The North York Moors National Park Authority has been recognised as a shortlisted finalist in the prestigious Engaging People Awards by the Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI).
The accolade was for the National Park’s Land of Iron project – a £4-million, National Lottery Heritage Fund scheme which ran from 2016 to 2021 in partnership with the David Ross Foundation and other supporters.
The project celebrated the trailblazing story of 19th-century ironstone mining and railway construction in Rosedale, the Esk Valley and the Cleveland hills. The AHI recognised the outdoor elements of the project, including the interpretation panels, cast-iron models, conservation work and other interventions at former mining and railway sites across the North York Moors, from Goathland to Ingleby Incline.
Julian Brown, Interpretation Manager for the North York Moors, said:
“The Land of Iron project has had a tremendous impact on our understanding of how our landscapes have been shaped by industry, even here in our beautiful National Park. We worked closely with local communities and our partners to devise stunning panels and models that complement our wonderful landscapes, and it’s really exciting for our work to be recognised in this way.”
The 100 years following the opening of the Whitby and Pickering railway in 1835 saw an explosion in ironstone mining in the Rosedale and Esk Valley areas, along with even more pioneering railway construction that connected these remote valleys to Teesside and the wider world. Many of the relics left from this period are crumbling and the stories around them are at risk of being forgotten forever.
The Land of Iron project has protected and conserved the most iconic of these monuments and worked with land managers to nurture the natural environment that has reclaimed these spaces. It documented and told the stories of what life was like for these communities when the landscape looked very different to how it does today.
Bill Bevan from the AHI, commented
“Congratulations to the North York Moors National Park for a very well-deserved recognition for the Land of Iron. Only a small number of projects are recognised as finalists every two years by the AHI Awards judging panel, so this is a real badge of excellence in interpretation.”
The Association for Heritage Interpretation is the membership group in Britain and Ireland for anyone interested in interpretation – the art of helping people explore and appreciate our heritage, nature, culture and science. It aims to promote excellence in the practice and provision of interpretation and to gain wider recognition of interpretation as a professional activity.
The biennial awards showcase best practice in heritage interpretation across the UK and Ireland. They are the only awards to recognise excellence in all types and sizes of heritage interpretation – whether in museums, historic buildings or outdoors, a temporary event or online. The category winners were announced at the online awards ceremony held during the AHI conference on Thursday 4 November. They all compete for the overall AHI Award for Excellence on the 18 November.
North Yorkshire's First Elected Mayor Starts Work
Four Arrested as Suspected Cocaine Recovered Near Scarborough
Bishop Burton College Rugby Academy wins England Colleges RFU National Cup
Headliner Announced for Scarborough Pride 2024
Golf Day Raises Funds for Scarborough Children's Ward
National Recognition for York and Scarborough Audiology Team
Further Consultation Launched on Scarborough Town Council Plans
Year Long Study into North Yorkshire Fire Service Culture
Flamborough RNLI Crew Remember Lives Lost 40 Years Ago
Unexpected Stopover in Whitby for Dutch Yacht After RNLI Rescue
North Yorkshire Needs More On-Call Fire Fighters
Streets Festival Shows Potential for Scarborough Fair
Comments
Add a comment