Winner of the inaugural BCMH John Armstrong Prize [http://www.maritimehistory.org.uk/john-armstrong-prize/] for his paper 'Illegal Quays' published in the Economic History Review. Awarded PhD from the University of Winchester, for a thesis entitled 'Christchurch, its Haven, and the Salisbury Avon: Economic and Legal Contexts of Failed Incorporation 1606-1721'.
Before 1539, highway improvement in England and Wales (other than the clearance of illegal obstru... more Before 1539, highway improvement in England and Wales (other than the clearance of illegal obstructions) was achieved only by crown licence following a satisfactory inquisition ad quod damnum. Magna Carta chapter 39 recorded that ‘that no free man is to be … disseised … except by … the law of the land’, but in the wake of other wide-ranging reforms in the 1530s, amid a growing sense of the common weal and desire for ‘improvement’, parliament overcame this obstacle to economic infrastructural development by adjustment of ‘the law of the land’, assuming prerogative power and delegating by statute the authority for the compulsory purchase of land. In this case it was for river navigation at Exeter, and not until 1662 was the power extended to roads. Compensation was always to be paid, but legislation rarely stipulated the explicit outright purchase of freehold. Parliament was willing to grant these powers to trustees or other public bodies, or indeed to private individuals, but only if it was considered that doing so served the public interest.
"I am examining the legislative and regulatory changes of the sixteenth century which laid the fo... more "I am examining the legislative and regulatory changes of the sixteenth century which laid the foundations in England and Wales for later transport development, including river navigation, road and harbour improvements, canals, and eventually railways. One aspect of this research concerns the radical thinking of the Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) and its immediate successors."
This collection includes transcripts of documents and maps relating to the Salisbury Avon Navigat... more This collection includes transcripts of documents and maps relating to the Salisbury Avon Navigation, authorised by Parliament in 1665.
This discussion paper examines evidence of a widespread and significant developments in the struc... more This discussion paper examines evidence of a widespread and significant developments in the structure of weirs, affecting river navigation in England around the start of the fourteenth century. Dendrochronological evidence reveals coincident climate change that may have necessitated these developments, which were to have a lasting economic impact on both food production and transport.
The singing priest, William Skeyte, suffered the misfortune of losing a ‘job for life’ not just o... more The singing priest, William Skeyte, suffered the misfortune of losing a ‘job for life’ not just once but twice, first in consequence of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and again within ten years as the English Crown drove the Reformation yet harder with the abolition of chantries and free chapels.This short guest piece for the British Library blog 'Untold Lives' looks at a few details of his life.
This article considers the impact of Elizabethan customs reform and
subsequent practice from the ... more This article considers the impact of Elizabethan customs reform and subsequent practice from the perspective of small English and Welsh coastal towns. It argues that regulation and the farming of customs caused (and also facilitated) the suppression in these places not only of international trade but of domestic maritime trade too. Here entrepreneurial endeavour, though otherwise encouraged by Crown policy, suffered from the throttling demanded by customs reform of the flow of merchandise through the smaller creeks and havens, which also drove trade, and consequently economic growth, to those other places which enjoyed a convenient ‘Legal Quay’. The argument is illustrated by a local case study of Hampshire generally, and in particular of Christchurch, a town which was unable to break free of Southampton's controlling influence in order to realise its own apparent economic potential.
Among the topographical books in the Royal Library at Windsor is an illustrated work by William W... more Among the topographical books in the Royal Library at Windsor is an illustrated work by William Watts entitled ‘The Seats of the Nobility and Gentry’, published in 1786 as a bound volume of engravings which Watts had published over the preceding seven years. Only two of the 84 stately homes featured in this work are in Hampshire, and neither of these survives today: the view of Cadland Park has been supplanted by the rather less picturesque Fawley Oil Refinery, while High Cliff House realised the premonition of its architect and was toppling into the sea by 1805. Just two miles from High Cliff House stood another ill-fated building, Hinton Place, which was gutted by fire even as Watts began to compile his book. King George III’s enthusiasm for architecture was shared by a great many of his subjects, judging by the number of books published on the topic in the eighteenth century (see Figure 11). Within his extensive Topographical Collection at the British Library is a drawing very much in the style of those in Watts’s book, entitled ‘Hinton Place, near Christ Church Hants, the seat of Mr Clarke. Burnt down 17’ – the full year is not given. Mystery surrounds Hinton Place, and this drawing is unfortunately rare evidence of the building’s existence. This article (written for the British Library's forthcoming web site, Transforming Topography) examines evidence from estate papers which survived the fire and from elsewhere to piece together a more richly detailed picture of Hinton Place.
Digitisation and Transcription of the English and Welsh Exchequer Port Books held at the UK Natio... more Digitisation and Transcription of the English and Welsh Exchequer Port Books held at the UK National Archives, 1565-1798 [TNA E 190]. The project is being developed to aid the transcription and analysis of an important and under-exploited series of documents which records a highly significant aspect of the UK's economic history.
As local authorities across south-east Dorset develop plans for a ‘super council’, this talk (att... more As local authorities across south-east Dorset develop plans for a ‘super council’, this talk (attendance by invitation only) examines the historical administration of the district which comprises modern-day Bournemouth and Christchurch, together with land in Hampshire as far east as Lymington and beyond. The Honour of Christchurch comprised jurisdiction over the whole of this area, which included the manor of Christchurch and the Liberty of Westover, together with uniquely-autonomous Admiralty rights in Christchurch Harbour and off the sea-coast.
This talk looks at early use of the river Avon, the forms and effects of medieval river engineeri... more This talk looks at early use of the river Avon, the forms and effects of medieval river engineering, and why it was found necessary and desirable to make navigational improvements to the river in the late seventeenth century. Controversially, it also offers new evidence that the river remains legally navigable today.
Early county maps betray considerable confusion about the location of the Dorset-Hampshire county... more Early county maps betray considerable confusion about the location of the Dorset-Hampshire county boundary. Errors were further exaggerated by the first Ordnance Survey map of the district, placing the boundary almost 3km to the west of Bournemouth: ‘Burnemouthe’ was indicated at the boundary in 1575. A close examination of evidence from estate maps and from late medieval and early modern manorial and inclosure records, aided by digital georeferencing techniques, leads to the conclusion that the definitive county boundary as determined in 1802, between Bournemouth and Poole and in use until 1974, was probably very close to a boundary of considerably greater antiquity, the Durnelynche. Placenames are shown to be very unreliable indicators of location.
A reappraisal of primary sources suggests that the copperas industry in Dorset and south-west Ham... more A reappraisal of primary sources suggests that the copperas industry in Dorset and south-west Hampshire became well-established somewhat earlier than is commonly thought, and continued later and with steadier success than is generally appreciated. While there are lengthy accounts of the history of the Dorset works and good ones of copperas production more generally, writers have historically tended to dwell on the spectacular financial losses of two particular rival courtly speculators, and have failed to note the geographical limits of the evidence arising from their disputes. Recent investigations have focussed on interesting but necessarily localised archaeological evidence, and have in some cases relied on auto-affirming circular arguments from secondary sources. Incorrect dating of primary sources, particularly among the State Papers, although usually noted to be approximate, appears to have seriously impeded the chronological analysis of the industry, while in one instance acceptance of a partisan contemporary source has exaggerated threefold the claimed value of the industry at one point in time, hinting mistakenly at a volatility simply not evident in other sources.
This article relates evidence that so-called ‘alum’ was collected and, more significantly, manufactured on the Hampshire coast in the fifteenth century, demonstrates early problems with the emerging system of monopolies, and identifies the locations of three copperas manufactories established in the district before 1565. The invaluable evidence collected from the Exchequer Port Books was greatly facilitated by a new document digitisation and transcription project.
Before 1539, highway improvement in England and Wales (other than the clearance of illegal obstru... more Before 1539, highway improvement in England and Wales (other than the clearance of illegal obstructions) was achieved only by crown licence following a satisfactory inquisition ad quod damnum. Magna Carta chapter 39 recorded that ‘that no free man is to be … disseised … except by … the law of the land’, but in the wake of other wide-ranging reforms in the 1530s, amid a growing sense of the common weal and desire for ‘improvement’, parliament overcame this obstacle to economic infrastructural development by adjustment of ‘the law of the land’, assuming prerogative power and delegating by statute the authority for the compulsory purchase of land. In this case it was for river navigation at Exeter, and not until 1662 was the power extended to roads. Compensation was always to be paid, but legislation rarely stipulated the explicit outright purchase of freehold. Parliament was willing to grant these powers to trustees or other public bodies, or indeed to private individuals, but only if it was considered that doing so served the public interest.
"I am examining the legislative and regulatory changes of the sixteenth century which laid the fo... more "I am examining the legislative and regulatory changes of the sixteenth century which laid the foundations in England and Wales for later transport development, including river navigation, road and harbour improvements, canals, and eventually railways. One aspect of this research concerns the radical thinking of the Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) and its immediate successors."
This collection includes transcripts of documents and maps relating to the Salisbury Avon Navigat... more This collection includes transcripts of documents and maps relating to the Salisbury Avon Navigation, authorised by Parliament in 1665.
This discussion paper examines evidence of a widespread and significant developments in the struc... more This discussion paper examines evidence of a widespread and significant developments in the structure of weirs, affecting river navigation in England around the start of the fourteenth century. Dendrochronological evidence reveals coincident climate change that may have necessitated these developments, which were to have a lasting economic impact on both food production and transport.
The singing priest, William Skeyte, suffered the misfortune of losing a ‘job for life’ not just o... more The singing priest, William Skeyte, suffered the misfortune of losing a ‘job for life’ not just once but twice, first in consequence of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and again within ten years as the English Crown drove the Reformation yet harder with the abolition of chantries and free chapels.This short guest piece for the British Library blog 'Untold Lives' looks at a few details of his life.
This article considers the impact of Elizabethan customs reform and
subsequent practice from the ... more This article considers the impact of Elizabethan customs reform and subsequent practice from the perspective of small English and Welsh coastal towns. It argues that regulation and the farming of customs caused (and also facilitated) the suppression in these places not only of international trade but of domestic maritime trade too. Here entrepreneurial endeavour, though otherwise encouraged by Crown policy, suffered from the throttling demanded by customs reform of the flow of merchandise through the smaller creeks and havens, which also drove trade, and consequently economic growth, to those other places which enjoyed a convenient ‘Legal Quay’. The argument is illustrated by a local case study of Hampshire generally, and in particular of Christchurch, a town which was unable to break free of Southampton's controlling influence in order to realise its own apparent economic potential.
Among the topographical books in the Royal Library at Windsor is an illustrated work by William W... more Among the topographical books in the Royal Library at Windsor is an illustrated work by William Watts entitled ‘The Seats of the Nobility and Gentry’, published in 1786 as a bound volume of engravings which Watts had published over the preceding seven years. Only two of the 84 stately homes featured in this work are in Hampshire, and neither of these survives today: the view of Cadland Park has been supplanted by the rather less picturesque Fawley Oil Refinery, while High Cliff House realised the premonition of its architect and was toppling into the sea by 1805. Just two miles from High Cliff House stood another ill-fated building, Hinton Place, which was gutted by fire even as Watts began to compile his book. King George III’s enthusiasm for architecture was shared by a great many of his subjects, judging by the number of books published on the topic in the eighteenth century (see Figure 11). Within his extensive Topographical Collection at the British Library is a drawing very much in the style of those in Watts’s book, entitled ‘Hinton Place, near Christ Church Hants, the seat of Mr Clarke. Burnt down 17’ – the full year is not given. Mystery surrounds Hinton Place, and this drawing is unfortunately rare evidence of the building’s existence. This article (written for the British Library's forthcoming web site, Transforming Topography) examines evidence from estate papers which survived the fire and from elsewhere to piece together a more richly detailed picture of Hinton Place.
Digitisation and Transcription of the English and Welsh Exchequer Port Books held at the UK Natio... more Digitisation and Transcription of the English and Welsh Exchequer Port Books held at the UK National Archives, 1565-1798 [TNA E 190]. The project is being developed to aid the transcription and analysis of an important and under-exploited series of documents which records a highly significant aspect of the UK's economic history.
As local authorities across south-east Dorset develop plans for a ‘super council’, this talk (att... more As local authorities across south-east Dorset develop plans for a ‘super council’, this talk (attendance by invitation only) examines the historical administration of the district which comprises modern-day Bournemouth and Christchurch, together with land in Hampshire as far east as Lymington and beyond. The Honour of Christchurch comprised jurisdiction over the whole of this area, which included the manor of Christchurch and the Liberty of Westover, together with uniquely-autonomous Admiralty rights in Christchurch Harbour and off the sea-coast.
This talk looks at early use of the river Avon, the forms and effects of medieval river engineeri... more This talk looks at early use of the river Avon, the forms and effects of medieval river engineering, and why it was found necessary and desirable to make navigational improvements to the river in the late seventeenth century. Controversially, it also offers new evidence that the river remains legally navigable today.
Early county maps betray considerable confusion about the location of the Dorset-Hampshire county... more Early county maps betray considerable confusion about the location of the Dorset-Hampshire county boundary. Errors were further exaggerated by the first Ordnance Survey map of the district, placing the boundary almost 3km to the west of Bournemouth: ‘Burnemouthe’ was indicated at the boundary in 1575. A close examination of evidence from estate maps and from late medieval and early modern manorial and inclosure records, aided by digital georeferencing techniques, leads to the conclusion that the definitive county boundary as determined in 1802, between Bournemouth and Poole and in use until 1974, was probably very close to a boundary of considerably greater antiquity, the Durnelynche. Placenames are shown to be very unreliable indicators of location.
