Contents: John Leland's itinerary in south-west England in 1542,
John Chandler; the Devon and Cornwall topographers, Joyce Youings;
the antiquarian and topographical writings of Lysons, Malcolm Todd;
Somerset topographical writers, 1700-1900, Robert Dunning; Dorset
antiquarian and topographical writers, J.H. Betty; the scientific
gaze - agriculture improvers and the topography of south-west
England, Sarah Wilmot.
MARK BRAYSHAY is Principal Lecturer in Geography, University of
Plymouth.
"This book is primarily for historians, and will be an important
addition to local-studies libraries in the South West. Furthermore,
it will be of interest to historical geographers. In his
introduction, Brayshay describes the works of South West
topographers as "eclectic, whimsical, sometime cryptic but always
devoted". Perhaps this description would apply equally well to this
thoroughly readable selection of essays." (The Geographical
Journal, 1998) "The scope of the volume is quite broad, and . . .
the authors are all acknowledged authorities on their subjects and
regions, and taken together they present a comprehensive and
detailed picture of the topographical descriptions of south-west
England from about 1539 (Leland's first tour) to the late
nineteenth century . . . This volume deserves to be on the shelf of
all those who are interested in the history of southwestern
England, and its moderate price is a further recommendation."
(Agricultural History Review, Vol. 45, No. II) "The value of this
informative and absorbing book is enhanced by the list (compiled by
Ian Maxted and the editor) of works on the topography of the
region, a contribution which fittingly concludes a volume which
deserves a readership far beyond the west country." (History,
Volume 83, No. 269, January 1998) ". . . the volume firmly sets
both the county survey and the development of a more scientific
approach to landscape in their historical setting, and should be on
the shelves of anyone whose research includes the South West."
(Newsletter of the Centre for South-Western Historical Studies,
Spring 1997)
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