Place, landscape and gentry identity in late medieval Leicestershire, c.1460-1560
This thesis examines the role of place and the landscape in the construction and expression of gentry identity in late medieval Leicestershire. Land has been said to be the gentry's most prized possession, and the myriad ways in which the gentry have influenced the landscape have received substantial attention, particularly in an architectural and recreational context. But the multi-faceted influence of the gentry's lands on their identity, especially in the broader context of place, remains to be explored. The thesis addresses this lacuna through an innovative interrogation of litigation records, probate records and the inquisitions post mortem amongst others using digital visualisation and analysis. It considers the different approaches that can be taken to resolve the neglect of place in gentry studies. During this historical period of transition and development, ancestral and economic ties preserved and encouraged inter-generational gentry interests in the places occupied by them, and propelled gentry interaction and behaviour where they overlapped. The thesis offers a reconstruction of the Leicestershire gentry's landscape, comprising territorial extents and changing land use during the period. Together,
Bridger, Katie L.
Place, landscape and gentry identity in late medieval Leicestershire, c.1460-1560. This thesis examines the role of place and the landscape in the construction and expression of gentry identity in late medieval Leicestershire. Land has been said to be the gentry's most prized possession, and the myriad ways in which the gentry have influenced the landscape have received substantial attention, particularly in an architectural and recreational context. But the multi-faceted influence of the gentry's lands on their identity, especially in the broader context of place, remains to be explored. The thesis addresses this lacuna through an innovative interrogation of litigation records, probate records and the inquisitions post mortem amongst others using digital visualisation and analysis. It considers the different approaches that can be taken to resolve the neglect of place in gentry studies. During this historical period of transition and development, ancestral and economic ties preserved and encouraged inter-generational gentry interests in the places occupied by them, and propelled gentry interaction and behaviour where they overlapped. The thesis offers a reconstruction of the Leicestershire gentry's landscape, comprising territorial extents and changing land use during the period. Together,
place_landscape gentry identity late_medieval leicestershire examines_role place_landscape construction expression gentry identity late_medieval leicestershire land say gentry prize possession myriad way gentry influence landscape receive substantial attention particularly architectural recreational context multi_faceted influence gentry land identity especially broad_context place remain explored address_lacuna innovative interrogation litigation record probate record inquisition post_mortem amongst_others use_digital visualisation analysis considers different_approach take resolve neglect place gentry study historical period_transition development ancestral economic tie preserve inter generational gentry interest place occupy propel gentry interaction behaviour overlap offer reconstruction leicestershire gentry landscape comprise territorial extent change land_use period together