HASTINGS & HOW TO INTERPRET ITS HISTORY BEYOND 1066
Is a ready-made heritage brand such as 1066 a blessing or a curse?
Today is Hastings Day - the anniversary of that famous battle when the armies of Duke William and King Harold clashed 950 years ago. Since then, 1066 has remained the one date in British history that is known by everyone, far and wide. '1066' has become a regional brand - capitalised on by heritage organisations, councils and businesses alike. And with the 950th anniversary, this year there has been opportunity for special celebration. Grand re-enactments take place this weekend at Battle Abbey and forward-looking events such as the ROOT 1066 Festival of Contemporary Arts have been running across the region - and in Normandy - for some months now.
Some years ago I moved my design practice to Hastings. Having a background working within the heritage sector, I am very happy to have been involved in a number of great interpretation projects recently that link to this key date. However, although 'brand 1066' has its attractions, history clearly did not start and end with Harold and William on the battlefield. So how to balance 'a great deal of history' with one dominating date?
Before Hastings...
We have recently designed a display for Hastings Museum & Art Gallery covering the history of the region from prehistoric to Roman and Saxon times, where our timeline ended at 1066...
So when looking at the structure for a new exhibition covering the years after the Norman conquest, the concept that curators Catherine Harvey and Cathy Walling came up with worked very well - 'The Story of Hastings in 66 Objects' was a familiar format and made the strong 1066 reference needed.
The Story of Hastings in 66 Objects...
Through the 66 exhibits selected, we were able to explore the consequent phases of the town's development and give equal emphasis to all key events and people that helped shaped the history of Hastings. Since it opened in June the exhibition has proved very popular, bringing an increasing number of visitors back to the museum.
Hastings Castle...
Similarly, for an outdoor interpretation project for Hastings Castle we wanted to ensure that the significance of the site was explored fully and did not hinge entirely on the arrival of the Normans. The stone castle that remains today was built in 1070 and its collegiate church was at one time an important place of pilgrimage. However, the site had been settled for thousands of years before this and the castle saw many transformations over the centuries, all of which we also wanted to illustrate.
With the resulting timeline we have emphasised the key periods in the history of the site from its Mesolithic beginnings right up to the present day. We have not ignored ‘1066’ however, as arrows inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry lead you through the text and illustrations. As they approach, visitors now have the chance to immerse themselves in the history of their surroundings as they follow the arrows up towards the castle gates.?
We hope that with all these collaborative projects we have helped to broaden visitors' knowledge of Hastings and its history - whether before, during or after 1066!
Suzan Aral / Creative Director, Aral Design Ltd
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There’s plenty still going on around the 950th anniversary celebrations - follow the links to find out more:
Director at Wordsmith Design
8 年Great article. And great to see the signage and interpretation on the way to the castle. Huge improvement!
Owner, PatrickGeorge
8 年As a former resident of Hastings, I can't wait to go back and visit the castle and museum. It looks vibrant and engaging, love the concept and design.
Photojournalist
8 年Wonderful.
Photojournalist
8 年Wonderful