Thanks to the generosity of the Association for Small Historic Towns and Villages (ASHTAV), the Centre is now established in two rooms on the first floor of No 60 Banbury Road under the Directorship of Professor Malcolm Airs.
One room, named after the founder and benefactor of ASHTAV, Herbert Lane, contains an extensive specialised library which is available for study by all with an interest in the historic environment. The collection has been made possible by generous donations of books from English Heritage and the estate of the late Richard Holder.
The centre exists for the promotion and study of the historic built environment and will be arranging a series of seminars, lectures and other events in pursuit of that goal. It is currently exploring a partnership arrangement with a research project in order to seek Heritage lottery fund funding.
In addition, the Centre proposes to elect suitable candidates to visiting Fellowships to the College and the general terms are set out as follows:
Purpose
To afford the opportunity for a senior member of staff of an organisation involved with the historic environment in the United Kingdom to engage in a period of research away from their daily responsibilities. The research should be of benefit to the sector as a whole but may be directly related to the aims and objectives of the employing organisation. Independent researchers will also be considered if they can demonstrate a general benefit to the sector from their research.
Terms and Conditions
The Fellowships will be tenable for a period of up to six months and will not be tied to academic terms.
To enable organisations to plan their research needs and to make any necessary staffing arrangements, the date of taking up a Fellowship can be negotiated in advance.
In recognition of the direct benefits that will accrue to the sponsoring organisation, it is expected that the Fellows will be seconded for the duration of the Fellowship with all salary, pension and National Insurance costs carried by their employers.
The College will provide office accommodation, basic technical and administrative support and dining rights. It will not be able to offer residential accommodation except on an occasional basis.
Duties
The Fellows will be expected to engage with the academic community of the College and the wider university. The exact terms of this engagement will be open to negotiation on an individual basis but might include such things as seminars and presentations on the progress of the research project.
Delivering a public lecture at the conclusion of the Fellowship or shortly afterwards will be a condition of the award. It will be called The Herbert Lane Lecture in commemoration of the founder and benefactor of the Association of Small Historic Towns and Villages.
Any publication or other dissemination of the results of the research must make due acknowledgement of the support provided by the College.
Eligibility
Sufficient funding is in place to support Fellowships of up to six month’s duration for an initial period of three years, giving a total of six Fellowships in the first instance. It is hoped that further funding will be found to continue the scheme after the initial phase.
In recognition of the generous financial support provided by the Association of Small Historic Towns and Villages, it is hoped that the research projects in the initial phase will be broadly focussed on issues that have a relevance to the concerns of the Association. However, this aspiration will not preclude any project which is designed to protect or enhance the historic environment in the United Kingdom from consideration for a Fellowship.
All organisations that have an involvement with the management of the historic environment will be invited to propose candidates for a Fellowship. It is envisaged that this will include government departments, the professional institutes, local authorities, national agencies and bodies such as English Heritage, Historic Scotland, CADW, HLF, the National Trust, the Black Environment Network, the Historic Towns Forum, specialised consultancies and the national amenity societies. This list is indicative rather than exhaustive and it is not intended to exclude independent researchers of sufficient standing, who may nominate themselves.
Selection
The Fellowships will be awarded by limited competition. Candidates should submit a brief outline of their research proposal demonstrating how it will benefit the historic environment together with an indication of how the Fellowship will enhance their ability to achieve their objectives. Proposals for disseminating the results of their research should also be provided. Supporting documentation should include a current CV, letters from two referees and evidence of support from their employing organisation, or a financial statement as appropriate.
All applications will be considered by a small panel composed of representatives of Kellogg College assisted by any outside advice that they consider appropriate.
The offer of a Fellowship will be subject to the approval of the Governing Body of Kellogg College whose decision will be final.
All those who feel that they may qualify for a Fellowship are encouraged to contact Professor Airs for a preliminary discussion. He can be contacted on 01865 612017 and at malcolm.airs@kellogg.ox.ac.uk or by writing to him at Kellogg College.