Whose Sense of Place? Reconciling Archaeological Perspectives with Community Values: Cultural Landscapes in England

Abstract

Like other forms of heritage, landscape provides a vital repository of cultural meaning in relation to identity, belonging and sense of place. Despite this, the process of heritage management tends to obscure these links between landscapes and communities, and is thus neglectful of the experiences, perspectives and recollections that both individuals and groups bring to their engagement with heritage. This paper draws on the Hareshaw Linn community project to illustrate the diverse ways in which communities construct relationships with landscape. This case study serves as a reminder that the heritage management process cannot usefully be reduced to the technical and scientific practice it is often assumed to be, as it is often both emotional and conflict ridden. In light of this, it is essential to question why landscape is underplayed in legislation and public policy, and this necessarily entails the exploration of issues such as ownership, power, knowledge and ‘public’ heritage.