Country houses under the spotlight

Expert speakers will take part in the one-day event at the Wolverhampton City Campus on Monday, 6 June 2011.

The seminar, organised as part of the Design History Society’s Regional Seminar Series, is titled ‘Country houses then and now: formation, patronage and interpretation’ and will take place in room MC201 from 1pm-5pm.

Margaret Ponsonby, Senior Lecturer in History at the University’s School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, said: “The talks will include papers on the furnishing of country houses in the past, and the recreation and conservation of interiors in houses open to the public in the present day. Speakers will present ongoing research and reflections on recent work carried out by heritage organisations.”

The speakers are all experts in their fields and include Lucy Armstrong and Sarah Kay, both project curators with the National Trust, Helen Hughes, a historic paint specialist, formerly of English Heritage, and Jon Stobart and Rosie McArthur from the University of Northampton.

The papers include references to properties in the Midlands region. Jon Stobart’s title ‘Rearranging the furniture: fashion, status and personal preference at Stoneleigh Abbey, c. 1730-1800’, refers to a property in Kenilworth in Warwickshire and Sarah Kay’s ‘The Attingham Rediscovered Project’, concerns Attingham Park near Shrewsbury.

Admission is free but places are limited and need to be booked in advance, and refreshments will be provided. The registration desk in the foyer of MC building and will open at 10am. The papers begin at 1pm.

For more information and to book a place email M.Ponsonby@wlv.ac.uk

ENDS

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