The 9th ENCOUNTER conference

The European Network for Country House and Estate Research (ENCOUNTER) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 9th ENCOUNTER Conference. The conference is hosted by the network in collaboration with The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies and Gammel Estrup – The Danish Manor Museum.

The conference will explore the dynamics of the manorial world, primarily focusing on a bottom-up perspective, highlighting the master-servant relationship in its full paternalistic scope, and addressing household, villages, rural communities, etc. This includes shedding light on the conditions and material realities for servants and workers, as well as the organisational structures. And to explore conflicts/resistance and limits within the relationship, as well as changes in the nature and conditions of the relationship over time.

ENCOUNTER was founded in Denmark in 2015 and has since provided a framework for interaction between scholars and cultural institutions in Europe sharing a professional interest in the research and interpretation of manor and country house history. This conference marks the network’s 10th anniversary.

Registration and payment via gammelestrup.dk/shop. The registration deadline is 25 August 2025. 

 October 9-11, 2025
 Ledreborg Manor, Denmark 

Register here

                                          

Download conference programme

Practical details

 Ledreborg Manor, Zealand, Denmark
 October 9-11, 2025

 

Conference fee:

Full symposium (9–11 October 2025) 2500 DKK

Conference and half-day excursion (9–10 October 2025) 1900 DKK

The fee includes the conference, transportation by bus from local town Roskilde to Ledreborg Estate, excursions, lunch (Thursday–Saturday), and dinner (Thursday–Friday).

Accommodation is not included in the price.

Registration and payment via gammelestrup.dk/shop. The registration deadline is 25 August 2025.

 

Accommodation:

It is possible to book accommodation in Roskilde at Scandic Roskilde Park.

Book via scandichotels.com/en/hotels/scandic-roskilde-park by using the booking code BDAN081025. The deadline for using the code is 9 September 2025.

Alternative accommodations in Roskilde are Four Points Flex by Sheraton Roskilde (Prindsen), Comwell Roskilde and Roskilde Danhostel.

 

Contact information:

Signe Boeskov, Head of the Research Centre, The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies, sb@gammelestrup.dk

Klaus Højbjerg, Academic Assistant, The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies, klh@gammelestrup.dk

Søren Broberg Knudsen, Academic Assistant, The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies, sbk@gammelestrup.dk

Conference Themes

The conference will examine the social hierarchies, economic structures, and cultural landscapes of manors and estates, focusing on:

 

The Hierarchies of the Manor

  • Organisation and governance
  • Agricultural labour and rural industries
  • Household structures and servant life
  • Gender, career progression, and mobility
  • Recruitment, wages, and accommodation

 

The Manor and Patronage

  • Protection, welfare, and social obligations
  • Religion, ideology, and moral guidance
  • Rural poverty and poor relief

 

The Manor and Conflict

  • Resistance, legal disputes, and power struggles
  • Class tensions and social inequality
  • Transformations driven by war, political change, and industrialisation