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Papers by Jill Campbell
n Kristiansen, M. V. & Giles, K. (eds), Houses – Shaping Dwellings, Identities and Homes. European Housing Culture from Viking Age to the Renaissance. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, Jun 2014
This paper is a study of the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourte... more This paper is a study of the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England. The study seeks to identify and interpret the use of some of the architectural devices used to display status on the exterior of gentry houses. into consideration the social context of the owners, the study of these exteriors can be used to help us understand how buildings were designed as part of the language of display. It will be shown that the plan and elevation of these houses were designed using geometry, while showing an awareness of perspective and symmetry.
Ruralia VIX, Sep 30, 2013
Conference Presentations by Jill Campbell
Houses in the Middle Ages were not just a home; they were the means through which wealth and stat... more Houses in the Middle Ages were not just a home; they were the means through which wealth and status were displayed. The crown, aristocracy and gentry used their houses as a way of consolidating their dominance and conveying their position on local society and the landscape. They were able to use their investment in property as a way of expressing the size of their estate, while enabling them to undertake their social obligations. The means in which this was achieved varied considerably, and changed with fashion and advancing technology.
It has long been assumed, however, that many elements used in display, such as the introduction of courtyards, symmetry and the use of large expanses of windows were only introduced into English buildings after the Renaissance. This is of course, not true of all buildings as cathedrals, churches and particularly castles have long been recognised as having a design principal. Buildings of lesser status, particularly those of gentry status, have however, received much less scholarly attention.
This paper hopes to take the first steps in rectifying that situation. It will examine a number of standing and excavated examples dating to the fourteenth and fifteenth century and investigate various design principles that were used. One such example is the hall-house at Ockwells, Berkshire. The front wall has a large expanse of windows which has some of the finest stained glass windows surviving from a private dwelling house. The glass, which would have still been a luxury in the early fifteenth century, was used to advertise the arms of no fewer than twelve of the owner’s patrons and friends, while each light was also used to advertise the support of the Lancastrian cause. This building was clearly built to impress and for the owner to ostentatiously display his courtly connections.
The multi-discipline approach will enable the examination of the façade and plan of the properties while also investigating the approach and setting and associated landscape features. It will demonstrate that many of the design features linked with the Renaissance already existed in England prior to the fifteenth century, and that this can be seen in buildings of gentry status.
Buildings in the late medieval period were a reflection of society, and one of the means through ... more Buildings in the late medieval period were a reflection of society, and one of the means through which wealth and status were displayed. During the late medieval period, investment in houses began to evolve to meet new fashions and trends. This was predominantly true in the homes of the gentry, who during this period, were becoming much more defined as a class. These aspirants expressed through their houses, their gentility, while the more established families rebuilt and modified their homes to keep up with fashionable styles. This paper will look at how the exterior of the building was used to display status, by combining the results from archaeological and standing remains in late medieval England. It will show that architectural devices such as the use of materials, or the creation of contrived symmetry, were used to display lordly status.
Teaching Documents by Jill Campbell
People shape buildings and buildings in turn shape people's perceptions, experience and behaviour... more People shape buildings and buildings in turn shape people's perceptions, experience and behaviour. Yet in spite of the importance of architecture in structuring our environment, the relationship between architecture and societies in the past remains poorly understood and under-theorized. Building studies fall in the gaps between the disciplines of architectural history, archaeology and social anthropology.
Thesis Chapters by Jill Campbell
"This thesis examined the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteent... more "This thesis examined the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England. The research investigated how and why the exterior of these buildings were designed, and outlined the methods medieval builders and architects used in order to achieve this. It considered the argument that the design of the exterior of these houses was driven by the rise of the nouveaux riches who used it to display their status. Late medieval England was an era of increasing social mobility amongst the upper levels of society. As this group grew, it became increasingly important for the newly enriched familes to display their position through their home, and for the existing members to keep up with the latest developments and styles. The work compared architectural devices used at other medieval high-status sites including the geometry of cathedrals and the setting of castles, and showed that it was possible to recognise many of these features in buildings further down the social scale.
