Understand how Britain’s landscape has been shaped by history by experiencing the towns and settlements that have been lost to time.
Britain is etched with the haunting remains of places that have since vanished from memory, ranging from an Orkney village that was covered in sand 5,000 years ago to a medieval city that was swept off a cliff and now lies dormant in the North Sea. But, however we can’t see them, a large number of these puts have had developmental impacts on its set of experiences, and their vanishings start to make sense of why England looks the manner in which it does today.
Dr. Matthew Green will take you through important turning points in Britain’s history, such as the Black Death, Reformation, and Enlightenment, and he will use four years of his own original research to paint a vivid and detailed picture of a Britain that no longer exists.
From the buried city of Trellech to the deserted seamountain of St. Kilda, he will take you on a journey through the sights, sounds, and challenges of lost places. Explore the ruins of former British settlements and learn how they ended up in such terrible circumstances.
With the guide of striking guides, prints and photos, Matthew will restore these lost towns and settlements, summoning their special formats and portraying in sensational detail the encounters of their previous occupants – a considerable lot of whom attempted, yet fizzled, to oppose the tides of progress. In addition, this class will investigate what the past may reveal about the future and how and why places are disappearing from Britain’s landscape today.
Course material
The time of the Neolithic: how agriculture brought an end to 2.5 million years of nomadism and produced settled communities like Skara Brae on Orkney, which were buried in sand for over 5,000 years The Norman conquest: how some of the cities and towns built during the medieval urban boom failed, like Trellech in the Welsh Marches, which was discovered by moles in 2002. Medieval climate change: how the cities of Old Winchelsea and Dunwich were destroyed by extreme weather as the Medieval Warm Period gave way to the Little Ice Age The Black Death: how Wharram Percy’s abandoned streets in the Yorkshire Wolds were burned into the grass by the Black Death Reformation and Renaissance: how enquiring minds were captivated by locations like the half-drown city of Dunwich and its ruined monasteries Enlightenment: how philosophical travelers seeking “natural man” didom self-sufficient societies like St. Kilda in the Outer Hebrides how the demands of international conflict hollowed out about 20% of Britain’s landmass, including villages in the Brecklands in Norfolk and Suffolk
Profile of tutor
With a doctorate from Oxford University, historian, writer, and broadcaster Dr. Matthew Green He has written historical features for the Guardian and Financial Times and has appeared in documentaries on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. He is the founder of Unreal City Audio, which creates live events, podcasts, and apps of immersive London tours. His most memorable book was London: A Timeline for Traveling He has a Twitter account.
Shadowlands, a paperback book by Matthew: On March 2, 2023, A Journey Through Lost Britain will be released. The book and ticket can be pre-ordered for £58.52 (incl. P&P) if you live in the United Kingdom. Course Details Date: When: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 After the class, a catch-up recording will be made available for two weeks from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. GMT.
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