‘THE MIDDLETON MYSTERY: AN ADVENTURE AT BELSAY HALL’ INTERPRETING HERITAGE THROUGH THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER GAME

English Heritage has been exploring an approach to interpreting heritage using computer games. Instead of the learning resulting from gameplay inherent within an existing computer game, the learning and interpretation is generated through the holistic process of designing and developing a computer game. This paper presents one such project, ‘The Middleton Mystery – An Adventure at Belsay Hall’. Students at Ashington Community High School designed a computer game set in a virtual version of Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland. The objective was to use computer games technology to interpret Belsay’s history in a way that young people would find appealing: to increase knowledge and understanding about Belsay Hall and to change attitudes and values about heritage in an inspirational, creative and enjoyable way.