A Wealth of Buildings: Marking the Rhythm of English History : Volume I: 1066–1688

This two-volume book explores how the great buildings of England bear witness to a thousand years of the nation’s history. In every age, investment in iconic buildings reaches a climax when the prevailing mode of production is operating most effectively, surplus wealth is most plentiful, and the dominant class rules supreme. During such periods of stability and prosperity, the demand for new buildings is strong, structural and stylistic innovations abound, and there is fierce competition to build for lasting fame. Each such climax produces a unique vintage of hegemonic buildings that are monuments to the wealth and power of those who ruled their world. This first volume provides an introduction to the study of wealth accumulation over the past millennium. There follow three case studies of iconic building investment from the eleventh to the seventeenth century. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries the conquering Norman kings and barons erected castles throughout the country to cement their feudal power. During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the great wealth of the ecclesiastical estates funded the lavish construction of Gothic cathedrals and abbeys. During the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries Tudor and Jacobean magnates vied to build the most magnificent palaces and prodigy houses. The English Revolution brought this era to a close. This two-volume book explores how the great buildings of England bear witness to a thousand years of the nation's history. In every age, investment in iconic buildings reaches a climax when the prevailing mode of production is operating most effectively, surplus wealth is most plentiful, and the dominant class rules supreme. During such periods of stability and prosperity, the demand for new buildings is strong, structural and stylistic innovations abound, and there is fierce competition to build for lasting fame. Each such climax produces a unique vintage of buildings that are an expression of cultural hegemony. They are monuments to the wealth and power of those who ruled their world. This second volume presents three case studies of iconic building investment from the eighteenth century to the present day. During the eighteenth century the wealth of the great landed estates funded the golden age of country house building by aristocracy and gentry. During the nineteenth century the Industrial Revolution unleashed an unprecedented wave of infrastructure investment and civic building by the ascendant capitalist class. Since the late twentieth century the power of global financial capital has been symbolized by the relentless rise of city centre office towers. A final chapter argues that these different forms of hegemonic building are a physical manifestation of the underlying rhythm of English history This two-volume book explores how the great buildings of England bear witness to a thousand years of the nation's history. In every age, investment in iconic buildings reaches a climax when the prevailing mode of production is operating most effectively, surplus wealth is most plentiful, and the dominant class rules supreme. During such periods of stability and prosperity, the demand for new buildings is strong, structural and stylistic innovations abound, and there is fierce competition to build for lasting fame. Each such climax produces a unique vintage of buildings that are an expression of cultural hegemony. They are monuments to the wealth and power of those who ruled their world. This first volume provides an introduction to the study and a review of wealth accumulation over the past millennium. There follow three case studies of iconic building investment from the eleventh to the seventeenth century. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries the conquering Norman kings and barons erected castles throughout the country to cement their feudal power. During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the great wealth of the ecclesiastical estates funded the lavish construction of Gothic cathedrals and abbeys. During the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries Tudor and Jacobean magnates vied to build the most magnificent palaces and prodigy houses. The English Revolution brought this era to a close Real Estate as a Store of Wealth -- The Classical View -- From Feudalism to Capitalism -- Capitalism in Transition -- The Great Levelling -- Capitalism Resurgent -- 3: Norman Conquest -- The Key of England -- Before and After the Conquest -- Anglo-Norman Power -- Plantagenet Rise and Fall -- Feudal Hierarchy -- Medieval Economy -- Royal Wealth -- Baronial Wealth -- The Castle in English History -- Castle Form and Function -- Angevin Climax -- Plantagenet Display -- 4: Gothic Ascendant -- Progression by Contraries -- Church and State -- Ecclesiastical Economy -- Architecture of the Great Church Evolution of Church Architecture -- Formation of the Gothic -- English Romanesque to English Gothic -- Early English to Perpendicular -- The Cycle of Innovation -- Building the Great Church -- Gothic Climax -- A Progression of Churches -- 5: Magnate Display -- The Pre-eminent Court -- Consolidation and Reformation -- Revolution and Restoration -- Economic Transition -- Land and Trade -- Social Change and Landed Wealth -- Redistribution of Land -- Evolution of the Great House -- Age of Renaissance -- English Gothic to English Renaissance -- English Renaissance to English Mannerism Dedication -- Preface -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Photographs -- List of Plans -- List of Tables -- 1: Of Works and Monuments -- Iconic Buildings -- The Buildings of England -- Multiple Functions -- Changing Forms -- Investing the Surplus -- The Rhythm of History -- Building and Urbanization -- A Thousand Years of History -- The Builders of England -- Structure of the Narrative -- 2: Wealth of the Nation -- Distributions of Wealth and Income -- Inequalities of Wealth and Income -- Pre-Revolutionary Income by Class -- Post-Revolutionary Income and Wealth Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi Of Works and Monuments....Pages 1-33 Wealth of the Nation....Pages 35-88 Norman Conquest....Pages 89-143 Gothic Ascendant....Pages 145-213 Magnate Display....Pages 215-301 Back Matter....Pages 303-337 Investment in Royal Palaces -- Investment in Prodigy Houses -- The Great Rebuilding -- Affordability of the Great House -- Bibliography -- Postscript -- Index