<p>The turbulent reign of Stephen, King of England (1135-54), has been styled since the late 19th century as 'the Anarchy', although the extent of political breakdown during the period has since been vigorously debated. Rebellion and bitter civil war characterised Stephen's protracted struggle with rival claimant Empress Matilda and her Angevin supporters over 'nineteen long winters' when, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 'Christ and his Saints slept'. Drawing on new research and fieldwork, this innovative volume offers the first ever overview and synthesis of the archaeological and material record for this controversial period. It presents and interrogates many different types of evidence at a variety of scales, ranging from nationwide mapping of historical events through to conflict landscapes of battlefields and sieges. The volume considers archaeological sites such as castles and other fortifications, churches, monasteries, bishops' palaces and urban and rural settlements, alongside material culture including coins, pottery, seals and arms and armour. This approach not only augments but also challenges historical narratives, questioning the 'real' impact of Stephen's troubled reign on society, settlement, church and the landscape, and opens up new perspectives on the conduct of Anglo-Norman warfare<br></p>

The Anarchy: War and Status in 12th-Century Landscapes of Conflict (Exeter Studies in Medieval Europe)

History

Creighton, Oliver H.

Wright, Duncan W.

Europe

Liverpool University Press

The phrase "designed landscape" is generally associated with the great parks and gardens of the post-medieval period, with grand country houses surrounded by parkland, such as Chatsworth and Longleat. However, recent research has made it clear that its origins lie much further back than that, in the middle ages, and numerous examples have been identified. This book offers the first full-length survey of designed medieval landscapes, not just the settings for castles, but for palaces, manor houses and monastic institutions. Gardens and pleasure grounds gave their owners sensory enjoyment; lakes, ponds and walkways created routes of approach that displayed residences to best effect; deer parks were stunning backdrops and venues for aristocratic enjoyment; and peacocks, swans, rabbits and doves were some of the many species which lent these landscapes their elite appearance. Richly illustrated with plans, maps, and photographs of key sites showing what can still be seen today. Oliver H. Creighton is Associate Professor in Archaeology, University of Exeter

Designs Upon the Land: Elite Landscapes of the Middle Ages (Garden and Landscape History) (Volume 1)

Creighton, Oliver

Boydell Press

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Books by Creighton, Oliver H.