| Abstract: |
Papers from a symposium at Burwalls, Bristol in 1976 form 'the best available corpus of plans and maps of early fields so far published for Britain' and the preface summarizes other work not included in the volume. Twenty papers report field surveys, eight excavations. D R Wilson (pp 3-5) considers the distribution and function of pit alignments. The southwest is covered by Charles Thomas (pre-Norman fields in Scilly 7-15), Andrew Fleming (Dartmoor reaves, 17-21) and John Collis (Shaugh Moor 23-7). Central southern England has Peter Fowler (pre-medieval fields, Bristol region 29-47), Desmond Bonney (Wessex, 49-51), Richard Bradley and Julian Richards (Berkshire Downs, 53-60) and David Miles (Upper Thames, 8l-8). The southeast is divided between Rosamond Hanworth (Surrey, 61-5), P L Drewett (Sussex, 67-80), Warwick Rodwell (Essex, 89-98) and Derek Edwards (Norfolk, 99-102). Moving north, Derrick Riley describes a system in S Yorks/N Notts (103-8), Alan King covers the Craven district of N Yorks (109-14), D A Spratt the N York Moors (115-8) and N J Higham N Cumbria (119-25). Caernarvonshire pre-medieval fields are Nicholas Johnson's subject (127-32) while Roger Mercer treats part of the Isle of Arran (133-6) and Seamus Caulfield presents the Irish evidence (137-43). C S Briggs (145) notes some observations by early antiquaries. In Part two J M Coles reports interpretations in the Somerset Levels (147-8) and the Wessex linear ditches are discussed by H C Bowen, J G Evans & E Race (149-53). Mark Robinson treats the problem of hedges enclosing early fields (155-8) and Christopher Taylor & Peter Fowler consider the possibility of continuity from Roman fields to medieval furlongs (159-62). Roger Mercer (163-9) treats the linking of prehistoric settlement to its farming landscape in SW Britain, and M U Jones compares sites at Lechlade and Mucking (171-3). Peter Fasham & Rosamond Hanworth (l75-7) discuss ploughmarks, Roman roads and motorways, and finally Ann Everton & Peter Fowler analyse ard-marks in Falfied (179-85). |
