2014-15: Thames Valley Country House Partnership
About
'The Thames Valley Country House Partnership'
Knowledge Exchange Fellow:
Dr Oliver Cox | Faculty of History | University of Oxford
Partner Organisation:
The National Trust
The Thames Valley Country House Partnership was a University of Oxford initiative supported by the Higher Education Innovation Fund exploring how best to create sustainable partnerships between the heritage and higher education sectors. Established in 2013, by Dr Oliver Cox, as a collaboration between the University of Oxford and a number of country houses of differing sizes and ownership structures in the Thames Valley, London & South East, and further afield, the partnership actively promoted innovative multi-disciplinary research into the history and future of the country house.
This project led to the creation of Trusted Source and the National Trust Partnership.
Past Events
Clash Of The Centuries (October 2016)
Event:
debate with three popular historians making the case for why their century matters most in our island’s story.
- Suzannah Lipscomb (The King is Dead) raised the banner for the 16th century
- Anna Keay (The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth) extolled the 17th century
- Oliver Cox (A Short History of the Long Eighteenth Century) championed the 18th.
- Chaired by Steven Gale
Tech Nirvana: why Gardens at the Office are good for you (December 2016)
Helena Chance, author of The Factory in the Garden: A History of Corporate Landscapes from the Industrial to the Digital Age (Manchester University Press, 2017), discussed the evolution of corporate landscapes following the Second World War and the gardens of today’s giant ‘tech’ companies which, in a bid to attract ambitious employees, have made some interesting outdoor spaces at their campuses.
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A Lecture Series exploring and interrogating the many challenges and opportunities facing the higher education and heritage sectors in the 21st century, and highlight the many points of connection between the University of Oxford and the National Trust from a number of perspectives; from caring for collections and landscapes, to gaining support through brand and marketing.
History, Vision, Ambition (February 2017)
Dame Helen Ghosh, Director General of the National Trust and Professor Karen O’Brien, Head of the Humanities Division discussed the history, current vision and future ambition of their respective organisations.
Land, Outdoors and Nature (February 2017)
Peter Nixon, the National Trust’s Director of Land, Landscape and Nature and Professor Heather Viles, Head of The School of Geography & the Environment discussed the challenges and opportunities we face today in caring for and studying the natural environment.
Our Collections and their Audiences (March 2017)
Simon Murray, the National Trust’s Senior Director of Strategy, Curatorship and External Affairs, and Dr Xa Sturgis, Director of the Ashmolean Museum discussed heritage and audiences, exploring the need – and means – of making historic collections relevant in the 21st century.
Supporting our Causes (May 2017)
Jackie Jordan, the National Trust’s Director of Brand and Marketing, Susan Foster, the Trust’s Fundraising Director, and Liesl Elder, Head of Development at Oxford University, discussed the ways in which fundraising and branding are fundamental to supporting both the National Trust and Oxford University.
Heritage as Business (May 2017)
Hilary McGrady, Director of Operations & Consultancy at the National Trust, and Dr Pegram Harrison, Fellow in Entrepreneurship at the Said Business School discussed the business of heritage and explored the challenges and opportunities such organisations face as businesses in supporting their charitable causes.
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Oxford in Cambridge: Is there a future for the country house? (May 2017)
An evening in Cambridge led by a talk given by Dr Oliver Cox (Heritage Engagement Fellow, University of Oxford) on, 'Is there a future for the country house?' Audiences’ expectations, experiences and attitudes to country houses are changing rapidly. The 'treasure house', full of priceless objects to be worshipped, must transform and change into the 'story house', if the country house is to remain relevant to more diverse audiences.
The Future of Heritage (June 2017)
Public Debate: A panel of experts discussed the opportunities and threats facing heritage today, and debated their own visions of a sector fit for the 21st century and beyond.
Panel:
- Dame Helen Ghosh – Director General, National Trust
- Carole Souter – Master, St Cross College, University of Oxford (formerly Chief Executive of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund)
- Sandy Nairne – National Trust Trustee & Former director of the National Portrait Gallery
- Professor Peter Mandler – Professor of Modern Cultural History, University of Cambridge
- Dr. Dan Hicks - Associate Professor and Curator in Archaeology, Univresity of Oxford
- John Orna-Ornstein – Director of Museums, Arts Council England (Chair)
Introduction to Heritage, Museums, and Galleries (October 2017)
A workshop on 'Introduction to Heritage, Museums, and Galleries' with:
- Lizzie Glitheroe-West (Chief Executive, The Heritage Alliance)
- Dr Giovanna Vitelli (Director, University Engagement Programme, Ashmolean Museum)
- Dr Oliver Cox (Heritage Engagement Fellow, University of Oxford)
Heritage and Audiences (November 2017)
Workshop with Dr Linda Monckton (Head of Communities Research, Historic England)
Case Studies in Collaboration | Oxford University (November 2017)
Workshop with Victoria McGuinness (TORCH Business Manager), Alice Purkiss (Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate, National Trust and University of Oxford), and Dr Sophie Ratcliffe (Fellow and Tutor in English, University of Oxford).
Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park (November 2017)
The Heritage Pathway are hosting a site visit to Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park with Professor Steven Parissien (Director, Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park).
More than the Sport of Kings | How Horse Racing made the Modern World (January 2018)
Talk with Dr Oliver Cox (Trusted Source)
The Jewish Country House (March 2018)
A workshop that aimed to establish the Jewish country house both as a focus for scholarly research and as a site of European memory, organised by Professor Abigail Green, Professor David Rechter and Dr. Oliver Cox, University of Oxford, and Dr. Juliet Carey, Waddesdon Manor.
English Chapels and Meeting Houses (March 2018)
Talk by Christopher Wakeling
His recent book Chapels of England is the first substantial history of nonconformist church architecture in England. Chistopher considered some of the ways in which these buildings can be understood, and touched on the present challenges facing the people who care for them.
National Trust Partnership Showcase (April 2018)
Event: Oxford researchers discussed past, present and future collaborations with the National Trust.
GLAM Digital Showcase (November 2018)
A taste of the research, activities and projects happening across GLAM that are driving digital innovation within the division, the University and the wider sector.
From conservation and online collections to public engagement and audience research, the event was an opportunity to find out about the digital tools and services being used across all areas, to see where the expertise lies within GLAM, and identify what might be applicable within your own institution.
The event was be split into two parts:
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A range of lightning talks showcasing current and recent projects
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Networking in the Main Court, together with information stands for one-on-one discussions and hands-on demos.
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