Deconstructed landscape photography at All Saints Church, Bakewell: an emerging method of engaging with church archaeology

Deconstructed Landscape Photography is a useful and underutilised method of engagement with archaeology at both the local level and on a larger scale. It encourages the viewer to look at specific elements of the landscape, rather than ‘the bigger picture’ of the landscape or, in this case, church. All Saints Church in Bakewell, Derbyshire, serves as a case study and was chosen due to its architecture, early medieval stone sculpture, and the annual tradition of well dressing, which allowed for various opportunities to create various panels of photographs. The panels were presented in a variety of contexts and have been a useful way to promote wellbeing, celebrate local identity, and improve access, especially in a post-Covid world. As a method, Deconstructed Landscape Photography provides a greater variety and level of detail than regular photography and can be used to engage with a variety of groups, providing a new perspective on church archaeology.