
Landscapes of the Norman Conquest
Trevor Rowley(Author)
Pen & Sword Archaeology (Publisher)
Published on 30. September 2022
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-5267-2428-1 (ISBN)
Description
For a long time, the Norman Conquest has been viewed as a turning point in English history; an event which transformed English identity, sovereignty, kingship, and culture. The years between 1066 and 1086 saw the largest transfer of property ever seen in English History, comparable in scale, if not greater, than the revolutions in France in 1789 and Russia in 1917. This transfer and the means to achieve it had a profound effect upon the English and Welsh landscape, an impact that is clearly visible almost 1,000 years afterwards.
Although there have been numerous books examining different aspects of the British landscape, this is the first to look specifically at the way in which the Normans shaped our towns and countryside. The castles, abbeys, churches and cathedrals built in the new Norman Romanesque style after 1066 represent the most obvious legacy of what was effectively a colonial take-over of England. Such phenomena furnished a broader landscape that was fashioned to intimidate and demonstrate the Norman dominance of towns and villages.
The devastation that followed the Conquest, characterised by the Harrying of the North', had a long-term impact in the form of new planned settlements and agriculture. The imposition of Forest Laws, restricting hunting to the Norman king and the establishment of a military landscape in areas such as the Welsh Marches, had a similar impact on the countryside.
Although there have been numerous books examining different aspects of the British landscape, this is the first to look specifically at the way in which the Normans shaped our towns and countryside. The castles, abbeys, churches and cathedrals built in the new Norman Romanesque style after 1066 represent the most obvious legacy of what was effectively a colonial take-over of England. Such phenomena furnished a broader landscape that was fashioned to intimidate and demonstrate the Norman dominance of towns and villages.
The devastation that followed the Conquest, characterised by the Harrying of the North', had a long-term impact in the form of new planned settlements and agriculture. The imposition of Forest Laws, restricting hunting to the Norman king and the establishment of a military landscape in areas such as the Welsh Marches, had a similar impact on the countryside.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Illustrations
100 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 166 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
982 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5267-2428-1 (9781526724281)
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Trevor Rowley
Landscapes of the Norman Conquest
E-Book
01/2024
Pen & Sword Archaeology
€18.18
Available for download
Person
Trevor Rowley is a historian and archaeologist who has written many books on different aspects of the English landscape and of the Normans. He has spent a career lifetime working in extra-mural university education dedicated to making history accessible to as wide an audience as possible. He continues to travel and lecture in Europe and America to spread the word.