The V&A, The Destruction of the Country House and the Creation of ‘English Heritage’

Abstract

This paper considers the role played by the V&A and the exhibition The Destruction of the Country House in the political activities and increasing prominence of the ‘heritage lobby’ in England in the 1970s. It argues that the V&A had a significant role in shaping the discourse and advancing the public awareness and political efficacy of the heritage movement, and that it assisted in reinforcing the association of, and perhaps even conflating, English heritage with the country house. The paper also reflects on changing attitudes and policy relating to heritage in England since the late twentieth century, drawing on a range of relevant critical literature and theoretical approaches.