Swarmgate art trail

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Poem for Walmgate
by Gordon Campbell-Jones

This poem was written and recorded during a workshop for the Walmgate Reframed project at St Lawrence’s Church Hall on 16th November. The writer, Gordon, came to York in 1989 and took on a challenge to turn a rubbish tip into a nature reserve - creating St Nick’s charity creating a lasting legacy. He has continued this work in India since then.

Botanic
By Olga Szawa

This poem focuses on how stepping inside the Botanic feels like entering a rainforest. It reflects on Walmgate’s range of unique shops, comparing their variety and abundance to a thriving ecosystem - celebrating the street’s diversity and atmosphere.

St Denys Churchyard
by Olga Szawa

This poem explores the layered history of St Denys Church: built where a Roman temple once stood, its patron, St Denys, shares a name with the god Dionysus, patron of fertility and vegetation. St Denys is often portrayed with a severed head. This poem introduces a twist to that image, placing a chicory root - a plant once very popular around Walmgate - at the centre stage.

Survival
By Lara McClure

Survival by Lara McClure is the story of Peggy O'Malley, a refugee from the "Great Hunger" in 1840s Ireland who found a community to belong to in the Walmgate area of York. Peggy is an archetypal character whose account is inspired by the recorded experiences of many.

Bakehouse
By Olga Szawa

This poem was written as an appreciation of the food businesses on Walmgate. Food - such as pastries and beverages sold in Little Blondie Bakehouse - helps people from all backgrounds experience and practise togetherness. Equally, food can be an expression of love or a tool to unlock core memories.

How Sweet, The Sound
By Betty Powdrill

How Sweet, The Sound by Betty Powdrill is a poem that explores family, traditions and how places can hold so much shared history. Inspired by her Good Friday visits to York, the piece explores moments spanning centuries, and the enduring nature of music, art, words and community.

Arciaco
By Sarah Williams, read by Oliver James Parkins

This short story was written using research from students from the University of York, Maya Delayahu and Nicholas Yemieux, who interned on this project. Sarah Williams is a writer, Managing Director of York Creatives and has had the pleasure of leading on the Walmgate Reframed Project.

Polish Store on Walmgate
by Olga Szawa

This poem connects food, memory, and identity. The author reflects on the pride found in their heritage food while introducing an image of a solitary wild bee. Wild, solitary bees, despite having a crucial role in the ecosystem, are often overlooked in nature protection efforts in favour of honeybees. The poem draws a parallel between the experiences of immigrants and that of solitary bees.

St Nicholas’s
By Sarah Williams, read by Alice Wilson

This short story was inspired by the research on the history of Walmgate students from the University of York, Maya Delayahu and Nicholas Yemieux, who interned on this project. Sarah Williams is a writer, Managing Director of York Creatives and has had the pleasure of leading on the Walmgate Reframed Project.

Walmgate as a refuge
by Olga Szawa

The poem explores themes of migration and belonging, positioning Walmgate Street as a continuous haven for migrants of all origins. In the mid-19th century, Irish immigrants settled around Walmgate, fleeing famine. Historical records collected by York University students mention chicory as a plant that was prevalent in their diet due to its availability. Today, refugees from Ukraine and the Middle East continue to arrive in York alongside a thriving student population from all over the world. The poem expresses hope that Walmgate will remain a welcoming refuge.