Castles, Siegeworks and Settlements: Surveying the Archaeology of the Twelfth Century - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1784914762 ISBN 13: 9781784914769

Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology, 2017

Synopsis

This volume comprises thirteen reports detailing fieldwork undertaken by a research project which sought to assess the archaeological evidence of the period of conflict that took place in mid-twelfth-century England popularly known as ‘the Anarchy’. The reign of King Stephen (ad 1135– 54) was characterised by a protracted struggle for power between forces loyal to the crown and those who supported the Angevin claim of his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda. Alongside a succession of bitter rebellions the war also saw large-scale Scottish invasions into, and occupation of, large parts of northern England as well as border warfare on the marches between England and Wales and a struggle for control of Normandy. While the period is infamous for the proliferation of conflict, castle-building and siege warfare, and for a breakdown of royal government, its characterisation as ‘the Anarchy’ is now challenged by historians, however. As previous understanding of this tumultuous period had rested almost entirely upon interpretation of written sources, Anarchy? War and Status in Twelfth-Century Landscapes of Conflict was a programme of research which systematically studied the archaeology of mid-twelfth century England for the first time. A major component of the project was the targeted archaeological investigation of selected case study locations across England. Geophysical and topographic surveys were supplemented with archival, documentary and cartographic analyses in order to reveal the character and chronological development of a sample of potential Anarchy-period sites and landscapes. The current volume represents the product of these endeavours, presenting self-contained reports of the sites where these investigations took place, arranged alphabetically.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction: Surveying the Archaeology of Twelfth-Century England
Chapter 2 Burwell Castle, Cambridgeshire
Chapter 3 Castle Carlton, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Chapter 4 Corfe, ‘The Rings’, Dorset
Chapter 5 Crowmarsh Recreation Ground, South Oxfordshire
Chapter 6 Folly Hill, Faringdon, Oxfordshire
Chapter 7 Hailes Camp, Gloucestershire
Chapter 8 Hamstead Marshall, Castle I, Berkshire
Chapter 9 Malmebury, ‘Cams’s Hill’, Wiltshire
Chapter 10 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Chapter 11 Rampton, ‘Giant’s Hill’, Cambridgeshire
Chapter 12 Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire
Chapter 13 Wellow, Nottinghamshire
Chapter 14 Woodwalton, ‘Church End’, Cambridgeshire
Chapter 15 Conclusion
References

About this edition

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1784914762
• ISBN 13: 9781784914769
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 194
• Editor: Wright Duncan W., Creighton Oliver H.