Abstract

Inspired by the themes of impact and legacies, this presentation will consider the ‘footprints’ of an HLF-
funded conservation project. Through discussion of a single case study it will demonstrate how the
interests of an heritage property, the practice-based conservation discipline, and academic research
may be unified, establishing a connected and productive heritage community.
The ‘Hands on Tapestries’ project (www.hlf.org.uk/our-projects/hands-tapestries) aimed to generate
opportunities for training, education and experience through the removal from display, cleaning and
stabilisation of a set of nationally important C17 tapestries hung at Doddington Hall, near Lincoln. As a
postgraduate student at the University of Lincoln the author was part of the conservation team who
undertook the work. ‘Hands on Tapestries’ has since matured beyond its original remit; delivering
opportunities for emerging conservation professionals to gain valuable graduate work, for a supervising
conservator to work towards professional accreditation (PACR), and most recently for the development
of an original body of research in fulfilment of the author’s PhD qualification.
The presentation will first explore the legacy of the ‘Hands on Tapestries’ project in terms of fulfilment
of its aims, from the point of view of the author as a direct participant. It will illustrate the value and
impact (at a micro-level) of such a project to a student conservator and emerging professional, with
reference to academic achievement, employability and professional practice skills. Next, the
presentation will consider potential legacies of the future, by outlining the author’s object-oriented
research into the Doddington Hall tapestries, and its conceivable macro-level impacts.