UCL ISH visits Burghley Park to help unite sport and heritage

Linking experts in equine biomechanics, geophysics, heritage, landscape architecture and archaeology, the workshop demonstrated the cross-disciplinary work being led by UCL ISH.

The workshop, part of a wider ISH project into future heritage, explored the relationship between the performance of equine athletes and the condition of grounds – of particular importance to heritage sites rich in archaeology that host equestrian sporting events, like Burghley Park.

Leading equine biomechanics expert Russell Guire delivered a session on using advanced gait and rider analysis to evaluate a horse’s impact on surfaces. Neil Linford, Senior Geophysicist at Historic England, then discussed how heritage science expertise could be used to improve the sustainability of historic landscapes used by equestrian sports.

Also offering their knowledge and experience to the workshop were:

• Elizabeth Inman, Event Director of the Burghley Horse Trials;
• David Pennell, the Estate Director for Burghley House Preservation Trust;
• Matthew Tickner, Partner at Cookson & Tickner landscape architects and lead author of the Burghley Park Conservation Management Plan;
• Emma Robinson, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the Historic Houses Association;
• Rebecca Casa-Hutton, Archaeologist at Peterborough City Council; and
• Richard Hefford-Hobbs, UCL ISH Project Champion and MSc Sustainable Heritage alumnus.

David Pennell, Director of the Burghley Estate, Elizabeth Inman, Director of the Burghley Horse Trials, Russell Guire, founder of Centaur Biomechanics and Neil Linford, Senior Geophysicist at Historic England, have all written blogs which explain the impact of the workshop. Please visit the  UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage Blog to find out more.

For more detail on UCL ISH’s work on sport and heritage, please visit the project’s research page.