Research project: Transatlantic Slavery Connections of Selected English Heritage Properties

About the Project

Culture& trainee researcher in residence Edinam and a group of Young Producers have worked with English Heritage historians and University of Leicester to undertake research into little-known links between English Heritage sites across the country and the transatlantic slave trade.

Through this project, the team hopes to bring to light more stories and information about connections , so that we can give the fullest possible history of these English Heritage sites.

This research project builds on a scoping report compiled by Dr Miranda Kaufmann in 2007 which looked into 33 English Heritage properties that were either built or occupied during the main period of the British Transatlantic slave trade (c. 1640-1807). 26 of these properties were found to have some connection with either slavery or abolition.

Research reports on four of these properties – Marble Hill, Northington Grange, Bolsover Castle, and Brodsworth Hall – can be found at the bottom of this page.

Edinam came to us as a trainee researcher in residence, supported by Culture&, an independent charity working to promote greater diversity in arts and heritage institutions. She was part of Culture&’s Whose Heritage Research Residencies Programme working with a mentor, Dr Carol Ann Dixon, she produced six detailed reports into sites identified in the 2007 report by Dr Kaufmann as having strong slavery linkages. Edinam’s research was funded by an ESRC Impact Accelerator Award awarded to Professor Corinne Fowler of the University of Leicester to work with English Heritage.

During her three-month residency, Edinam worked independently, meeting regularly with English Heritage staff to report on progress. Much of the research had to be done online due to Covid restrictions in force at the time.

Edinam's Research Reports

Audley End

Download Edinam’s report on the links between Audley End and the transatlantic slave trade to find out more.

Download

Battle Abbey

Download Edinam’s report on the links between Battle Abbey and the transatlantic slave trade to find out more.

Download

Brodsworth Hall

Download Edinam’s report on the links between Brodsworth Hall and the transatlantic slave trade to find out more.

Download

Osborne House

Download Edinam’s report on the links between Osborne House and the transatlantic slave trade to find out more.

Download

Witley Court

Download Edinam’s report on the links between Witley Court and the transatlantic slave trade to find out more.

Download

Alongside Edinam’s research, English Heritage historian Dr Andrew Hann also worked with a group of Young Producers to investigate the slavery links of English Heritage sites.

The starting point again was the scoping research carried out by Dr Kaufmann in 2007. Now over a decade on from the original report it seemed an appropriate moment to take another look to see if any further information had come to light.

A key point that the Young Producers wanted to get across through this project is that people didn’t need to have owned a ship or actively traded in enslaved people to be involved with the slavery system. Simply by consuming goods produced by enslaved people, such as sugar or tobacco, or investing in slave-trading companies like the Royal African Company, they helped support the slavery economy.

This comes across in the research that was carried out, in particular at Brodsworth Hall. The original owner of the site, Peter Thellusson, was directly connected to the slave trade through part-owning a slaving ship, and also benefitted greatly from the slavery economy through loaning money to Caribbean plantation owners, investments in stocks and shares and his part-ownership of several sugar refineries.

Original Reports

Click the links below to explore the original research reports used as a basis for this project.

Dr Miranda Kaufmann 2007 Report

Follow this link to read the original Kaufmann report on the links to Transatlantic Slave Trade across English Heritage sites.

Dr Miranda Kaufmann 2007 Report

Brodsworth Hall

Follow the link to read a more detailed report into the slavery linkages of Brodsworth Hall produced in 2010.

Brodsworth Hall detailed report

Bolsover Castle

Follow the link to read a more detailed report into the slavery linkages of Bolsover Castle produced in 2010.

Bolsover Castle detailed report

Northington Grange

Follow the link to read a more detailed report into the slavery linkages of The Grange at Northington produced in 2010.

Northington Grange detailed report

Marble Hill House

Follow the link to read a more detailed report into the slavery linkages of Marble Hill House produced in 2010.

Marble Hill House detailed report

English Heritage: Transatlantic Slavery And Abolition

Discover how traces of transatlantic slavery can be found across many sites in the National Heritage Collection, and explore the stories of individuals whose lives were touched by enslavement, including those who campaigned for its eventual abolition.

Transatlantic Slavery And Abolition Page
Photo of young women looking out of the window at Marble Hill House

English Heritage Transatlantic Slave Trade Research Pages

All up to date and new research on this subject by English Heritage will be available on our SLAVERY CONNECTIONS TO ENGLISH HERITAGE SITES page.

English Heritage Transatlantic Slave Trade Research Pages