About the Project
The Oracle of Place is a PhD research project based in Kington, Herefordshire, led by Rebecca Burns at the University of Worcester.
It explores how creative and community-rooted practices, including storytelling, oral history, and ritual, can deepen people's sense of connection to the places they live.
This project involves the collection of community stories and memories as research data.
Participation is entirely voluntary, and you are always in control of how your contribution is used.
At the heart of the project is a question: can a set of place-based oracle cards, made from the stories and memories of Kington residents, help people notice, value, and stay connected to their local landscape over time?
Whether you are a lifelong resident, new to Kington, or someone with memories of the area from further afield, your stories and insights are valued and welcomed.
The Oracle of Place is supported by the University of Worcester as part of an ongoing commitment to rigorous, participatory research conducted in partnership with local communities.
What is the Oracle of Place?
The Oracle of Place is a PhD research project based in Kington, Herefordshire, led by Rebecca Burns at the University of Worcester.
It explores how creative and community-rooted practices, including storytelling, oral history, and ritual, can deepen people's sense of connection to the places they live.
At the heart of the project is a question: can a set of place-based oracle cards, made from the stories and memories of Kington residents, help people notice, value, and stay connected to their local landscape over time?
What Are Oracle Cards?
Oracle cards are a creative format with a long history as a tool for reflection and meaning-making.
In this project, they are used not for divination or prediction, but as a way of holding and sharing community knowledge, a material object that carries local stories and invites people to engage with familiar places in new ways.
Each card will be rooted in a story, a real place, route, or landscape feature that matters to the people of Kington.
How does the research work?
Stage 1: Collecting Stories
Local residents are invited to share their memories, experiences, and knowledge of Kington's places through oral history interviews and written story submissions via this website. These stories form the foundation of the oracle cards.
Stage 2: Creating and Using the cards
Stories gathered in Stage 1 will inform the design of a community oracle deck.
Participants will be invited to name and shape the cards through workshops, before a circulation period where the cards are used and their effect on community connection to place is explored.
This website currently supports Stage 1 only. Details of how to get involved in Stage 2 will be shared here later in the year.
Who Can Take Part?
Anyone aged 18 or over with a personal experience of, or connection to, Kington and its everyday places is welcome to take part, whether you are a lifelong resident, new to the area, or someone with memories of Kington from further afield.
Participation is entirely voluntary. You are always in control of what you share and how your contribution is used.
Before getting involved, please read the Participant Information Sheet by clicking the button below, which explains exactly what taking part means, how your stories will be used, and your rights.
Meet the Researcher
Hello, I’m Rebecca Burns!
I'm a writer, researcher, and practitioner with a passion for folklore and the wisdom of place. I have lived in Herefordshire for over a decade, and my work draws on academic training as well as a lifelong engagement with ritual, storytelling, and creative community practice.
I believe deeply in the power of ritual and story to build belonging and inspire transformation.
As a PhD researcher at the University of Worcester, I'm committed to research that is rigorous, ethical, and genuinely rooted in the communities it works with. I believe that every voice has something to offer, and that the most meaningful research happens when scholars and communities think together rather than apart.
I am supervised by Dr John Cussans and Desdemona McCannon at the University of Worcester, and I am grateful for their guidance throughout this project.
This project would not exist without the generosity of everyone who contributes their stories, time, and presence. To everyone in Kington who has shared their stories and time with this research, thank you.
I am also grateful to my supervisors, Dr John Cussans and Desdemona McCannon, and to the University of Worcester for their support throughout this project.
Acknowledgements
