Discovering Towneley Park : a digital and multimethod approach to understanding the effects of a digital heritage interpretation of a Lancashire park

McDonagh, A

Abstract

Focusing on Towneley Park in Lancashire, this research explores the intersection of outdoor
park heritage and digital heritage interpretation. The project aimed to forefront the opinions
of local park users through interviews, field visits and the co-production of a digital heritage
object: Digital Towneley.
The project contains four main aspects: (i) exploring the heritage meanings in a park space,
(ii) applying a multimethods approach involving co-production, phenomenology and
reflexivity, (iii) exploring the impact of a co-produced digital heritage object, and (iv)
investigating how digital heritage is affected by socio-cultural discourses around digital
media.
The thesis explores traditional ideas of heritage as generally informed by historical discourse
(Samuel 2012) as well as everyday heritage meanings. These alternative perspectives,
identified by Smith (2006) as Authorised versus non-Authorised Heritage Discourses, are
seen throughout the participants’ creation and communication of park heritage. The thesis
puts forward the case that Authorised Heritage Discourses may be colonised by the lived
experiences of the park users, thereby reinforcing the notion of agency in the heritage visitor.
In adopting a phenomenological approach, this research engages with the importance of
space and place as factors in the creation of park heritage meanings. Through theories
including Foucault’s heterotopia (1986) and Deleuze & Guattari’s rhizome (2013), this thesis
works towards an understanding of park heritage as a trans-temporal and trans-spatial
network constructed by people. In addition, the thesis explores the role of the physical
environment as part of our cognitive and meaning-making processes.
The impact of digital heritage is explored in this project. Firstly, the effectiveness of Digital
Towneley is discussed. This reveals the shortcomings of digital media in terms of embodied
experience of place, but also demonstrates the potential of digital heritage to constitute
authentic everyday heritage narratives around memory and legacy. Secondly, the thesis
evaluates the role of digital heritage production as a means of challenging power structures
at heritage sites.

Citation

McDonagh, A. Discovering Towneley Park : a digital and multimethod approach to understanding the effects of a digital heritage interpretation of a Lancashire park. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 8, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 8, 2019
• Award Date: Nov 1, 2018