Foundation stone of empire: The role of Portland stone in ‘heritage’, commemoration, and identity

Alice Butler‐Warke,Matthew R Warke

doi:10.1111/tran.12462

Abstract

AbstractIn 2013, Portland Stone, a creamy white limestone from the Isle of Portland in Dorset, was named the world’s first “Global Heritage Stone Resource” (GSHR) by the Heritage Stone Task Group, a sub‐commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences. The criteria for GSHR designation are ambiguous, with the Task Group championing Portland Stone’s “cultural value” and “heritage,” neither of which are critically interrogated. In this paper we undertake a detailed critical discourse analysis of Hansard entries mentioning Portland Stone between 1803 and 2020. We reveal that the use of Portland Stone is intertwined with colonial oppression, class subjugation, empire politics, structural racism, and a mythologised, England‐centric vision of British national identity. In celebrating the use of Portland Stone as part of Britain’s “heritage”, we are condoning a narrative of Britishness that is exclusionary and whitewashed, and that supports an elite rewriting of national and international history. Drawing on critical heritage literature, we argue that the Heritage Stone Task Group must urgently reconsider their uncritical appraisal of “heritage” and “culture” and consult with social science colleagues to ensure that all voices are heard. Our study shows that through the history and nature of their usage, the rocks beneath our feet, our natural foundation, can become imbued with notions of regional and national identity, belonging and exclusion, memory and loss – they can become a powerful manifestation of symbolic and unequal power structures. While British society’s attention is turned to the imprint of colonialism, empire, and race on our geographies, we urge further consideration of the built environment: the very stones that construct our towns and cities, the plinths on which statues are erected, tell stories of oppression and domination that are an important part of British history, culture, and heritage.

Highlights

In 2013, Portland Stone was selected as the first "Global Heritage Stone Resource" (GHSR) by the Heritage Stone Task Group (HSTG)
We argue that there is a need to critically consider heritage as it relates to GHSR status in order to understand the symbolic power of building stones
We show that Portland Stone’s use is central to a narrative of British identity that is embedded in British international and internal colonialism and the legacy of empire politics

Summary

Introduction

In 2013, Portland Stone was selected as the first "Global Heritage Stone Resource" (GHSR) by the Heritage Stone Task Group (HSTG) This designation came after several years of effort from Professor Barry Cooper and the English Stone Forum to recognise "natural stone material that has achieved both widespread use and recognition in human culture" We argue that there is a need to critically consider heritage as it relates to GHSR status in order to understand the symbolic power of building stones. We suggest that we need to consider the very materials out of which our built environment is constructed; these bricks and stones tell stories of architectural and aesthetic preferences but of power dynamics, identity projection, and national values

Methods

Findings

Conclusion