Funding awarded to research Repton’s masterpiece
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Coastal view created by Humphry Repton at Sheringham Park. Norfolk
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The turn at the end of the main drive providing stunning coastal views
Latest update 10.02.2012 13:07
On the 200th anniversary of Humphry Repton’s creation of Sheringham Park, £100,000 has just been granted by the Arts and Humanities Research Council to explore the environmental history of Repton’s masterpiece.
Sheringham Park is one of the few surviving examples and possibly the most complete works of the last great 18th century landscape designers, Humphry Repton.
In one of six projects to be awarded funding nationally, the University of Nottingham and the University of East Anglia will work in collaboration with us at Sheringham Park, which Repton proclaimed 'my most favourite work'.
The project
On the bi-centenary of his design, 2012 offers a timely opportunity to research the Park, where Repton adapted the landscape to stage-manage spectacular views of the sea, framed by woodland.
The aim is to address current debates around the implications of environmental change for the restoration, management and interpretation of publically accessible designed landscapes of high cultural value.
Professor Stephen Daniels, University of Nottingham (Project lead)
'We’re delighted to be able to continue our partnership with the National Trust in this new project. We will research Repton’s 1812 design of Sheringham Park in a way that will raise its profile as a major example of landscape architecture, undertaking new archival and field research, as well as looking at the Parks interpretation, management and presentation.'
The outcomes
As well as an academic paper on the subject, the six month project will see a conference at the University of East Anglia exploring the restoration and interpretation of designed landscapes for public understanding, in the context of cultural and environmental change.
There will also be a small exhibition at Sheringham Park in the summer, which will help bring the landscape (and findings) to life for visitors.
Malcolm Fisher, Visitor Services Manager at Sheringham Park
'It’s going to be a busy year for us, we have much to celebrate. We’re looking at using the research to help us highlight the landscape and share the story of the Park. In addition to the exhibition here, we’re planning a study day as well as a garden party to mark the anniversary.'
Those involved:
The project is led by Professor Stephen Daniels (University of Nottingham), co-investigator is Dr Paul Warde (University of East Anglia), Research Assistant is Dr Lucy Veale (University of Nottingham), project partner is the National Trust, and the project also has advisors from the University of Exeter (Dr Simon Naylor and Dr Caitlin DeSilvey) and UEA (Dr Sarah Spooner).