From May to September 2010 members of the public are invited to participate in the ‘Contemporary and Competing Vistas: Public Perceptions of Wearmouth and Jarrow’ project which is an element of the ‘As One Monastery in Two Places’ landscape study.
This project is the focus of a 12 month studentship funded by English Heritage, conducted by Sophie Laidler. The project aims to capture information on the ways in which the public, local stakeholders (i.e. businesses) and the Wearmouth-Jarrow World Heritage status partnership perceive, use and experience the hinterlands around the monasteries of St Peter and St Paul.
Would you like to get involved?
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Organizations, families and groups of friends can get involved by participating in a short walk with the researcher where you will be asked to take photographs of local landscapes which are important to you. This will be followed by a focus group discussion about the landscape.
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Individuals can participate by being interviewed or by writing letters or e-mails about your perceptions, thoughts, experiences and uses of landscapes in Jarrow and Monkwearmouth.*
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Both adults and children can get involved by drawing pictures of landscapes in Jarrow and Monkwearmouth which are important to you and by writing a short description about why you chose to draw what you drew.**
Information gathered through this investigation will be used in Sophie’s thesis and will also be incorporated into a co-authored report which we hope will be published. The results of this investigation will also be displayed in a public exhibit in 2011 which we hope you will be able to attend!
If you would like to be involved in this project or have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Sophie Laidler at:
s.j.laidler@durham.ac.uk
Or write to :
FAO Sophie Laidler, Durham University, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
*If you would like to write a letter or email response please also confirm that you are happy for quotes from your letter/email to be used in this study. Please also state whether you would like you’re name to be referenced in the project or if you would prefer to remain anonymous.
** Written consent is required from the artist, parent or guardian for art work to be used in this study. Children under 16 will also require a letter of consent from parents or guardians prior to involvement in this study. Parents or guardians can also decide if they would prefer their children’s name to be referenced or to remain anonymous.
