Publisher's notice
Information about this book was provided by its publisher in 2011. The description given is not an independent review. All details are subject to change, especially pricing. Please use the contact links at the top of this page to notify any innacuracy.
Neil Christie and Paul Stamper, eds.
Medieval Rural Settlement: Britain and Ireland, AD 800-1600.
Publisher: Windgather press.
Publication due: December 2011.
Page count: 304pp.
Illustrations: 112.
Publisher's recommended price
Hardback ISBN 9781905119424, £30.00
Description:
Medieval Rural Settlement: Britain and Ireland, AD 800-1600 is a major assessment and review of the origins, forms and evolutions of medieval rural settlement in Britain and Ireland across the period c. AD 800-1600. It offers a comprehensive analysis of early to late medieval settlement, land use, economics and population, bringing together evidence drawn from archaeological excavations and surveys, historical geographical analysis and documentary and place-name study. It is intended to be the flagship publication of the Medieval Settlement Research Group (MSRG) which has a long and distinguished history of exploring, debating and promoting research and offers systematic appraisal of 60 years' work across the whole field of medieval settlement, designed to inspire the next generation of researchers. Part I comprises a set of papers exploring the history of medieval rural settlement research in Britain and Ireland, the evolving methodologies, the roots of the medieval landscape and the place of power in these settlements and landscapes. Part II presents an extensive series of regional and national reviews detailing contexts, histories of study, forms, evolutions and future research needs. These extensive contributions also include "feature boxes" on key themes, sites to visit and main excavations in the study areas discussed. A final section provides guidance on how to research and study medieval rural sites - from laptop to test-pit. Extensively illustrated in colour and black and white, and written by expert contributors, the volume includes a comprehensive, integrated bibliography and an index. Medieval Rural Settlement: Britain and Ireland, AD 800-1600 will be essential reading for everyone researching and interested in medieval settlements and the medieval rural landscape.
Contents:
Part I: Contexts, Chronologies and Forms
1. Introduction: Medieval Rural Settlement Research: Emergence,
Examination and Engagement (Mark Gardiner, Neil Christie and Paul
Stamper)
2. The Development of the Study of Medieval Settlements, 1880-2010 (Chris Dyer and Paul Everson)
3. Methodological Approaches to Medieval Rural Settlements and Landscapes (Richard Jones and Della Hooke)
4. The Prehistory of Medieval Farms and Villages: From Saxons to Scandinavians (Gabor Thomas)
5. Seigneurial and Elite Sites in the Medieval Landscape (Oliver Creighton and Terry Barry)
6. Town and Countryside: Relationships and Resemblances (Chris Dyer and Keith Lilley)
Part II: Regional and National Surveys
7. South-East England: Forms and Diversity in Medieval Rural Settlement (Mark Gardiner)
8. Central Southern England: 'Chalk and Cheese' (David A. Hinton)
9. South-West England: Rural Settlements in the Middle Ages (Sam Turner and Rob Wilson-North)
10. Wales: Medieval Settlements, Nucleated and Dispersed, Permanent and Seasonal (Bob Silvester and Jonathan Kissock)
11. Ireland: Medieval Identity, Settlement and Land Use (Audrey Horning)
12. The Midlands: Medieval Settlements and Landscapes (Richard Jones and Carenza Lewis)
13. Cambridgeshire and the Peat Fen: Medieval Rural Settlement and Commerce, c. AD 900-1300 (Susan Oosthuizen)
14. Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex - Medieval Rural Settlement in 'Greater East Anglia' (Edward Martin)
15. Northern England: Exploring the Character of Medieval Rural Settlements (Stuart Wrathmell with Rob Young)
16. Scotland's Medieval Countryside: Evidence, Interpretation, Perception (Chris Dalglish)
Part III: Appendix - Research Methods
17. Investigating Medieval Rural Settlements (Carenza Lewis)