Medieval Rural Settlement

The first edition of Medieval Rural Settlement: Britain and Ireland, AD 800-1600 was a major assessment and review of the origins, forms and evolutions of medieval rural settlement in Britain and Ireland across the period AD 800-1600. It offered a comprehensive analysis of early to late medieval settlement, land use, economics and population, bringing together evidence drawn from archaeological excavations and surveys, historical geographical analysis and documentary and place-name study.

This new edition does not break from the core ingredients of the first, notably in targeting up-to-date analyses of regional archaeologies, but does introduce a new section of contributions that look specifically at economic issues, and also identifies the impact of new survey technologies, plus the growing value of Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) finds and analyses. This new edition also draws on more recent research on historical sources, place-names and standing buildings, and through the definitive publication of earlier major projects (Wharram, Faxton and Burton Dassett Southend).

As with the first edition, contributions come from academics, field archaeologists, heritage and museum staff associated with the Medieval Settlement Research Group (MSRG). The MSRG is a long-established and nationally and internationally recognised grouping of scholars who have explored and advanced understanding of rural settlement, land use, buildings, geomorphologies and environments across Britain and Ireland primarily for the periods encompassed between c. AD 450-1550.