Spheres of Transition: Late Medieval to Modern transitions

Aim

The aim here is to understand the significance of regional landscapes within medieval economy and society and to establish to what extent they inform the structure of the post-medieval landscape. It is proposed to investigate the chronology of settlement foundation and the creation of settlement hierarchy, and thus understand how this influences economic and cultural dynamics. The degree to which these differences were structured into the post-medieval landscape elucidates the transition to capitalism, in particular the actions of the social groups able to exploit and accelerate this process.

Objectives

  1. Visibility: investigation of the relationship between village sites and their associated field patterns will establish their relative chronology, and examination of changes within the field systems will evidence any phases of re-planning. A review of aerial photography evidence for isolated or dispersed settlements associated with the broader infrastructure should identify whether we are able to recover the medieval landscape in such a damaged context. To what extent have elements of the post-medieval landscape been sacrificed to the new demands of even more intensive agribusiness?
  2. Settlement and Exploitation: the whole issue of medieval settlement needs to be looked at again, at one end in relation to earlier settlement sites such as at Cottam, to establish chronology, relationship, and motivation behind nucleation. But this must also examine the relationship with the developing agricultural system and in particular the laying out of open field systems. The process can be seen right through in a regional study to examine the long-term nature of settlement desertion which spans the traditional division between medieval and post-medieval periods. Enclosure is crucial, as are the efforts of larger landowners to impose control through other forms of 'improvement' such as model farms. Faunal and artefactual assemblages could be used to identify the specialised nature of communities in terms of production and consumption and the extent of local or market based trade.
  3. Elite Sites: medieval manorial sites and their associated resources are particular elements within the landscape. Their study would include the deer parks and possible medieval ornamental landscapes, as well as church patronage. This then leads into the crucial role of large landed estates and the continued involvement of the landowners in the alteration of the settlement and communication network, alongside their investment in model villages, church restorations and public services. The impact of leisure in the landscape primarily through ornamental landscapes and sport will also be important, particularly any continuities with medieval precursors.

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