Challenging Histories was a pilot programme that explored some of the more hidden aspects of our places between 2017 and 2019. Each year we focused on a different theme that reflected national anniversaries and public debates. Through exhibitions, events and story-telling, we explored how these overlooked histories have shaped how we live now.
In 2019, 200 years after the Peterloo Massacre, we looked at places where people fought to express and contest their political and social rights. In 2018 we shone a light on women’s history and suffrage and in 2017, as well as launching our Challenging Histories programme we explored our connections to LGBTQ heritage.
We’ve learnt a lot from this work. Please explore the links below for further information and resources. We’ve adopted the learning into our approaches to curatorship, programming and partnership working.
In 2019 we showcased places in our national landscape which are important symbols of passion and protest. We commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre and we explained how the reverberations of this critical moment in democracy can still be felt.
Through events and exhibitions, we told the remarkable stories of those who fought for the rights of ordinary people and the sites that remain places of modern pilgrimage today.
The 1932 mass trespass of Kinder Scout, Derbyshire, is marked every April when a group of ramblers revisit the route across the moor. It's a reminder of how lucky we are to enjoy the freedom of access to the outdoors we have today.
In 2018, 100 years since women first gained the vote in the UK by shining a light on women's history and the fight for suffrage at our places.
Some of our places have strong connections to women who influenced the suffrage movement. Gunby Hall in Lincolnshire was home to the women’s rights campaigner Emily Massingberd. Cliveden in Berkshire was home to Nancy Astor, the first sitting female MP and Bodnant House in Conwy was the home of Laura McLaren, the founder of the Liberal Women’s Suffrage Union.
We also have connections to some key figures on the other side of the debate: George Curzon of Kedleston Hall was president of the National League for Opposing Woman’s Suffrage.
At least 25 of our places were home to, and shaped by, people who challenged conventional ideas of gender and sexuality. 50 years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, we explored our LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) heritage with a programme called Prejudice and Pride.
The following are just some of the places that were involved in Prejudice and Pride, working with University of Leicester’s Research Centre for Museums and Galleries to better understand these stories. Staff and volunteers took part in a training programme looking at how and why to better acknowledge this LGBTQ history. This learning was shared with the university and heritage sector in a conference in spring 2018.
Kingston Lacy in Dorset was profoundly shaped by William Bankes, who fled England in 1841 to avoid prosecution for same-sex acts. He had no choice but to leave England and the home he loved but he continued to send back works of art and treasures – the collection which can be seen and enjoyed by visitors today.
We look after hundreds of places, from stone circles and beaches to mansions, moors and workhouses. With millions of objects in our collection, from the everyday to the unique, and archives of photographs, maps and letters, we have an opportunity to tackle stories found at more than one place to show how they fit into our nations’ tale.
Working with public anniversaries and commemorations, enables us to play our part in a wider debate on issues that have their roots in the past, but are of continuing relevance today.
We work with academics and other specialists to uncover these stories. All new research helps us explain our places better to visitors and share our findings.
We're an Independent Research Organisation recognised by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Our research takes place in many forms – from the PhDs we sponsor and practical testing of new conservation techniques to the hundreds of research projects we collaborate in or host at places in our care each year.
Discover how we commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre with People’s Landscapes, a series of events and exhibitions sharing stories of passion and protest.
Listen to the Women and Power podcast series, presented by journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Wark, and discover the stories behind the women's suffrage movement and how some of the special places in our care are connected.
Listen to our podcast series with Clare Balding, exploring the lost and hidden LGBTQ stories from some of the special places in our care.
Find out more about our Trusted Source articles, which were created in partnership with the University of Oxford, and explore topics related to the special places in our care.
Learn how research helps us understand changes in the world around us, discover more about the places the Trust cares for and find practical solutions to conservation problems.
Read our report on colonialism and historic slavery in the places and collections we care for and discover how we’re changing the way we approach these issues.
