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H 276 x W 215 mm

376 pages

64 figures, 81 tables

Published Mar 2022

Archaeopress Archaeology

ISBN

Hardback: 9781803270661

Digital: 9781803270678

DOI 10.32028/9781803270661

Recommend to a librarian

Keywords
Medieval; Middle Ages; Environment; Agriculture; Winchester

Related titles

Winchester Studies 10

Environment and Agriculture of Early Winchester

Edited by Martin Biddle, Jane Renfrew, Patrick Ottaway

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This wide-ranging study describes the natural environment of Winchester and its immediate surroundings from the late Iron Age to the early post-medieval period. Historical and archaeological evidence consider humanity's interactions with the environment, fashioning agricultural, gardening and horticultural regimes over a millennium and a half.

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Contents

Preface ;

I: Introduction and Environment ;
1. Introduction – Martin Biddle, Jane M. Renfrew with contributions by Francis J. Green and Patrick Ottaway ;
2. The Natural Environment of the Winchester Region – Jane M. Renfrew and Patrick Ottaway ;

II: The Written Evidence ;
3. Aelfric's Nomina Herbarum and the Plant Remains from Anglo-Saxon Winchester – Debby Banham ;
4. Agriculture and the Use of Plants in Medieval Winchester: the Documentary Evidence – Derek J. Keene ;
5. Gardens in Medieval and Later Winchester: the Castle, Wolvesey Palace and Eastgate House – Beatrice Clayre and Martin Biddle ;
6. Field Crops and their Cultivation in Hampshire, 1200-1350, in the Light of Documentary Evidence – Jan Z. Titow ;

III: The Archaeological Evidence ;
7. Pollen Analysis of Archaeological Deposits in Winchester – Erwin Isenberg and Jane M. Renfrew ;
8. The Identification and Utilization of Wood in Early Winchester – Suzanne Keene ;
9. The Roman Plant Remains – Peter Murphy ;
10. The Plant Economy and Vegetation of Anglo-Saxon Winchester – Michael Monk ;
11. Plant Remains and Agriculture in Norman and Later Medieval Winchester – Francis J. Green ;
12. Roman and Post-Roman Moss from Lower Brook Street Moss – Dorian Williams and Jane M. Renfrew ;
13. Insect Fauna from Lower Brook Street – Peter J. Osborne ;

14. Conclusion – Patrick Ottaway ;

Concordance of Samples ;

Index 1: General Index ;
Index 2: Insects and Plants

About the Author

Martin Biddle has an extensive archaeological career, but is perhaps most recognized for his excavations in Winchester where he introduced into urban archaeology a multi-period and multi-disciplinary approach employing archaeology, topography and historical archives, treating all periods from the Iron Age to the post-medieval with equal weight. ;

Jane Renfrew is a paleoethnobotanist noted for her studies on the use of plants in prehistory, the origin and development of agriculture, food and wine in antiquity, and the origin of the vine and wine in the Mediterranean. ;

Patrick Ottaway is a consultant providing specialist advice to commercial and public clients on archaeological and heritage matters. He was Assistant City Archaeologist in Winchester and Head of Fieldwork at York Archaeological Trust. He is author or editor of volumes on excavations in Winchester 1972–86, and of the Urban Archaeological Assessment for Winchester.

Reviews

'This is a comprehensive study of organic remains from important Romano-British, Anglo-Saxon, and later medieval archaeological sites in Winchester. Most usefully the archaeobotanical data, which were collected in the 1960–80s, have been integrated with documentary and historical evidence thereby enabling a better understanding of the development of the early historic city.' – Keith Wilkinson, Professor of Geoarchaeology and Director of ARCA, University of Winchester

This tenth volume of the Winchester Studies series focuses on the environmental and historical evidence for food consumption in Winchester itself and for agricultural production and local vegetation in its immediate environs. The archaeological data presented here derive from excavations within the walled city between 1961 and 1971, and cover the early Roman to Late Middle Ages. It is a well-produced volume, with the text divided into three parts, outlined below, followed by a concordance of samples, a general index and an index of plant and insect names.’ – Marijke Van Der Veen (2023): Medieval Archaeology Volume 67, Issue 2

'In summary, this is an extremely informative and enjoyable series of contributions that neatly dovetails the archaeological and textual sources for the environmental history of Winchester. The range of chapters includes discrete themes or data alongside ‘bigger picture’ contributions that together generate a most useful and highly readable volume.' – Duncan W. Wright (2024): Antiquity, Volume 98, Issue 398