Heritage Recording Services - the heritage recording, preservation & 'sensitive' exploitation specialists.
Cultural Heritage, as a catalyst for change.
Tourism & Economic Development
A sense of place
Increasingly over the years, we have become involved in many projects where heritage has been used as a catalyst for change and have built up experience and knowledge on how to exploit heritage to the full.
The approach we use is based on established international practice of the eco-musee movement where the whole environmental is taken into account and the community are empowered to assist and take responsibility in the process of change.
Heritage is deemed to be everything in area that gives it a unique 'sense of place'. For example, language and dialects, buildings, industrial archaeology, natural history, archaeology, wildlife, geology and topography, the people themselves, food, crafts, music, museums and archives etc. In a current project in the Rossendale Valley, it is the deep valley structure with its industries, slipper manufacturing, textiles, stone quarrying, terraced housing, and local accents that make the area unique. In Conwy, North Wales,in Wales, the medieval walled town and quay with its ancient Castle, and Telford Suspension bridges that characterise the place, alongside Welsh language and culture. In the Lake District it is as the name implies the lakes, tarns and mountains, language, customs and buildings form that sense of place.
Photo: The House on the Bridge, Ambleside is an integral part of Ambleside's sense of place & local distinctiveness.
How can heritage change things?
Awareness of heritage is extremely important. A programme of awareness and education raises expectations and local pride. The objectives of such projects can be quite diverse, for example, economic regeneration, land preservation, social integration, networking amongst dispirate groups or isolated communities, tourism development etc.
STOP PRESS
A recent success story.
Recently, we have worked with Wrexham Council Northern Marches Cymru (Welsh Assembly Government) our brief being to work with former coal-miners and establish an awareness and sense of common identity amongst the many local mining communities. This has been a huge success with miners meeting regularly and forming a Mining Heritage Group with a view to creating a heritage centre at the former Bersham Colliery Site.
We offer planning, training, mentoring, training and contract work on the 'sensitive exploitation' of heritage. Please contact us for further information. email