The Agrarian History of England and Wales facts for kids
The Agrarian History of England and Wales is a huge collection of books that tells the story of farming and land use in England and Wales. It was published by Cambridge University Press, a famous publisher. This amazing project has 8 main books, but some of them are split into two parts, making it even bigger! It covers a very long time, from the earliest days of farming all the way up to 1939.
A famous historian named Joan Thirsk was a key person in this project. She helped edit volumes 4 and 5. Later, in 1974, she became the main editor for the later books, volumes 6 through 8. This series helps us understand how people farmed, what crops they grew, and how land was used over hundreds of years.
Exploring the Volumes of Agrarian History
This big history project is divided into several volumes, each covering a specific time period. Let's take a closer look at what each book explores.
What Periods Do the Volumes Cover?
The books in The Agrarian History of England and Wales cover different eras, showing how farming changed over time.
- Volume 1, Part 1: Prehistory
- This part looks at the very first signs of farming in England and Wales, long before written records. It explores how ancient people started to grow crops and raise animals.
- Volume 1, Part 2: A.D. 43-1042
- This section covers the period from when the Romans arrived in Britain (A.D. 43) up to the year 1042. It tells us about farming during Roman times and the early Middle Ages.
- Volume 3: 1200-1500
- This book focuses on farming practices and changes during the late Middle Ages. It's a very detailed book with over 1000 pages! Many historians, including Edward Miller and Joan Thirsk, worked on it.
- Volume 4: 1500-1640
- This volume covers the time of the Tudors and early Stuarts. It was published in 1967 and has 919 pages. Joan Thirsk was one of the editors for this important period.
- Volume 5, Part 1: 1640-1750 (Regional Farming Systems)
- This part looks at how farming was different in various parts of England and Wales during the mid-17th to mid-18th centuries. It was published in 1984 and edited by Joan Thirsk.
- Volume 5, Part 2: 1640-1750 (Agrarian Change)
- This second part of Volume 5, published in 1985, dives into the big changes happening in farming during the same period. It has 856 pages and was also edited by Joan Thirsk.
- Volume 6: 1750-1850
- This book covers the time of the Industrial Revolution, showing how new inventions and ideas affected farming.
- Volume 7: 1850-1914
- This volume explores farming in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, leading up to World War I.
- Volume 8: 1914-1939
- The final book in the series covers farming during and between the two World Wars, up to 1939.
Who Wrote and Edited These Books?
Many different historians worked together to create this huge history. Each volume had special editors who brought together the work of many experts. For example, Stuart Piggott and H. P. R. Finberg edited the early volumes. Joan Thirsk played a very big role, not only editing volumes herself but also becoming the general editor for the later books.
