
English Orchards
A Landscape History
Oxbow Books (Verlag)
Erschienen am 5. Juni 2022
Buch
Softcover
224 Seiten
978-1-914427-19-0 (ISBN)
Beschreibung
Old orchards have an irresistible appeal. Their ancient trees and obscure fruit varieties seem to provide a direct link with the lost rural world of our ancestors, a time when the pace of life was slower and people had a strong and intimate connection with their local environment. They are also of critical importance for sustaining biodiversity, providing habitats, in particular, for a range of rare invertebrates. Not surprisingly, orchards and the fruit they contain have attracted an increasing amount of attention over the last few decades, from both enthusiastic bands of amateurs and official conservation bodies. But much of what has been written about them is historically vague, romanticised and nostalgic. Orchards have become a symbol of unspoilt, picturesque rural England.
This book attempts, for the first time, to provide a comprehensive review of the development of orchards in England from the Middle Ages to the present day. It describes the various different kinds of orchard and explains how, and when, they appeared in the landscape - and why they have disappeared, at a catastrophic rate, over the last six decades. Chapters discuss the contrasting histories of fruit growing in different regions of England, the complex story of 'traditional' fruit varieties and the role of orchards in wildlife conservation. In addition, a chapter on researching orchards provides a practical guide for those wishing to investigate the history and archaeology of particular examples.
This book attempts, for the first time, to provide a comprehensive review of the development of orchards in England from the Middle Ages to the present day. It describes the various different kinds of orchard and explains how, and when, they appeared in the landscape - and why they have disappeared, at a catastrophic rate, over the last six decades. Chapters discuss the contrasting histories of fruit growing in different regions of England, the complex story of 'traditional' fruit varieties and the role of orchards in wildlife conservation. In addition, a chapter on researching orchards provides a practical guide for those wishing to investigate the history and archaeology of particular examples.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
The book is an enjoyable read, it combines a vast amount of information in an accessible narrative * Antiquity * This is a well-produced book with ample colour illustrations and presents a useful summary on the subject of English orchards, in particular the consideration of the four different types of orchards and a comparison of orchard development between thethree key regions of orchard landscapes in England. * Landscape History * Blending erudite landscape history and ecology with a perceptive eye for heritage and environmental issues, this book provides a superb overview of a neglected feature of our historic environment. It fully deserves the wide readership that it will doubtless receive. * Worcestershire Recorder *
Weitere Details
Sprache
Englisch
Verlagsort
Oxford
Großbritannien
Zielgruppe
Für Beruf und Forschung
Illustrationen
B/w and colour
Maße
Höhe: 589 mm
Breite: 185 mm
Dicke: 16 mm
Gewicht
602 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-914427-19-0 (9781914427190)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
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E-Book
07/2022
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Personen
Gerry Barnes MBE is an honorary research fellow at the University of East Anglia and co-author with Tom Williamson of numerous books, including Ancient Trees in the Landscape, Trees in England: Management and Disease Since 1600 and Rethinking Ancient Woodland. Tom Williamson is Professor of Landscape History at the University of East Anglia. He has written widely on landscape archaeology, environmental history and the history of landscape design.
Inhalt
Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
1. Introducing Orchards
2. Types of Orchard: Farmhouse and Commercial
3. Types of Orchard: Gardens and Institutions
4. The Orchard Countries: Western England
5. The Orchard Countries: South-East England
6. The Orchard Countries: East Anglia and the Fens
7. The Recent History of Orchards
8. Studying Old Orchards
9. The Importance of Orchards: Biodiversity
10. The Importance of Orchards: Culture and History
11. Conclusion
Bibliography
List of Illustrations
1. Introducing Orchards
2. Types of Orchard: Farmhouse and Commercial
3. Types of Orchard: Gardens and Institutions
4. The Orchard Countries: Western England
5. The Orchard Countries: South-East England
6. The Orchard Countries: East Anglia and the Fens
7. The Recent History of Orchards
8. Studying Old Orchards
9. The Importance of Orchards: Biodiversity
10. The Importance of Orchards: Culture and History
11. Conclusion
Bibliography