Short course
The Setting of Heritage Assets
Course status:
Closed to new applications
Dates and time:
05/05/2026 - 06/05/202608:30 - 17:00
Study format:
In-person day/weekend
Fees:
£530.00
The principle that the setting of a heritage asset can contribute to its significance is now well-established in policy and guidance across the UK. Change in the setting of an asset could affect that contribution in a positive or negative way so an understanding of setting should help in the planning of positive change, avoiding or minimising harm and, where practicable, maximising enhancement.
Heritage professionals need to be confident and competent in their analysis of a heritage asset, its significance, and the contribution its setting may make to an understanding of its significance if they are to contribute to the positive management of change: in development plans and policies, the design of projects, assessment of impacts and determination of planning applications. Architects, landscape architects and planners should also be interested because an understanding of how setting contributes to significance should inform design proposals and land management decisions. They may need to collaborate with a heritage professional to understand specific assets, but they should understand the principles, avoid unnecessary duplication with other forms of assessment and be able to engage in informed discussion with heritage professionals.
This course is aimed at UK-based historic environment practitioners and others in related disciplines. It offers participants the opportunity to increase their understanding of setting as it applies to heritage assets and to promote its contribution to good design and the positive management of heritage assets.
Apply for this course
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Tuesday
8.30am- Registration and coffee/tea
9.00am- Welcome and introduction
9.30am- Presentation 1: Cultural significance and the contribution of setting
10.30am- Discussion. Q&A
10.40am- Coffee/tea
11.15am- Presentation 2: Cultural significance and setting: Case Studies
12.00pm- Discussion. Q&A
12.30pm- Lunch
1.30pm- Practical 1: Desk-based analysis
3.00pm- Coffee/tea
3.15pm- Practical 2: Site visit
5.00pm- End of Day 1
Wednesday
9.00am- Presentation 3: Contributing to the iterative planning and design process.
10.00am- Discussion. Q&A
10.30am- Coffee/tea
11.00am- Presentation 4: Assessing effects.
12.00pm- Discussion. Q&A
12.30pm- Lunch
1.30pm- Practical 3: Preparation of assessment of effects
3.15pm- Coffee/tea
3.30pm- Practical 4: Presentation of assessments
4.30pm- Final discussion
5.00pm- Course concludes
Dr Stephen Carter
Stephen is a historic environment professional based in Edinburgh. His original academic training was in natural sciences, leading to doctoral research in environmental archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology in London. He was a director of Headland Archaeology from 1996 but in 2008 he stepped back from this role to concentrate solely on heritage consultancy work. Over the past 15 years he has worked primarily in environmental impact assessment with a focus on the assessment of development-related impacts on setting. He regularly gives evidence as an expert witness in public inquiries and hearings.
Dr William Filmer-Sankey
William is Senior Director of the conservation team at Alan Baxter (Alan Baxter), having been Director of the Victorian Society and, before that, an Early Medieval archaeologist in Suffolk. He recently led a study of the setting of Windsor Castle, in a joint project for Historic England and Slough Borough Council: New Study of Windsor Castle’s Setting Will Help Inform Growth in Slough | Historic England
Mr Ian Houlston
Ian Houlston is a landscape architect and archaeologist. He is an expert in green infrastructure planning, landscape character assessment and landscape and visual impact assessment and advises on landscape strategies and masterplans for development in sensitive and protected landscapes.
He has developed national guidance for seascape and townscape character assessment and is regularly invited to speak on the topic of strategic landscape planning to students and professional audiences. He sits on the East Midlands Design Review Panel and also advises on policy matters for the Landscape Institute.
Esther Robinson Wild
Esther is the founder and director of Robinson Wild, a Historic Environment Consultancy. She is an experienced consultant whose unique background in real estate enables her to incorporate aspects of property development and finance into the historic environment sphere. She provides informed expert advice to government agencies, private investors, and statutory consultees, amongst others and has experience of working on a wide range of projects in all areas of the historic environment including historic buildings and places, conservation areas, and archaeology. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), and former co-lead of the London School of Architecture’s Part 4 course ‘Working with Heritage’.
Certificate
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add your badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Tuition (includes coffee/tea) | £530.00 |
| Hot Lunch Tuesday | £21.25 |
| Hot Lunch Wednesday | £21.25 |
Payment
Payment of fees must be made in full at the time of booking.
Please note that businesses and organisations can be invoiced on provision of a Purchase Order and completed application form. These can be emailed to the Cultural Heritage Programme Administrator email: cultural.heritage@conted.ox.ac.uk
Module code: O25P316PAR
Please use the ‘Book’ or ‘Apply’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact cultural.heritage@conted.ox.ac.uk to obtain an application form. Enrolments will close 3 weeks before course start date.