A Course Examining the First World War and its Effects on Different Aspects of Heritage Practice

  • Commemorating the centenary: investigating the First World War on the Home Front
    University of Leicester, 22-23 June 2015
     
    Archaeological techniques are increasingly being applied to the study of First World War battlefields in France and the Near East, and on training areas in England. The aim of this course is to inform historic environment curators, field practitioners, consultants, and members of voluntary and community groups of the diverse physical legacy that the war has left in England, and how it may be documented and conserved.

The course will include

  • The study of the physical legacy of the First World War
  • The range of sites and the types of buildings and structures that might be encountered, and discuss why they hold historical significance
  • The development of the use of aerial photographs during the war and how they are now being used to discover and investigate traces of the conflict.

Traditional archaeological excavation techniques are being used to interpret modern battlefields and the wartime home front revealing the potential of the often neglected material culture of the recent past. The war off our shores is often forgotten and its submerged legacy and links with inland communities will be explored. This total war drew women into the factories, the services, and many roles previously occupied by men. People from the Commonwealth and other communities also supported the war effort and their transient presence may still be traced today.

The enormous loss of life is marked by huge numbers of public monuments, their history, recording and conservation will be discussed.

To enable voluntary groups and individuals to create professional standard records of this conflict, one that is still poorly documented, the Council for British Archaeology has developed the Home Front Legacy Project. Opportunities for presenting your research to wider audiences will also be discussed.

A field trip to visit the remains of the large training area on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire is also included.

Further Information

Please visit the University of Leicester, School of History web site for further details and how to register.