Kate raised the issue of what / whose history the 'historic environment'
reflects...
>>
We all know that different people see sites very
differently and place value on sites for reasons that include personal,
aesthetic and cultural significance. I wonder how SMRs might incorporate
these values and the information might be used to assess the significance of
the site to conservation?
>>
My own opinion is that EH, and perhaps the professional community more
widely needs to tackle this issue by looking outwards more. Rather than
setting the agenda for what is historic and then protecting that with the
legal tools available to us, we should be asking people what the past means
to them, what places are important for their associations, memories,
feelings and spirituality. I have no problem with documenting peoples
attitudes to the past along with our own professional opinions, however
off-the-wall they may appear.
Any thoughts?
Edmund Lee
English Heritage
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