"Rural landscapes of the early Middle Ages"

“Rural landscapes of the early Middle Ages: new perspectives from landscape archaeology”

Early medieval archaeologists in Britain have traditionally focussed on burials and elite centres (like monasteries, trading centres and hillforts).

In recent years, new methods have started to help them bring a wider landscape of fields, roads and ordinary settlements into sharper focus.

In this talk I will discuss insights gained through some of these advances, including a novel dating method which is revealing the extent to which early medieval developments still shape the landscapes around us.

I will draw on examples from recent fieldwork carried out across England, from Cornwall to Northumberland.