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Final ‘Victories’ tapestry back at Blenheim
After a long conservation process, the final tapestry in the ‘Victories’ series, The Surrender of Lille, has been reinstated in the First State Room of Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire. The tapestry depicts the famous parley between John Churchill, the firstDuke of Marlborough, and the French Marshal Bouffleur, in October 1708.
Since 2012, ten historic textile pieces from the palace, including five ‘Victories’ – tapestries commissioned by Churchill to commemorate his successes in the War of Spanish Succession – have been undergoing rigorous conservation. Now that The Surrender of Lille is finished and is back in its rightful place, these intricate works will be able to be enjoyed for many more years.
Castilly Henge to be excavated
Located near Bodmin, Cornwall, Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic (c.3000-2500 BC). Comprising an oval earthwork with an external bank and internal ditch, it forms an amphitheatre-like shape, which suggests it may have been used for gatherings. There is also evidence that it was reused over the centuries, first during the early Bronze Age when several barrows were built nearby, and then again in the medieval period when it may have been usedas an open-air theatre, known as a plen- an-gwari. Finally, during the English Civil War, it became a battery.
A geophysical survey in 2022 found possible traces of a now-removed stone circle in the middle of the henge (see CA 389). Now, to learn about the monument’s construction, use, and reuse, a team from the Cornwall Archaeological Society, the Cornwall Heritage Trust, and Historic England, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will carry out a four-week excavation of the site this autumn.
Historic Environment Scotland seeks to boost well-being
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has launched a new campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces, which aims to connect people with their local heritage sites in order to boost their well-being. This comes after a recent HES survey found that 60% of people reported improved well-being after visiting a heritage site, and that 74% of people felt a sense of connection to the sites they were visiting.
As part of the initiative, HES is asking people to submit their photos and videos that show how heritage makes them feel. These entries will then be used to create an online exhibition, as well as to help develop new strategies of how to use heritage sites to support well-being.
To submit an entry, please visit: http://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/historic-places-breathing-spaces.
Text: Kathryn Krakowka
