IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A

Abstract

This paper discusses an approach to cultural heritage that employs locative narrative to activate place through historical storytelling; investigating ideas of time, space and memory at Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site. The authors have created a locative narrative, Meridian Drift, which takes visitors on an audio and physical journey within Greenwich Park, site of the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian. Listeners are guided on their journey by the narration of characters who lived through resonant historical moments in Greenwich Park over the last 800 years. Delivered via a GPS-enabled digital platform, each section of the story is triggered by listeners’ movements through space. Using Meridian Drift as a case study, we discuss how locative narrative storytelling can contribute to the wider trend of narrative journeys (cultural trails, walking tours etc.) as central elements of contemporary cultural tourism (see eg Haanpää et al 2022, Macleod 2024). In particular, we explore the potential of locative narrative storytelling to harness place as a launchpad for opening up receptiveness to both history and environment and the connection between past and present. We propose that the conjunction, synchronisation or indeed contrast of individuals’ own embodied, kinesthetic experiences with larger cultural narratives is what makes such journeys meaningful and significant. References: Haanpää, M, García-Rosell, J-C and Hakkarainen, M (2022). ‘Walking the concepts: elaborating on the non-representational sensitivities of tourism experience.’ Journal of Marketing Management 38 (15-16): 1832-1850; Mcleod, N (2024) Literary Fiction Tourism. Understanding the Practice of Fiction-inspired Travel. London: Routledge