History has never been more popular. Our vast appetite for learning about the past is catered for by a wide range of content: we watch YouTube channels and TV series, we listen to podcasts and radio documentaries, we read bestselling books and glossy magazines and, of course, we visit all manner of fascinating historic sites.

This widespread consumption of history is a relatively recent phenomenon and, over recent decades, it has prompted increased public discussion about the complex relationship between the past and the present day. As Sir David Cannadine put it, ‘History is no longer the exclusive domain of “dry as dust”, but an essential – and thus a contested – part of our broader national culture and national life.’

Since the summer of 2020, history has barely left the headlines. In particular, there has been heartfelt, and often heated, debate about how we commemorate individuals and events of the past, and about the appropriateness of statues and memorials that we have inherited from previous generations. It’s a complex issue and, as custodians of our nation’s heritage, it’s only right that we engage with it.

When dealing with so-called 'contested' or 'difficult' history, English Heritage has absolutely no intention of removing statues, taking down plaques, or trying to 'cancel' history in any way whatsoever. Instead, it is our ambition to explore it more deeply and more broadly than ever before.

The extraordinary range of the sites, statues, plaques, monuments and collections in our care provide – to an unparalleled degree – rich material for exploring England’s past. As a charity, we’re responsible for sharing the fruits of this exploration with the entire nation. That means telling familiar stories, but it also means addressing those communities and groups in our country whose histories may have been previously overlooked – something we’ve tried to do for many years.

This can be done by bringing previously ignored stories to light, or by looking at places, people and moments from different perspectives. Like all good historians, we seek to improve our understanding of the past with new evidence and insights.

As with everything we do, this important work is grounded in research, aimed at ensuring that our interpretation of the past is rigorous and well-informed. Our historians, curators, conservators and scientists have an outstanding reputation for the excellence of their research. They use varied techniques – including documentary research, archaeological investigation and scientific analysis – to gather as much evidence as possible.

We can be awed by the political and cultural reach enjoyed by Britain at the peak of its imperial pomp – but we can also recognise the conflict and pain caused by colonial regimes. We can commemorate Sir Arthur Harris as a man who helped defeat Nazi Germany, but we can also acknowledge that he, under orders from the War Cabinet, oversaw the area bombing of cities including Hamburg and Dresden, during which thousands of civilian lives were lost. We can enjoy visiting Brodsworth Hall – and we certainly want you to do that – but we can also point out to visitors that the hall’s owners made a good chunk of their fortune from the transatlantic slave trade.

England’s history is full of stories of heroism, courage and innovation, and these are a source of great inspiration and comfort. Our past has also left us a wonderful collection of buildings, monuments and objects that we are incredibly privileged to care for. We are rightly proud of England’s history and its heritage and, as a charity, we will do all we can to protect it for future generations to experience and enjoy. But being proud of something doesn’t prevent us from exploring it more deeply. We can feel pride in the achievements of the past and, at the same time, be critical or questioning of certain aspects of it.

And these thoughts and feelings can exist alongside each other, because the past is not something we must choose to either ‘cancel’ or celebrate. Instead, it’s a process of discussion, reflection, debate and learning. Sometimes this process may be challenging or uncomfortable, and we may not always agree with each other. But by engaging in it, we learn something valuable – about ourselves, about the people in the past, and about the rich, fascinating, and complicated ways in which we are all inextricably connected with our history.

English Heritage never has, and never will, try to 'cancel' our past. We will continue to do what we’ve always done, which is to try to understand it, and to share our findings in a fair-minded, open and honest way. We will continue to welcome people of all backgrounds to explore England’s past for themselves, in the very places where it happened. And above all else, we will continue to do our very best to protect it for future generations, so that they too may do the same.