England's Villages
An Extraordinary Journey Through Time
Published on 16. September 2021
432 pages
978-1-78658-097-9 (ISBN)
Description
England's villages have survived, developed, and thrived over hundreds of years. But what makes a village and how has that changed over time?
Take a charming and unexpected journey through the quirks of England's villages throughout the ages in the excellent company of Dr Ben Robinson, expert archaeologist. Join him in visiting villages from prehistoric, to Roman, to medieval times, all the way through to today's modern, urban villages. Discover how landowners, governments and communities have shaped villages, why village greens, village pubs and village halls exist, and the real meaning behind names like Bunny, Yelling, Lover, Great Snoring and Slaughter.
A compelling study of archaeology, history and architecture, England's Villages is a thoughtful, enlightening and informative look at our oldest homes, uncovering and revealing the extraordinary heritage of the places that surround us.
Take a charming and unexpected journey through the quirks of England's villages throughout the ages in the excellent company of Dr Ben Robinson, expert archaeologist. Join him in visiting villages from prehistoric, to Roman, to medieval times, all the way through to today's modern, urban villages. Discover how landowners, governments and communities have shaped villages, why village greens, village pubs and village halls exist, and the real meaning behind names like Bunny, Yelling, Lover, Great Snoring and Slaughter.
A compelling study of archaeology, history and architecture, England's Villages is a thoughtful, enlightening and informative look at our oldest homes, uncovering and revealing the extraordinary heritage of the places that surround us.
More details
Person
Dr Ben Robinson is a British archaeologist and television presenter.
Ben grew up in a Cambridgeshire fenland village, within a farming family. He has worked as a field archaeologist, an archaeological planning adviser, and once enjoyed the grand-sounding job title 'Inspector of Ancient Monuments'.
Ben joined cult archaeological TV show Time Team for several series and has presented regional BBC TV features on heritage subjects from Roman treasure to Victorian rubbish. He has taken to the skies as 'The Flying Archaeologist', traced King John's final ill-fated journey and tracked the path of Zeppelin raids for BBC Four. Latterly, Ben has joined Alice Roberts as 'the eye in the sky' for three series of Channel 4's Britain's Most Historic Towns, presented village archaeology and history series Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village, and now fronts Villages by the Sea for BBC Two.
Ben grew up in a Cambridgeshire fenland village, within a farming family. He has worked as a field archaeologist, an archaeological planning adviser, and once enjoyed the grand-sounding job title 'Inspector of Ancient Monuments'.
Ben joined cult archaeological TV show Time Team for several series and has presented regional BBC TV features on heritage subjects from Roman treasure to Victorian rubbish. He has taken to the skies as 'The Flying Archaeologist', traced King John's final ill-fated journey and tracked the path of Zeppelin raids for BBC Four. Latterly, Ben has joined Alice Roberts as 'the eye in the sky' for three series of Channel 4's Britain's Most Historic Towns, presented village archaeology and history series Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village, and now fronts Villages by the Sea for BBC Two.
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction
- 1. In Search of Village Origins
- 2. The Birth of Village England
- 3. Medieval Features
- 4. Loss and Reinvention
- 5. Exploring Early Villages
- 6. Villages of Industry
- 7. Building Village Character
- 8. Some More Typical Village Buildings
- 9. Villages in the Modern World
- 10. Village Planning and Conservation
- 11. Villages into the Future
- 12. Villages for the Future
- Index
- Acknowledgements
- Plates
