Lucy Roscoe
Edinburgh College of Art
Illustrating Raby Castle
Panel: Heritage-Making
This paper reflects on a collaborative project with the owners of Raby Castle, working closely with Historians, Archivists and the Head of Leisure and Tourism to breathe new life into a family estate. The commission itself included an illustrated visitor map, illuminated family trees and a large mural for the new Visitors' Centre.
This project encompasses each of the four symposium themes in different ways, this paper focuses on ‘Heritage as Process’ and ‘Participating in Heritage.’ Events in history are represented through the illustrated family trees. The collections contributed spot illustrations which information on individual family members. The housekeeper and butler, characters illustrated in an old visitor’s book, are used in playful ways to link visitors to the past life of the castle, whilst they experience walks, the play area, walled garden, restaurants etc. The map includes references drawn from old estate maps such as the style of the houses. Investment in architectural and landscape design gives the physical estate new life. The story of Raby is given new life using illustration, integrated into both new and historic buildings.
This practice-based research proposes a two-way relationship between heritage and illustration – heritage informs illustration through collections and experts. Illustration brings to life protected or forgotten artefacts, whether ephemeral materials or infrastructure, using them to tell stories. The same approach is appropriate for archeology, museums and a broad range of heritage practice bringing new viewpoints and communicating to new audiences.
This paper considers how a project can be conservation and heritage-making. Mural painting and hand lettering create permanent artworks and thus create new narrative for the estate. Ownership of the estate is felt as much by the local community and those who have worked there throughout history as it is the family itself, perhaps their voices also speak through the works.
Lucy Roscoe is a freelance Illustrator and Lecturer in Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh. Pedagogical research explores the role of Collections and Archives in the development of research skills for Undergraduate students. Specialising in Creative Book Works, she is co-founder of BOOKMARKS, the largest Artists’ Book and Zine fair in Scotland focused on ed on innovative use of the book form in Education. She works with a range of clients including Craft Scotland, National Library of Scotland, Duke of Buccleuch, and Raby Estates, with crossovers into practice-based research investigating the relationship between Illustration and Heritage Collections.