The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
This film is part of Free
Ashby Folville
Leicester school boys given guided tour of picture postcard village.
From the collection of:
Overview
Ashby Folville, which is situated ten miles north of Leicester, is the destination for this early 1950s field trip by a group of boys from Leicester's Westcotes Secondary Modern School. The pupils inspect the church and witness traditional farming methods during the hay harvest. Also inluded on the tour are the rows of Nissen huts that make up the National Assistance Board Polish Hostel, an unexpected slice of mid European culture in a quaint English village.
The hostel was set up in huts that had originally been constructed by the War Office in the grounds of the local manor house. The camp lasted until the mid 1960s with the local farmers being glad of extra labour during harvest time. The Smith-Carrington family who owned the manor house, estate and village since the late nineteenth century made their fortune through the engineering firm Armstrong Whitworth.
Related
Watch for free
Showgirls is a Western Showgirls is a Western
Short documentary 2025 2 mins
In this mini video essay, BFI contributor Maha Al-Badrawi explains why Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls is a rhinestoned, stilettoed Western.
Watch for free
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Watch for free
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
Watch for free
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Watch for free
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Watch for free
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.