The Historical Archaeology of England

Module code: AR7032

This module will enable you to build a detailed understanding of the historical landscape of England in many periods. You’ll do this by analysing and interpreting sets of contrasting evidence from fieldwork, material culture, landscapes, standings buildings and their relationship to documentary evidence.

You’ll demonstrate a practical understanding of how different forms of evidence may be acquired and interpreted, by exploring the techniques available to historical archaeologists in interpreting these historical landscapes.

The module is focused on an intensive week long field study tour, and will involve lab based lectures and literature tutorials. This module aims to:

• Develop a critical understanding of the development of the English landscape, buildings and material culture in the later historical period.
• Appreciate the processes of both continuity from the medieval period and change within the later historical period in England.
• Develop analytical skills which will allow you to relate the questions raised by this module to physical evidence seen on the Field School.
• Develop written skills which will allow you to bring together the written and visual material in a critical analysis of a particular problem in later English historical archaeology.

Topics covered

• Range of archaeological evidence and recent debates over its interpretation in a specific landscape and historical context.
• Demonstration of your own analytical skills and depth of research by the completion of two assignments
• Critically evaluation of historical and archaeological evidence of landscape, artefactual and architectural change in the context of the East Midlands