a large tax on the Jewish community under Edward I, who went on to expel the Jews from England in 1290. Why is this not addressed? The Tower of London may have a dark and violent past but this particular tale isn’t one that can be spun into something digestible. The financing of Traitor’s Gate off the backs London’s Jewry would seem like a very relevant piece of information about the Tower’s history, and while it may be of interest to most historians, stories like these are often left out for the average guest. One the one hand, some pieces of history are left out because they aren’t that captivating and may only appeal to specialists, and then there is also, as this story poignantly illustrates, some inherent embarrassment; this isn’t a story that makes one feel proud to share with visitors.
Communicating to the Masses: The Dumbing Down Question
“Are you dumbing down?” is the most common question asked of Dixon-Smith. It is also one that she dislikes, stating ‘I don’t think clarity of communication is dumbing down’. She explains there has to be a balance between making history accessible, and informative, yet captivating, to everyone who comes to the Tower. Since 70% of the visitors are not from England, it’s important to make English history comprehensible while still retaining authenticity and accuracy. This is a struggle faced by all curators as they change exhibits, and the ways people move through or interact with the material and spaces around them.
For myself, and many people at the paper, engaging the public with medieval history (any history for that matter) has always been extremely important. As cuts hit the humanities, donations from alumni trickle out, and the general public asks: why is this relevant, why should we continue to fund these subjects? Papers like hers bring back the focus as to why history is important today and how to connect it in fun and interesting ways for the non-specialist.
The White Tower of The Tower of London. Photo by Medievalists.net