The boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest through the lens of the longue dureÌe
Charnwood Forest is an upland area in north-west Leicestershire characterised by areas of woodland and distinctive outcrops of pre-Cambrian rocks. The literature to date suggests that medieval Charnwood Forest was a marginal and inhospitable environment which discouraged human interaction with the landscape. This study challenges those perceptions. It identifies the boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest and explores the ways in which boundaries reflected relationships between people and place. A range of landscape, archaeological, place-name, documentary, and cartographical sources are examined. Many of the sources are post-medieval in origin; they reveal the location of medieval boundaries and the continuing significance of medieval boundaries in later periods. In this way, the boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest are seen through the lens of the longue dureÌe. Findings indicate that medieval Charnwood Forest was itself a boundary, but a permissive boundary which facilitated cultural interaction. The external boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest are seen as a broad band formed by concentric circles of human activity surrounding an inner core of valued resources. Two foci of medieval encroachment
Stones, Ann
The boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest through the lens of the longue dureÌe. Charnwood Forest is an upland area in north-west Leicestershire characterised by areas of woodland and distinctive outcrops of pre-Cambrian rocks. The literature to date suggests that medieval Charnwood Forest was a marginal and inhospitable environment which discouraged human interaction with the landscape. This study challenges those perceptions. It identifies the boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest and explores the ways in which boundaries reflected relationships between people and place. A range of landscape, archaeological, place-name, documentary, and cartographical sources are examined. Many of the sources are post-medieval in origin; they reveal the location of medieval boundaries and the continuing significance of medieval boundaries in later periods. In this way, the boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest are seen through the lens of the longue dureÌe. Findings indicate that medieval Charnwood Forest was itself a boundary, but a permissive boundary which facilitated cultural interaction. The external boundaries of medieval Charnwood Forest are seen as a broad band formed by concentric circles of human activity surrounding an inner core of valued resources. Two foci of medieval encroachment
boundary medieval forest lens longue forest upland area_north west leicestershire characterise area woodland distinctive pre rock literature date suggest medieval forest marginal environment discourage human_interaction landscape study challenge perception identifies boundary medieval forest explore_way boundary reflect relationship_people place range landscape archaeological place_name documentary source examine many source post_medieval origin reveal location medieval boundary continue significance medieval boundary later period way boundary medieval forest see lens longue findings indicate medieval forest boundary boundary facilitate cultural_interaction external boundary medieval forest see broad band form concentric circle human_activity surround inner core value resource foci medieval