The Landscape of Britain: From the Beginnings to 1914Hardcover, 30 September 1990

The landscape of Britain has an extraordinarily rich historical density and this lavishly illustrated book explores some of the principal themes in its history. The landscape of today is the product both of natural geological processes and of some 10,000 years of human habitation. Professor Michael Reed looks at the main factors at work in its evolution and examines the evidence that enables us to recreate landscapes of the past. Britain's landscape is a palimpsest, a text upon which each generation was written its own social autobiography without, however, being able to erase the contribution of its predecessors. This remarkable book examines the endless processes of accretion which have created the rural and urban landscapes as today's inhabitants have inherited them from the past. It will appeal to those interested in exploring the rich diversity of Britain, as well as regional and historical geographers. Contents: Part I: Foundations; Part II: Medieval Britain; Part III: Towards the modern world; Index.