The Agrarian History of England and Wales

The period between the repeal of the Corn Laws and the First World War is crucial to the understanding of contemporary rural issues. The unifying theme of this monumental 2000 volume is the changing role of architecture and the countryside in national life, and the impact of social and economic forces unleashed by industrialisation and the growth of towns. Although science and technology had promised unprecedented advances in agricultural productivity, English agriculture had by 1914 lost both its 'headship among industries' and its technical supremacy among nations. Agriculture now produced less than one tenth of national income and employment, and less than half the nation's food. Only one fifth of the population was classified 'rural'; most traditional rural crafts had long since decayed; and the influence of the landowning classes was declining. Beginning with a critical view of the 'Golden Age' and Great Depression, this book goes on to consider separate elements relating to the theme.