The Archaeology of Improvement in Britain, 1750–1850 (Cambridge Studies in Archaeology)

"In this innovative study, Sarah Tarlow shows how the archaeology of this period manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of improvement, one of the most current concepts of eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain. Theoretically informed and drawn from primary and secondary sources in a range of disciplines, the author considers agriculture and the rural environment, towns, and buildings such as working-class housing and institutions of reform. From bleach baths to window glass, rubbish pits to tea wares, the material culture of the period reflects a particular set of values and aspirations. Tarlow examines the philosophical and historical background to the notion of improvement and demonstrates how this concept is a useful lens through which to examine the material culture of later historical Britain."--BOOK JACKET Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Illustrations......Page 11 Preface......Page 13 One: Introduction......Page 15 Archaeological Scholarship of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Finding a Name......Page 16 Recent Repositioning......Page 17 Does it Matter?......Page 18 Building a New Later Historical Archaeology......Page 19 'Marxism' and its Limits in Later Historical Archaeology......Page 23 The Idea of Improvement......Page 24 Improvement and the Idea of Progress......Page 32 Genealogies of Improvement......Page 34 Why Such a Wide Focus?......Page 41 Why Such a Narrow Focus?......Page 42 But is it Archaeology?......Page 43 The Time Span......Page 44 The Layout and Organisation of this Book......Page 46 Two: Agricultural improvement......Page 48 Farming 1750-1850......Page 50 The Agricultural Revolution......Page 51 Enclosure......Page 56 Strategies of Improvement......Page 64 Draining Bogs......Page 65 Grubbing Up Furze and Fern......Page 67 Soil Improvement......Page 68 Consolidation of Land Tenure......Page 71 Field Drainage......Page 73 Cultivation and Machinery......Page 76 Stock......Page 78 New Buildings, New Settlements......Page 81 New Lanark......Page 85 Beauty and Utility......Page 88 Hafod......Page 89 'Improving' the Rural Landscape: The Highland Clearances......Page 92 Improvement?......Page 101 Four: Towns and civic improvement......Page 104 The Changing Town......Page 105 The Mechanisms of Urban Improvement......Page 106 Improvement and the Classical Style......Page 110 A Moral Urban Population......Page 113 Fiat Lux......Page 114 Clean Water......Page 115 Street Cleaning......Page 117 A Healthful Breeze......Page 121 The Suburban Cemetery......Page 126 Royal Leamington Spa......Page 129 Five: Improving the people......Page 138 Improving the People......Page 139 The Rural Workforce......Page 142 Poverty in the Town......Page 145 Institutions......Page 149 Workhouses......Page 151 The Architecture of the Workhouse......Page 156 Prisons......Page 162 The Principles of the Penitentiary......Page 165 The Buildings......Page 167 Mechanics' Institutes......Page 170 Taking Stock......Page 174 Six: The right stuff......Page 177 Bleachworks......Page 179 Window Glass......Page 185 Manufacture......Page 186 Seeing in, Seeing out, Lighting up the Gloom......Page 190 Transfer-Printed Wares......Page 192 Rubbish Pits......Page 197 Points and Considerations......Page 204 Improvement is Ideological rather than Purely a Rational Response to Economic Circumstances......Page 205 Attempts to Effect Improvements are not Always Reducible to the Pursuit of Social or Political Advantage......Page 206 Belief in Improvement had a Complicated Relationship to Class and Geographical Identities......Page 207 Poor Communication has also Handicapped the Development of Critical and Three-Dimensional Ways of Telling the Past......Page 209 Questions and Ambiguities......Page 211 How can we Distinguish Between a Rejection of the Ethic of Improvement and a Rejection of any Particular 'Improving' Measure?......Page 212 To what Extent did the Labouring Classes Value Improvement as an Abstract Ideal? Was the Ethic of Improvement an Empowering Ideology or a Legitimatory Tool of Social Control?......Page 213 Finally......Page 215 References......Page 216 Index......Page 229 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Illustrations 11 Preface 13 One: Introduction 15 Archaeological Scholarship of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Finding a Name 16 Recent Repositioning 17 Does it Matter? 