Wimborne Minster, Dorset : a study of a small town 1620 to 1690
This is a study ofWimbome Minster, one of 700 or so small market towns that existed in the early modern period. Urban historians have tended to concentrate on the larger towns and cities, due partly to the lack of archive material. The Wimborne sources allow for a number of themes to be discussed. The study of demography highlights the growth in the urban population between the 1640s and 1670s, whilst the rural population stagnated. In the rural area it was a period of change with enclosure, the development of new crops and the conversion of copyhold to leasehold tenure. The analysis of the urban economy shows that Wimborne had a relatively sophisticated occupational structure. It was also developing as a cultural centre. The administrative structure of a non-corporate town can be investigated, identifying a three-tier hierarchy dominated by kinship and occupational networks. There have been very few attempts to analyse law and order issues of a community 'in the round'; issues discussed are punishment, court jurisdiction, the perceptions of crime and the hierarchy's attitude to morality. The turbulent nature of seventeenth-century politics and religion is apparent in towns both large and small. The hostility
Reeve, David Crispin
Market; Early modern; Community; 17c; Religion
Wimborne Minster, Dorset : a study of a small town 1620 to 1690. This is a study ofWimbome Minster, one of 700 or so small market towns that existed in the early modern period. Urban historians have tended to concentrate on the larger towns and cities, due partly to the lack of archive material. The Wimborne sources allow for a number of themes to be discussed. The study of demography highlights the growth in the urban population between the 1640s and 1670s, whilst the rural population stagnated. In the rural area it was a period of change with enclosure, the development of new crops and the conversion of copyhold to leasehold tenure. The analysis of the urban economy shows that Wimborne had a relatively sophisticated occupational structure. It was also developing as a cultural centre. The administrative structure of a non-corporate town can be investigated, identifying a three-tier hierarchy dominated by kinship and occupational networks. There have been very few attempts to analyse law and order issues of a community 'in the round'; issues discussed are punishment, court jurisdiction, the perceptions of crime and the hierarchy's attitude to morality. The turbulent nature of seventeenth-century politics and religion is apparent in towns both large and small. The hostility
minster dorset study small_town study minster small market_town exist urban historian tend concentrate large towns city due partly lack archive_material source allow number theme discuss study demography highlight growth urban_population whilst rural population stagnate rural_area period change enclosure development new_crop conversion leasehold tenure analysis urban_economy show relatively sophisticated occupational_structure also_develop cultural centre administrative_structure non corporate town investigate identify tier hierarchy dominate kinship occupational network attempt_analyse law_order issue community round issue_discuss punishment court jurisdiction perception crime hierarchy attitude morality turbulent nature seventeenth_century politics_religion apparent town large_small hostility