The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England with a population of over 4.5 million. It covers an area of 15,627 km2 and sits right in the geographic heart of England. It stretches across the counties of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Its landscape is shaped by the rivers Nene, Soar, Trent, Humber and the Wash.
Every place within this region’s tapestry has its own distinctive character and personality. And yet there are patterns in their histories which come to light when we shine a spotlight across its contours.
13 community-based museums in the East Midlands have been experimenting with just such an exercise over the last few months. Each has selected 50 artefacts from their collections to share on a collective map. Very gently patterns are beginning to emerge. The ‘being in the middle’. The crisscross of roads. The agricultural lands. The natural clays. The seams of coal. The outcrops of limestone, ironstone and lead. The natural waterways for power and transport. The wealth generated. The connections with London and international trade. A source of armies. A place of peace.
It is a great privilege to present the East Midlands History Explorer map for you to take a personal journey into the collections of these 13 museums. This is just the start. We will continue work extending these stories and connections, developing learning resources for sustainable development education. Please find out more about this project here and get in touch if you would love to help us in this venture.
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