These disturbing objects remind the tourists wandering through the property that English country estates like Dyrham Park were symbols of wealth power and influence from an era when the British Empire thrived through colonisation and slavery.

Statues of chained black men are displayed at Dyrham Park, highlighting its former owner’s connection to Britain’s history of colonisation and slavery. Source: SBS

Copper believes it’s important to display this uncomfortable side of history and present the interior as it appeared in the 17th century.

Dyrham Park once belonged to William Blathwayt, who held positions including secretary of the Lords of Trade and Plantations and auditor general of royal revenues in the colonies. While he didn’t own slaves or plantations, his job as an administrator was to keep money flowing from colonies back to Britain. The house as it stands today was largely created with the money he made.

The organisation said it had already been updating its digital content and reviewing visitor information to include appropriate context.

Glasgow Museums curator Patricia Allan has made it her life’s work to return artefacts to their countries of origin. Source: SBS / Dateline/ Simon Phegan

A culture war over Britain’s past

“What are the things that we celebrate?”

Bristol-based historian and writer Edson Burton says the British identity is changing, and with that comes reassessment of how the nation views and presents its past. Source: SBS / Dateline/ Simon Phegan

However, not everyone agrees that Britain needs to atone for its past.

On his official YouTube channel, Farage is rallying pride in British history, saying: “We are teaching kids now that the empire was truly evil”.

“In some cases, there’s such a strong desire to put the emphasis on slavery or colonial links, for example, that some really important aspects of the property are underplayed or not given the spotlight in the way that they might be,” she told Dateline.

Cornelia van der Poll and her organisation Restore Trust are concerned by the National Trust’s revised approach to storytelling. Source: SBS / Dateline/ Simon Phegan

Restore Trust says it’s advocating for the grievances of some National Trust members and volunteers over such issues as “politicised and irrelevant” content in diversity and inclusion training and the quality of its historical research. Their aim is to have its candidates elected to the National Trust’s governing council.

“The National Trust does not have history as one of its charitable objects, so it doesn’t have the established expertise in that area.”

“The role of William Blathwayt in the administration of empire means that it’s absolutely important for us to be focusing on that history and understanding the continuing legacies,” he said.

Repatriating artefacts

“I feel that we are effectively harbouring stolen property or property that was taken illicitly, certainly without consent,” she said.

Glasgow Life joined a number of UK and European museums in promising to return Benin Bronzes taken from the kingdom of Benin —now part of modern Nigeria — during the British occupation in the late 19th century. Source: SBS

While other museums are repatriating artefacts too, Glasgow Life is one of the few places to not ask the country of origin to prove its ability to preserve these artefacts.

Some of the items waiting to go home next are the Benin Bronzes, a collection of sculptures taken out of the kingdom of Benin, located in what is now southern Nigeria, during the brutal British occupation in the late 19th century.

Nigerian-born Glaswegian Jideofor Muotune is bringing together artists and poets to tell the stories of the Benin Bronzes. Source: SBS / Dateline/ Simon Phegan

Since Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960, its government has sought the bronzes’ return. Some countries such as France and the Netherlands agreed to repatriate the Benin Bronzes held in their museums.

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