‘The Untold Story’: The mediated female ghost in England’s Blenheim Palace

A multi-media exhibit at Blenheim Palace uses new media to challenge traditional narratives of elite history by focusing on private family relationships. The exhibit, 'The Untold Story,' employs a projected apparition of the first Duchess’ lady’s maid, Grace Ridley, to offer tourists intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpses into 300 years of family stories. This approach exposes the emphasis on elites in traditional heritage sites while addressing anxieties about the estate's historical dependence on servants and its current reliance on tourism. The study examines how this combination of new media and a female ghost narrative influences gender negotiations within tourist destinations, providing insight into the evolving dynamics of cultural site interpretation.

Roberts, R. (2014). ‘The Untold Story’: The mediated female ghost in England’s Blenheim Palace. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 18(1), 35–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549414557802