A HIGH-TECH talking bench is to be installed in Castle Hedingham this summer.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, Essex Heritage Trust and the Friends of Historic Essex, eight new benches are being put in throughout Essex at historically significant locations.

The benches will be loaded with recordings that tell the story of the place they are and users will be able to choose which recording they would like to hear through the built in speakers.

Two more sound benches will be touring the county starting at Castle Park in Colchester on June 4 and in July, two audio kiosks will start their own tour around Essex.

The project has been working with community groups in villages and towns throughout Essex, helping them to reflect upon where they live.

Each group created a montage of clips about their community from recordings in the Archive, which will be played on the sound benches.

Cllr John Spence, Essex County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Heritage, Culture and the Arts, said: “So often we rely on the eye to bring archives to life; creating this aural dimension not only lets blind people like me have the experience it actually immerses you in the sounds of the period, or place.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: “this is a fantastic way for local people and visitors to get a sense of the history of these places, and what life was like for local communities over the years.”

The scheme is estimated to have cost in the region of £276,800.

Essex County Council is taking bookings for the second year of the tours, and looking for volunteers to help with the second round of community bench installations.

To find out more visit: http://www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk/you-are-hear.