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Presenting Historic Houses - ARC00069M

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  • Department: Archaeology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Matthew Jenkins
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module brings together the academic study of historic house interiors with contemporary heritage interpretation and conservation. How are these interiors interpreted to the public? What stories do we choose to tell and are there other stories (particularly revolving around marginalised social groups) that would be more inclusive and engaging? How do we balance the need to conserve these historic houses with the need to generate revenue and keep them open? How have different disciples (archaeology, art history, history) explored these houses in different ways?

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims:

  • To introduce students to the range of issues, skills and knowledge required to work with historic interiors as a conservation or heritage professional

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a systematic understanding of current policies relating to the management, curation and interpretation of historic interiors, especially in the UK
  • Demonstrate self-direction and originality in Researching historic interiors and collections to inform and enhance professional curatorial practice
  • Demonstrate critical engagement with interpretations of and debates surrounding a range of archaeological and historical evidence
  • Communicate complex ideas in an analytical framework through essay writing

Module content

We follow two strands in this module. The first provides a broad overview of the major themes, including:

  • What are the different sources we can use to investigate historic interiors?
  • What is the current heritage climate for historic house museums? How are different interpretive methods used in these museums, such as costumed interpretation and digital heritage?
  • What are the conservation challenges and are there tensions with the need to keep the house open to visitors?

The second strand explores how academics have studied these interiors. In the past, this has led to a focus on style and famous architects and patrons. More recently, academics have become increasingly interested in the role of women (and gender generally), the lives of servants, connections with slavery and the complexity of public and private spaces.

These two strands will be combined in a series of case studies, ranging from the medieval period to the 19th century. This allows us to analyse how these themes play out in practice and explore the complexity surrounding them. In the assessment, students are encouraged to focus on the areas of the module that most interest them.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Pre-recorded presentation		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Pre-recorded presentation		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Formative: oral feedback from module leaders

Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy

Indicative reading

Vagnone, F. D., Ryan, D. E., Sorin, G. (2016) Anarchist's Guide to Historic House Museums. London: Routledge.

Johnson M (2010) English Houses 1300-1800: Vernacular Architecture, Social Life. Pearson: Harlow.

National Trust (2011) The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.

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The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.