Traditional Buildings of the English Countryside

An Illustrated Guide

Geoffrey R. Sharpe

• Publisher: I.B. Tauris
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN:
  9781845118419
• eBook ISBN:
  9780857720108
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

No other country offers so rich and varied a heritage of traditional buildings as England. From windmills to water mills, cottages to castles, dovecotes to beeboles a wealth of treasures await discovery. Drawing upon forty years' experience of caring for historic structures Geoffrey R. Sharpe provides a simple but informed guide to these delights and curiosities of the English countryside. He explains not just the purpose of these buildings but the part they played in the history of the countryside, showing how the buildings evolved and the ways in which people lived and worked in them. He uses his expert knowledge to explain the differences in materials, how they were worked, and the many regional variations to be enjoyed. The result is an invaluable guide that will enhance the reader's understanding and appreciation of England's rich and varied heritage.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Introduction
• 1. The Landscape and How it Developed
• 2. The Origins of Place Names
• 3. Farm Buildings and Farming
• 4. Industry in the Countryside
• 5. Schools in the Countryside
• 6. Churches, Abbeys and Priories
• 7. Castels and Other Fortifications
• 8. The Way People Lived
• 9. Houses in the Countryside
• 10. Building Materials
• 11. Vernacular Styles - Some Notable Features
• Appendices
• Tourist Information Offices
• Index