foundation since discovering the works of Stewart Brand in the 01990s. By A Long Chalk is an exploration of the environs and history of Chalk Farm and Primrose Hill, through the lens of ‘pace layers’, Brand’s model for the ever-interacting layers of civilisation. It is a way of hearing the signal amidst the noise of London: and in this small quarter, making sense of steam trains and secret vaults, geology and gin, duels and druids, tunnels, taverns and towpaths.
You can watch Robert's 'Primrose Hill' episode of Pagan London.
Longplayer is a 1,000-year-long piece of music that has been playing continuously since the first moments of this millennium and is composed to continue until the final moments of the next. It is akin to what its composer, Jem Finer, calls a ‘vast, Bronze Age synthesiser'.
We are proud to sponsor Longplayer through its initiative of 'buying time': we have sponsored 7 July, Minimum Labyrinth's birthday. Ticket sales from By A Long Chalk will go towards funding this long-term art project, as well as future Long Now London events. Buying a ticket helps us build the ecosystem for this community of practice and thinking.
Frequently asked questions
What are the two ticket types? The Standard ticket is £20, and there is also a Concession rate of £15 (for students, unemployed or low income).
Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event? No. We suggest that this event is more suitable for over-14s.
How much walking is there? The total length of the walk is 3km with a halfway pub stop. We walk to the top of Primrose Hill (36 metres), which is up a mildly challenging slope - but the panoramic view is worth it.
Is the walk suitable for wheelchairs? Yes. There are a few areas where steps will pose a mild challenge, and the pubs have variable accessibility, but you will have a large group with you who are always delighted to help surmount any challenges.
What's the refund policy? Tickets refundable 30 days before the event. If you need to swap with another advertised date we will do our best to help, but you won't be able to 'bank' your ticket for a future unadvertised event.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? No, your name will be on the list.
Can I update my registration information? Yes.
Is it OK if the name on my ticket or registration doesn't match the person who attends? Yes.
What is the image? "Druids on Primrose Hill Autumn Equinox" by Simon King is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.