A Long View of Change in Caring for Historic House Interiors: from Housekeeping to Preventive Conservation, Collections Care and Beyond

The care of historic interiors in the U.K. and abroad has evolved over many centuries, from historic housekeeping documented in early manuscripts, to preventive conservation, collections care and management widely practised in museums today. This paper takes a long view of this evolution, considering the causes and instigators of change in approaches taken by public institutions and private owners of historic collections. The influence of increasing professionalisation of the heritage sector and of statutory concern for the care of items of national interest is reviewed, and practice compared in the private and public spheres, to consider the future for conservation housekeeping.