Living History

Learning from the past to shape the future.

Sir Walter Scott really and truly believed that the material culture of the past could bring history to life. Access to objects created, used and lost over the centuries was essential to his inspiration and success as a writer of historical fiction and it made him a trailblazer of the genre. But he was also a passionate advocate of a more experiential and exploratory kind of learning: encouraging people of all ages to visit battlefields, landmarks and ruins; to explore the features of their local and national landscapes, and to imagine their many histories playing out there in full cinematic colour. Scott was interested in hearing the lost voices and songs of the past, preserving languages and folk customs; in reimagining and preserving buildings, and in collecting and wearing historical clothing, arms and armour.

All of this underlines his commitment to a real sensory engagement with the past - ‘living history’ as we understand it today. Though we might not realise it, every traditional craft fayre, battle re-enactment or costumed educational experience we participate in with the family or recall from our school days, owes a significant debt to Scott.

Perhaps most importantly of all, Scott also had the foresight the appreciate that the present is merely history in the making, as he witnessed war, revolution, exploration and scientific discoveries unfolding around him. He encouraged his friends and family to draw parallels between contemporary events and those in times past, knowing that history does have a tendency to repeat itself. This is a powerful lesson for our own times.

Were I to begin my experimental course of history… I would endeavour to create a strong interest in historical events by combining them with every external circumstance which could give interest

Living History

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