I recently completed a placement with the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) (Churches Conservation Trust), a national charity that protects over 350 historic churches at risk by conserving church buildings which no longer have congregations, and working with local communities to keep them open and in use.
The placement was advertised through the OOC DTP, and was linked to the work the CCT is currently undertaking to better understand the ‘contested histories’ connected to its sites. The CCT defines contested histories as those which relate to the Trans-Atlantic trade of enslaved peoples and to British colonialism. Through an emerging partnership with Oxford University, the CCT is hoping to gain a greater understanding of the nature of contested heritage present at its sites, and to develop and implement a place for further interpretation where appropriate. The historical themes of the placement resonate with my own PhD research as part of the Schools of Empire project at Rugby School, and I was keen to apply my knowledge and skills in a different environment whilst also gaining experience within the UK heritage sector.
The placement involved an initial phase of sector scoping, which included consideration of the reports and outputs related to contested histories that have been produced by a wide variety of UK heritage organisations. I also undertook interviews with a range of heritage professionals from organisations such as the National Trust and Historic Houses to gain an appreciation of how others have approached researching and interpreting contested heritage within the sector. My findings from this phase of the placement allowed me to begin to create my own methodology for my research which was then applied to four case study sites in Lancaster, Derbyshire, London and Yorkshire. As part of my research for each case study church I was able to complete site visits and to engage with CCT volunteers and others working with these buildings.
Throughout the placement I was supported by a working group of CCT professionals, Oxford University academics and the Oxford University Head of Heritage Partnerships. My research findings and the scalable methodology I developed were written up in an end of project report for the CCT which will hopefully be used to inform future research on contested heritage at CCT sites. I will also be recording a short video interview outlining my work for internal CCT staff use and will be submitting my project as an example of collaboration between the heritage sector and Oxford University as part of the Heritage Alliance’s ‘Creating Connections’ scheme.
The placement has given me valuable experience of working on a research project beyond academia, has improved my skills in writing for different audiences, and has offered me the opportunity to engage with a range of heritage organisations. I am extremely grateful to the project working group, the heritage professionals who gave up their time to be interviewed, and the CCT volunteers who shared their site-specific knowledge and expertise. I would certainly recommend undertaking a placement to other DTP students. My experience has been a rewarding and enriching one, and if you can find a placement which aligns with your interests and values it can be a great way to broaden horizons and pursue opportunities beyond academia.
