Our Time

Marcus Coates’ Our Time places the songs and calls of locally threatened bird species onto 6 clock towers along the North Kent coastline. The work can be heard as clocks chime on the hour. Marking these moments will be the beautiful and enigmatic songs and call of species such as the nightingale, curlew, lapwing, cuckoo, and turtle dove.

The idea is to relocate what is being lost to the regional and national environment at the heart of our civic centres, and to communicate the implications of ‘our’ human time, a period in history that has seen mass extinction, that has been orientated to human progress at the expense of other species, even on a very local level. These ornate clocks represent our social and political aspirations, they command respect and give our towns an identity and civic focus.

The use of birdsong that may not be heard in the wild for much longer to mark our time is a cynical and ironic act, but one that might help us become aware of their beauty and potential absence.

The recordings have been supplied by field recordist, natural history author and sound artist, Geoff Sample.

Photo: Jonathan Juniper

Dartford

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Dartford, it can be heard at The Clocktower, Suffolk Road, Dartford DA1 1EJ between 9:00 - 17:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark

Travel

Nearest railway station: Dartford

Faversham

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Faversham, it can be heard at The Guildhall, Market Place, Faversham, ME13 7AG between 7:00 - 23:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

07:00 Spotted flycatcher 08:00 Mistle thrush 09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark 18:00 Starling 19:00 Ringed plover 20:00 Turtle Dove 21:00 Curlew 22:00 Grey partridge 23:00 Nightingale

Travel

Nearest railway station: Faversham

Gravesend

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Gravesend, it can be heard at Gravesend Clock Tower, 152 Milton Road, DA12 2RG between 6:00 - 23:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

06:00 Yellow wagtail 07:00 Spotted flycatcher 08:00 Mistle thrush 09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark 18:00 Starling 19:00 Ringed plover 20:00 Turtle Dove 21:00 Curlew 22:00 Grey partridge 23:00 Nightingale

Travel

Nearest railway station: Gravesend

Herne Bay

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Herne Bay, it can be heard at Herne Bay Clock Tower, 72 Central Parade, Herne Bay, CT6 5JQ between 7:00 - 22:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

07:00 Spotted flycatcher 08:00 Mistle thrush 09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark 18:00 Starling 19:00 Ringed plover 20:00 Turtle Dove 21:00 Curlew 22:00 Grey partridge

Travel

Nearest railway station: Herne Bay

Margate

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Margate, it can be heard at Droit House, The Pier, Margate, CT9 1JD between 6:00 - 23:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

06:00 Yellow wagtail 07:00 Spotted flycatcher 08:00 Mistle thrush 09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark 18:00 Starling 19:00 Ringed plover 20:00 Turtle Dove 21:00 Curlew 22:00 Grey partridge 23:00 Nightingale

Travel

Nearest railway station: Margate

Rochester

Our Time is installed in clock towers in Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Herne Bay, and Margate. In Rochester, it can be heard at The Guildhall, 17 High Street, Rochester, ME1 1PY between 8:00 - 22:00.

Schedule of songs and calls

08:00 Mistle thrush 09:00 Lapwing 10:00 Marsh tit 11:00 House sparrow 12:00 Song thrush 13:00 Cuckoo 14:00 Swift 15:00 Tree sparrow 16:00 Corn bunting 17:00 Skylark 18:00 Starling 19:00 Ringed plover 20:00 Turtle Dove 21:00 Curlew 22:00 Grey partridge

Travel

Nearest railway station: Rochester