Encountering the environment : rural communities in England, 1086-1348
Our current understanding of the medieval local environment is largely based on scholarly writings focusing on the policies towards the landscape pursued by the social elite. This presents us with some obvious problems if we want to understand local places through the eyes of the lower orders. But that is exactly what this study aims to do. By re-examining a variety of sources this research seeks to reconstruct the physicalâand in some respects, metaphoricalâenvironment of three contrasting English villages, using this as the basis for determining how peasants perceived their natural surroundings, and how this led to the development of the local economic strategies and social structures that can be pieced together from the records of the medieval manor. Since the emphasis here is largely on attitudes toward local environment, the intellectual approach moves beyond more traditional English historical spheres regarding the peasantry to consider mentalities. This has rarely been a consideration for historians concerned with English medieval peasants. Indeed, one might ask just how we can hope to uncover the thoughts of those who left little documentary evidence behind? Reconsidering the records that survive,
Kilby, Susan
Encountering the environment : rural communities in England, 1086-1348. Our current understanding of the medieval local environment is largely based on scholarly writings focusing on the policies towards the landscape pursued by the social elite. This presents us with some obvious problems if we want to understand local places through the eyes of the lower orders. But that is exactly what this study aims to do. By re-examining a variety of sources this research seeks to reconstruct the physicalâand in some respects, metaphoricalâenvironment of three contrasting English villages, using this as the basis for determining how peasants perceived their natural surroundings, and how this led to the development of the local economic strategies and social structures that can be pieced together from the records of the medieval manor. Since the emphasis here is largely on attitudes toward local environment, the intellectual approach moves beyond more traditional English historical spheres regarding the peasantry to consider mentalities. This has rarely been a consideration for historians concerned with English medieval peasants. Indeed, one might ask just how we can hope to uncover the thoughts of those who left little documentary evidence behind? Reconsidering the records that survive,
encountering environment rural_community england current medieval local_environment largely_base scholarly writing focus policy_towards landscape pursue social elite present obvious problem want local place eye low_order exactly study aim re_examining variety_source seek reconstruct physical respect metaphorical environment contrast english village use_basis determine peasant perceive natural surroundings lead development local economic strategy social_structure piece together record medieval manor since emphasis largely attitudes toward local_environment intellectual move_beyond traditional english historical sphere regard peasantry consider mentality rarely consideration historian concerned english_medieval peasant indeed one_might ask hope uncover thought leave_little documentary_evidence behind reconsidering record survive