
The Open Fields of England
David Hall(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 19. June 2014
Book
Hardback
398 pages
978-0-19-870295-5 (ISBN)
Description
The Open Fields of England describes the open-field system of agriculture that operated in Medieval England before the establishment of present-day farms surrounded by hedges or walls. The volume encompasses a wide range of primary data not previously assembled, to which are added the results of new research based upon a fifty-year study of open-field remains and their related documents. The whole of England is examined, describing eight different kinds of field-system that have been identified, and relating them to their associated land-use and settlement. Details of field structure are explained, such as the demesne, the lord's land, and the tenants' holdings, as well as tenurial arrangements and farming methods.
Previous explanations of open-field origins and possible antecedents to medieval fields are discussed. Various types of archaeological and historical evidence relating to Saxon-period settlements and fields are presented, followed by the development of a new theory to explain the lay-out and planned nature of many field systems found in the central belt of England.
Of particular interest is the Gazetteer, which is organized by historic counties. Each county has a summary of its fields, including tabulated data and sources for future research, touching on the demesne, yardland size, work-service, assarts, and physical remains of ridge and furrow. The Gazetteer acts as a national hand-list of field systems, opening the subject up to further research and essential to scholars of medieval agriculture.
Previous explanations of open-field origins and possible antecedents to medieval fields are discussed. Various types of archaeological and historical evidence relating to Saxon-period settlements and fields are presented, followed by the development of a new theory to explain the lay-out and planned nature of many field systems found in the central belt of England.
Of particular interest is the Gazetteer, which is organized by historic counties. Each county has a summary of its fields, including tabulated data and sources for future research, touching on the demesne, yardland size, work-service, assarts, and physical remains of ridge and furrow. The Gazetteer acts as a national hand-list of field systems, opening the subject up to further research and essential to scholars of medieval agriculture.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
24 black and white in-text images, 16pp colour plate section
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 181 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
1012 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-870295-5 (9780198702955)
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.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

David Hall
The Open Fields of England
Book
03/2020
Oxford University Press
€58.00
Shipment within 15-20 days

David Hall
The Open Fields of England
E-Book
06/2014
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€29.49
Available for download
Person
David Hall studied chemistry at St Peter's College, Oxford, but has worked in the field of archaeology for over fifty years. He has published extensively on British archeology and the history of field-systems.
Content
Preface and acknowledgements ; Introduction: medieval fields and the landscape ; 1. Townships and land-use ; 2. Field system types; the extensive fields of the Central Region ; 3. Field system types in the Eastern and Western Regions ; 4. Open-field structure and management ; 5. Early evidence for settlement and fields ; 6. Open field beginnings ; Appendix: County Gazetteer ; Bibliography ; Glossary ; Index