A reappraisal of primary sources suggests that the copperas industry in Dorset and south-west Ham... more A reappraisal of primary sources suggests that the copperas industry in Dorset and south-west Hampshire became well-established somewhat earlier than is commonly thought, and continued later and with steadier success than is generally appreciated. While there are lengthy accounts of the history of the Dorset works and good ones of copperas production more generally, writers have historically tended to dwell on the spectacular financial losses of two particular rival courtly speculators, and have failed to note the geographical limits of the evidence arising from their disputes. Recent investigations have focussed on interesting but necessarily localised archaeological evidence, and have in some cases relied on auto-affirming circular arguments from secondary sources. Incorrect dating of primary sources, particularly among the State Papers, although usually noted to be approximate, appears to have seriously impeded the chronological analysis of the industry, while in one instance acceptance of a partisan contemporary source has exaggerated threefold the claimed value of the industry at one point in time, hinting mistakenly at a volatility simply not evident in other sources.
This article relates evidence that so-called ‘alum’ was collected and, more significantly, manufactured on the Hampshire coast in the fifteenth century, demonstrates early problems with the emerging system of monopolies, and identifies the locations of three copperas manufactories established in the district before 1565. The invaluable evidence collected from the Exchequer Port Books was greatly facilitated by a new document digitisation and transcription project.
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subsequent practice from the perspective of small English and Welsh
coastal towns. It argues that regulation and the farming of customs caused
(and also facilitated) the suppression in these places not only of
international trade but of domestic maritime trade too. Here
entrepreneurial endeavour, though otherwise encouraged by Crown policy,
suffered from the throttling demanded by customs reform of the flow of
merchandise through the smaller creeks and havens, which also drove
trade, and consequently economic growth, to those other places which
enjoyed a convenient ‘Legal Quay’. The argument is illustrated by a local
case study of Hampshire generally, and in particular of Christchurch, a
town which was unable to break free of Southampton's controlling
influence in order to realise its own apparent economic potential.
King George III’s enthusiasm for architecture was shared by a great many of his subjects, judging by the number of books published on the topic in the eighteenth century (see Figure 11). Within his extensive Topographical Collection at the British Library is a drawing very much in the style of those in Watts’s book, entitled ‘Hinton Place, near Christ Church Hants, the seat of Mr Clarke. Burnt down 17’ – the full year is not given. Mystery surrounds Hinton Place, and this drawing is unfortunately rare evidence of the building’s existence.
This article (written for the British Library's forthcoming web site, Transforming Topography) examines evidence from estate papers which survived the fire and from elsewhere to piece together a more richly detailed picture of Hinton Place.
This article relates evidence that so-called ‘alum’ was collected and, more significantly, manufactured on the Hampshire coast in the fifteenth century, demonstrates early problems with the emerging system of monopolies, and identifies the locations of three copperas manufactories established in the district before 1565. The invaluable evidence collected from the Exchequer Port Books was greatly facilitated by a new document digitisation and transcription project.
subsequent practice from the perspective of small English and Welsh
coastal towns. It argues that regulation and the farming of customs caused
(and also facilitated) the suppression in these places not only of
international trade but of domestic maritime trade too. Here
entrepreneurial endeavour, though otherwise encouraged by Crown policy,
suffered from the throttling demanded by customs reform of the flow of
merchandise through the smaller creeks and havens, which also drove
trade, and consequently economic growth, to those other places which
enjoyed a convenient ‘Legal Quay’. The argument is illustrated by a local
case study of Hampshire generally, and in particular of Christchurch, a
town which was unable to break free of Southampton's controlling
influence in order to realise its own apparent economic potential.
King George III’s enthusiasm for architecture was shared by a great many of his subjects, judging by the number of books published on the topic in the eighteenth century (see Figure 11). Within his extensive Topographical Collection at the British Library is a drawing very much in the style of those in Watts’s book, entitled ‘Hinton Place, near Christ Church Hants, the seat of Mr Clarke. Burnt down 17’ – the full year is not given. Mystery surrounds Hinton Place, and this drawing is unfortunately rare evidence of the building’s existence.
This article (written for the British Library's forthcoming web site, Transforming Topography) examines evidence from estate papers which survived the fire and from elsewhere to piece together a more richly detailed picture of Hinton Place.
This article relates evidence that so-called ‘alum’ was collected and, more significantly, manufactured on the Hampshire coast in the fifteenth century, demonstrates early problems with the emerging system of monopolies, and identifies the locations of three copperas manufactories established in the district before 1565. The invaluable evidence collected from the Exchequer Port Books was greatly facilitated by a new document digitisation and transcription project.