18 Building a New Later Historical Archaeology 19 'Marxism' and its Limits in Later Historical Archaeology 23 The Idea of Improvement 24 Improvement and the Idea of Progress 32 Genealogies of Improvement 34 Some Notes and Omissions 41 Why Such a Wide Focus? 41 Why Such a Narrow Focus? 42 But is it Archaeology? 43 The Time Span 44 The Layout and Organisation of this Book 46 Two: Agricultural improvement 48 Farming 1750-1850 50 The Agricultural Revolution 51 Enclosure 56 Strategies of Improvement 64 Draining Bogs 65 Grubbing Up Furze and Fern 67 Soil Improvement 68 Consolidation of Land Tenure 71 Field Drainage 73 Cultivation and Machinery 76 Stock 78 Three: The improved rural landscape 81 New Buildings, New Settlements 81 New Lanark 85 Beauty and Utility 88 Hafod 89 'Improving' the Rural Landscape: The Highland Clearances 92 Improvement? 101 Four: Towns and civic improvement 104 The Changing Town 105 The Mechanisms of Urban Improvement 106 Improvement and the Classical Style 110 A Moral Urban Population 113 Dirt, Disorder and Disease 114 Fiat Lux 114 Clean Water 115 Street Cleaning 117 A Healthful Breeze 121 The Suburban Cemetery 126 Local and National 129 Royal Leamington Spa 129 Five: Improving the people 138 Improving the People 139 The Rural Workforce 142 Poverty in the Town 145 Institutions 149 Workhouses 151 The Architecture of the Workhouse 156 Prisons 162 The Principles of the Penitentiary 165 The Buildings 167 Mechanics' Institutes 170 Taking Stock 174 Six: The right stuff 177 Bleachworks 179 Window Glass 185 Manufacture 186 Seeing in, Seeing out, Lighting up the Gloom 190 Transfer-Printed Wares 192 Rubbish Pits 197 Seven: Final thoughts 204 Points and Considerations 204 Improvement is a Distinctively Modern Ethic that Informs Many Fields of Practice and Discourse 205 Improvement is Ideological rather than Purely a Rational Response to Economic Circumstances 205 Attempts to Effect Improvements are not Always Reducible to the Pursuit of Social or Political Advantage 206 Belief in Improvement had a Complicated Relationship to Class and Geographical Identities 207 Archaeological Work in this period is Hampered by a Belief that, because it is Modern, we Already Understand it 209 Poor Communication has also Handicapped the Development of Critical and Three-Dimensional Ways of Telling the Past 209 Questions and Ambiguities 211 Why did the Ethic of Improvement Come to Such Prominence in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries? 212 How did Improvement Change Over that Time? 212 How can we Distinguish Between a Rejection of the Ethic of Improvement and a Rejection of any Particular 'Improving' Measure? 212 How does Religion - both Theologically and Through the Structures of Churches - Relate to Projects of Improvement? 213 To what Extent did the Labouring Classes Value Improvement as an Abstract Ideal? Was the Ethic of Improvement an Empowering Ideology or a Legitimatory Tool of Social Control? 213 Finally 215 References 216 Index 229

In this innovative 2007 study, Sarah Tarlow shows how the archaeology of this period manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of improvement. Theoretically informed and drawn from primary and secondary sources in a range of disciplines, the author considers agriculture and the rural environment, towns, and buildings such as working-class housing and institutions of reform. From bleach baths to window glass, rubbish pits to tea wares, the material culture of the period reflects a particular set of values and aspirations. Tarlow examines the philosophical and historical background to the notion of improvement and demonstrates how this concept is a useful lens through which to examine the material culture of later historical Britain.

In this innovative 2007 study, Sarah Tarlow shows how the archaeology of this period manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of improvement, one of the most current concepts of eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain. Written primarily for archaeologists, this book will also be of interest to social historians and historical geographers. Introduction -- Agricultural Improvement -- The Improved Rural Landscape -- Towns And Civic Improvement -- Improving The People -- The Right Stuff -- Final Thoughts. Sarah Tarlow. Series Statement From Jacket. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 202-213) And Index. Sarah Tarlow shows how the archaeology of Britain in the period 1750-1850 manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of improvement, one of the most current concepts of eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain