The functions and fortunes of English small towns at the close of the middle ages: evidence from John Leland's Itinerary
2010; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 37; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1017/s0963926810000040
ISSN1469-8706
Autores Tópico(s)Historical Studies of British Isles
ResumoABSTRACT: The descriptions of small towns in John Leland's Itinerary provide valuable evidence about their economic functions and fortunes in a period often categorized as one of urban decline. Leland described markets, ports, industries, buildings and transport links. He identified examples of small towns expanding, through new commercial and industrial opportunities, notably cloth manufacture, as well as others in decline, and suggested that investment by entrepreneurs and benefactors had enabled some small towns to prosper. These experiences reflected both the particular functions of individual towns and their role in wider regional economies.
Referência(s)