Elena Porter

Research Topic

National Heritage in Private Hands: The Political and Cultural Role of Privately-Owned Country Houses in Britain After 1950

My research examines the methods and effectiveness of the country house lobby in Britain, with a particular focus on the Historic Houses Association (HHA). The project reassesses the active construction of the country house as a symbol of national identity, and examines the influence of inherited wealth in British politics. It contextualises British governments' approaches to the preservation of privately-owned country houses within broader cultural and political shifts in the preservation of built heritage.

Broader research interests (connected to my thesis) include cultural capital, art and antiques dealership, and arts funding.

Supervisors: Professor William Whyte, Dr Oliver Cox and Emma Robinson (Director of Policy & Public Affairs, Historic Houses)

My research is funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council Collaborative Doctoral Award. I hold an MA in History of Design from the Royal College of Art and Victoria and Albert Museum, which was funded by an Oliver Ford Trust Scholarship, and a BA in History from Lincoln College, Oxford.