The topographical legacy of the medieval monastery : evolving perceptions and realities of monastic estate landscapes in the southern Welsh Marches
This thesis assesses the impact and legacy of the medieval monastery on the historic landscape up to the present day, examining both physical topography and how landscapes have been perceived and experienced; exploring not only what mark has been left, but also what embedded memory, recognising that the stories about landscape are as important as material evidence. A hypothesis that the topographical legacy of monasticism has remained a central element (though often hidden or unseen) underscoring the genius loci of the places looked at is explored, examining how this has influenced landscape evolution, experience and remembrance. Monastic estates have traditionally rarely received comprehensive attention from landscape archaeologists and historians, and few studies have attempted to track the subsequent evolution of these estates beyond the Dissolution within the context of their monastic antecedents. The research questions of this project are addressed through the detailed examination of landscapes associated with several monastic houses in the southern Welsh Marches and the tracing of their later progression. Adopting an interdisciplinary and multi-layered approach, a core emphasis on topographical change
Procter, E.
Landscape archaeology ; Monastic landscape ; Medieval landscape ; Welsh Marches ; Tintern Abbey ; Deep topography ; Cultural geography ; Llanthony Priory ; Llantarnam Abbey ; Landscape history
The topographical legacy of the medieval monastery : evolving perceptions and realities of monastic estate landscapes in the southern Welsh Marches. This thesis assesses the impact and legacy of the medieval monastery on the historic landscape up to the present day, examining both physical topography and how landscapes have been perceived and experienced; exploring not only what mark has been left, but also what embedded memory, recognising that the stories about landscape are as important as material evidence. A hypothesis that the topographical legacy of monasticism has remained a central element (though often hidden or unseen) underscoring the genius loci of the places looked at is explored, examining how this has influenced landscape evolution, experience and remembrance. Monastic estates have traditionally rarely received comprehensive attention from landscape archaeologists and historians, and few studies have attempted to track the subsequent evolution of these estates beyond the Dissolution within the context of their monastic antecedents. The research questions of this project are addressed through the detailed examination of landscapes associated with several monastic houses in the southern Welsh Marches and the tracing of their later progression. Adopting an interdisciplinary and multi-layered approach, a core emphasis on topographical change
topographical legacy medieval monastery perception reality monastic estate landscape southern ass impact legacy medieval monastery historic_landscape examine physical topography landscape perceive experienced explore mark leave also embed memory recognise story landscape important material_evidence hypothesis topographical legacy monasticism remain central_element though often hidden unseen underscore genius place look explored examine influenced landscape_evolution experience remembrance monastic estate traditionally rarely receive comprehensive attention landscape archaeologist historian study_attempt track subsequent evolution estates beyond dissolution within_context monastic antecedent question project address detailed_examination landscape associate several monastic house southern trace late progression adopting interdisciplinary multi_layered core emphasis topographical change