Liberating Lyndhurst from the Tyranny of the Period of Significance

The article discusses the concept of period of significance and lays out why understanding historic sites through that lens can be harmful. With specific reference to National Trust Historic Site Lyndhurst, the article details aspects of its history that have either been neglected in its interpretation or even physically destroyed for not comporting with the period of significance as it was once understood. The article devotes a lot of attention to landscape as a setting for overlooked aspects of Lyndhurst’s history. Finally, the article discusses the recent steps to reinterpret and activate the site to tell a fuller story and engage audiences on a variety of levels.