EUROPEAN WALLED TOWNS

European Walled Towns members

Welcome to EUROPEAN WALLED TOWNS for Friendship and professional Co-operation. Next Exec and AGM is at Bergen-op-Zoom  [FROM Joseph Spiteri President Jan 2015 "Please note that at the moment we are experiencing a technical problem with the website, which could very well be a hacking attempt. I have discussed the matter with the person responsible for running the website, and I am actively enquiring about a completely new website and more user friendly. You will find the executive meeting programme which is to be held in Bergenopzoom in the Netherlands on our facebook page. I apologise for any inconvenience which this problem may cause."]
See 'About EWT/WTFC...' .This post first published 5 Nov 2011 now amended and updated. For further photos from Lucca and a list of current EWT members read on...

Highly recommended for all walled towns

The Civic Trust and the UK Government Department of Transport have just issued revised guidance for the design of streets where people and traffic mix. It is highly recommended and Street Design for All is available through this link. It is a shame that none of the examples of good practice quoted are from walled towns - Chichester, Chester or York might have been cited but have not sufficiently carried through the 'de-cluttering' of their mixed use streets. 'De-cluttering' means doing without or removing all those signs and anti-pedestrian barriers so loved by 20th Century Highway Engineers.
Examples of bad practice could have been shown from walled towns - this advice can be used to remove them. Good examples can be found across Europe in walled towns. Neither good nor bad will now be named (and shamed or rewarded) in this post but further examples will be found and walled towns are invited to submit thier best practice and acknowledge where they can make improvements.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all Walled Towns

The Twenty-five Year Anniversary Illustated Timeline leaflet of the European Walled Towns (originally Walled Towns Friendship Circle) is linked here
'Brightstowe' in 1581 is Bristol now and its walls are largely hidden but the Old City still values its history and its markets - the grand 25M high High Cross languishes in a garden in Wiltshire - would be great to see it back in the centre of Bristol qiute complicated to persuade both City to ask for it and the National Trust to release it.

EWT/WTFC 25 Years on - Illustrated Timeline published

25 Years on from Peter Osborne's creation of the Walled Towns Friendship Circle, Tenby has celebrated the founders of the  WTFC, now EWT with a ceramic plaque of the Piran Declaration in English and Welsh placed on the Town Walls.
To mark these 25 Years this blog has updated the "About EWT page" with photos and additional information as a linked .pdf document,

Update to Chichester transport paper: Berwick-upon Tweed signage in main street

I am delighted to report that the offending parking sign that inspired my general assault on inappropriate signage in historic streets of walled towns HAS BEEN MOVED to a much less offensive position.

No longer is the classic Lowry view of the 18th Century Town Hall defaced as it was suddenly in June this year just as the successful Lowry Exhibition opened - see more for the pictures

Chichester Symposium - Transport in Walled Towns AND other presentations

On the Thursday morning of the the Chichester Symposium, I gave a presentation on Transport in Walled Towns: Space, making SPACES, for people in walled towns.
Lowry in Berwick-upon-Tweed was my inspiration
For my slides see link and for all the presentations at the Symposium see the Page ""EWT XXIV ... "on this website:
http://www.walledtownsresearch.org/p/ewt.html

Piran Walls celebration 2014

Piran has reported to the EWT at the Chichester Symposium.
"As a result of Piran membership to EWT and owing to the importance of Piran declaration, its plaque can be seen on Piran walls, we are witnessing to a growing awareness of the importance of cultural and historical heritage, especially that regarding the City walls." said Piran's spokesperson - the rest of the report is available here.

Chichester hosting EWT Symposium 2nd-6th September 2014

Beautiful and historic Chichester with its Roman based walls and attractive city centre, is hosting the European Walled Towns Symposium this year. You can register here now. The programme will include valuable technical and cultural contributions and discussions including talks on the recent project which Chichester undertook on its walls, a presentation and workshop on European Projects and European Funding as well as a talk and discussion on transport in walled towns. Furthermore, there will be a visit to Portsmouth Naval Dockyard to see historic ships and a guided tour of the Rolls Royce car factory.

Berwick-upon-Tweed - notes and links

In 2012, Margaret and Bernard Shaw took Berwick-on-Tweed to the very edge of Russia. In Narva, Estonia they compared the two walled border towns. Their paper, which was published by Narva will be linked here when I can get an electronic version. Here is the presentation that they gave in Narva with its extensive illustrations.
The Bridges make the town - the fortifications keep both safe.
More about the Royal Border bridge is linked here.
Further notes about Narva and Berwick will be added soon and you are also invited to visit the website of the Narva Museum

How to travel the Scottish Border in the United Kingdom from Berwick-upon-Tweed EWT to Carlisle.

New Travel tip between walled towns: one an EWT.
How to travel the Scottish Border in the United Kingdom from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Carlisle: follow link for details

via Bewcastle Cross