5 - Current Directions in England: the Emergence of Cultural Heritage Management and the Use of Conventions, Charters and Principles

Summary

We need to regain a sense of informality. No more single-species grass carpets. The typical English grassland runs riot with species in summer and only needs to be cut twice a year. Sheep could graze on many sites. We need to look at the whole landscape, not just the isolated ruin in the centre.

(Sir Neil Cossons quoted in The Times 2000)

Introduction

This chapter considers two parallel strands of cultural heritage management: the emergence of the practice of Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) and the development of conservation charters, conventions and principles which attempt to provide professional, national and international standards for good heritage management practice. Both strands have seen an evolution in ideas and approaches, moving from the privileging of the technical specialist, the patrician ‘authority’, a shift from a limited range of elite values and top-down approaches to multi-vocal, facilitating, multi-value and bottom-up approaches. This evolution will be set against the background of changing political policy in England, as different governments have attempted to address issues of sustainability, social inclusion and diversity. These emerging ideas, policies and practices are discussed to see how they can be used to address our developing understanding of the cultural environment in England and the manner in which it is managed. The final part of the chapter provides a short review and analysis of several of the many conventions, charters and principles which illustrate changes in practice and represent a particular trajectory from ‘expert’ to inclusive approaches. Chapter 6 then considers how these strands have or have not been converted into practice.