Whenever I contemplate the meaning of heritage, images of architecture or historical figures linked to well-known civic locations immediately spring to my mind.
Clearly, the full implication of a term such as "heritage" goes far beyond my first faltering associations. But if such notions were to go unchecked, heritage could begin to feel distinctly urban. Many key events and movements have emerged out of our rural communities and landscapes, but somehow these stories are less easily recalled.
Attracting income for heritage projects may sometimes be easier for towns and cities that have a higher national profile. However, funding bids fail for many reasons, more often because of the proposal's coherency.
One factor that affects the telling of bucolic history is a recognised lack of adequate storage and display facilities. In rural Herefordshire, these obstacles are well understood. For many years, its heritage collection was stored in up to 12 locations around the county, none of which lent itself to suitable public access.
In 2000, there was renewed interest in developing a purpose-built facility to house the entire collection. The local authority applied for lottery funds in increments, as it was thought that several smaller bids stood a better chance of succeeding, in acknowledgement of the fierce competition for money.
After securing about 70 per cent of the capital cost from lottery coffers over time, Herefordshire's Museum Resource and Learning Centre was finally opened in Hereford in 2008.
The resource centre's staff are well placed to empathise with local heritage initiatives looking for support. One project is the Webb-SHARE project, which is rediscovering the work of three Herefordshire Victorian astronomers: Henry Cooper Key, the producer of the first silvered glass mirror in Britain, in 1859; the Reverand Thomas William Webb, the author of the groundbreaking Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes; and George With, who produced some of the first mirrors for astronomical telescopes.
As 2009 has been declared International Year of Astronomy, this three-year partnership will go a long way to establishing Herefordshire's place in the history of British and world astronomy.
When I visited the resource centre recently I was impressed by how easy it was for visitors to view and, under supervision, handle parts of the collection. Study visits can be made to a well-equipped, dedicated room. Rural heritage projects do seem to have to work harder to gain recognition, but with the right level of determination and good working partnerships, these difficulties are not insurmountable.
Claire Buckland is a Hereford-based writer with a special interest in rural issues
Clearly, the full implication of a term such as "heritage" goes far beyond my first faltering associations. But if such notions were to go unchecked, heritage could begin to feel distinctly urban. Many key events and movements have emerged out of our rural communities and landscapes, but somehow these stories are less easily recalled.
Attracting income for heritage projects may sometimes be easier for towns and cities that have a higher national profile. However, funding bids fail for many reasons, more often because of the proposal's coherency.
One factor that affects the telling of bucolic history is a recognised lack of adequate storage and display facilities. In rural Herefordshire, these obstacles are well understood. For many years, its heritage collection was stored in up to 12 locations around the county, none of which lent itself to suitable public access.
In 2000, there was renewed interest in developing a purpose-built facility to house the entire collection. The local authority applied for lottery funds in increments, as it was thought that several smaller bids stood a better chance of succeeding, in acknowledgement of the fierce competition for money.
After securing about 70 per cent of the capital cost from lottery coffers over time, Herefordshire's Museum Resource and Learning Centre was finally opened in Hereford in 2008.
The resource centre's staff are well placed to empathise with local heritage initiatives looking for support. One project is the Webb-SHARE project, which is rediscovering the work of three Herefordshire Victorian astronomers: Henry Cooper Key, the producer of the first silvered glass mirror in Britain, in 1859; the Reverand Thomas William Webb, the author of the groundbreaking Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes; and George With, who produced some of the first mirrors for astronomical telescopes.
As 2009 has been declared International Year of Astronomy, this three-year partnership will go a long way to establishing Herefordshire's place in the history of British and world astronomy.
When I visited the resource centre recently I was impressed by how easy it was for visitors to view and, under supervision, handle parts of the collection. Study visits can be made to a well-equipped, dedicated room. Rural heritage projects do seem to have to work harder to gain recognition, but with the right level of determination and good working partnerships, these difficulties are not insurmountable.
Claire Buckland is a Hereford-based writer with a special interest in rural issues
