Contested narratives of cultural heritage: Maintaining the integrity of history through recovered local knowledge

This dissertation explores the relationship between heritage professionals and local stakeholders directly connected to heritage sites, specifically focusing on Piercebridge, a former Roman fort and market town, in County Durham, England. The research analyses these relationships through two national heritage schemes: the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Missing Pieces Project. The case study draws on extensive fieldwork using qualitative methods informed by ethnographic principles. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, including local residents, metal detectorists, scholars, and officials from national heritage organisations.
These interviews revealed the significance of cultivating relationships through sustained, face-to-face interactions as a foundation for building trust, while also identifying challenges, such as decreased budgets and staffing in recent years. However, digital resources emerged as a prominent theme, as a means of facilitating outreach and as a potential obstacle to developing personal connections. This dissertation highlights how digital technologies can support heritage professionals by increasing efficiency and expanding access, while also considering the ways they might distance local stakeholders from direct engagement.