There have been very few analytical studies of gentry houses from late medieval England from this point of view. Architectural historians have begun to understand some of the more subtle messages of display, such as privacy and the role of gender. Although these messages are not easy for us to decipher, late medieval society is likely to have understood these messages and took them for granted. At Ockwells Manor, the political and social relationships of the Norreys family were publically displayed through heraldic images on an expanse of stained-glass windows. At Athelhampton the marriage alliances of the Martyn family were also displayed through heraldic images on stained-glass windows as well mouldings on either side of the entrance to the porch which displayed the crests of the Martyn’s and the Faringdon crest, the family of Sir William Martyn’s first wife.
The implications of the results in this thesis are wide reaching. No longer can it be claimed that the houses of the late medieval gentry were not designed. This is a study of breadth rather than depth which seeks to identify general principles informing the planning of elevations, rather than undertake a detailed study of a single building. Consequently, seven sites were studied from which a total of eleven architectural devices were recorded. Devices such as in-filling the façade with gables as seen at Acton Court, and the creation of a central point on the exterior around which an axis of symmetry was formed as seen at the manor of Hextalls, were used to establish a sense of balance. This suggested that presenting a balanced outward face was important in the medieval period, and was not confined to the post-medieval period. This thesis emphasised the need for scholars to go back and study houses that were believed to be relatively well understood, particularly those that fit the conventional models, to look for elements of design that may not have been previously recognised.
"
This study primarily focuses on the continuity and change of settlements and landscape in the Car... more This study primarily focuses on the continuity and change of settlements and landscape in the Cardiff area. While a considerable amount of work has been done in this area, no one study has concentrated solely on the landscape as a whole, and as such, the information is scattered across a wide range of resources. The aim of this study is to bring these sources together for the first time, whilst also examining what the archaeology of the region can provide to the overall picture. The study concludes with a critique of how accessible the sources actually are, to both archaeologists and the general public.
Bibliographies by Jill Campbell
This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth... more This list includes books and articles on British rural
settlement and landscape between the fifth century and
the fifteenth published in 2013, together with books
on related subjects and items omitted from previous
bibliographies. Any omissions found here should
be sent to the Bibliographer for inclusion next year:
jcampbell66@qub.ac.uk
This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth... more This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth century and the fifteenth published in 2010, together with books on related subjects and items omitted from previous bibliographies. Any omissions found here should be sent to the Bibliographer for inclusion next year: jcampbell66@qub.ac.uk 1
Conference Organisation by Jill Campbell
n Kristiansen, M. V. & Giles, K. (eds), Houses – Shaping Dwellings, Identities and Homes. European Housing Culture from Viking Age to the Renaissance. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, Jun 2014
This paper is a study of the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourte... more This paper is a study of the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England. The study seeks to identify and interpret the use of some of the architectural devices used to display status on the exterior of gentry houses. into consideration the social context of the owners, the study of these exteriors can be used to help us understand how buildings were designed as part of the language of display. It will be shown that the plan and elevation of these houses were designed using geometry, while showing an awareness of perspective and symmetry.
Ruralia VIX, Sep 30, 2013
Houses in the Middle Ages were not just a home; they were the means through which wealth and stat... more Houses in the Middle Ages were not just a home; they were the means through which wealth and status were displayed. The crown, aristocracy and gentry used their houses as a way of consolidating their dominance and conveying their position on local society and the landscape. They were able to use their investment in property as a way of expressing the size of their estate, while enabling them to undertake their social obligations. The means in which this was achieved varied considerably, and changed with fashion and advancing technology.
It has long been assumed, however, that many elements used in display, such as the introduction of courtyards, symmetry and the use of large expanses of windows were only introduced into English buildings after the Renaissance. This is of course, not true of all buildings as cathedrals, churches and particularly castles have long been recognised as having a design principal. Buildings of lesser status, particularly those of gentry status, have however, received much less scholarly attention.
This paper hopes to take the first steps in rectifying that situation. It will examine a number of standing and excavated examples dating to the fourteenth and fifteenth century and investigate various design principles that were used. One such example is the hall-house at Ockwells, Berkshire. The front wall has a large expanse of windows which has some of the finest stained glass windows surviving from a private dwelling house. The glass, which would have still been a luxury in the early fifteenth century, was used to advertise the arms of no fewer than twelve of the owner’s patrons and friends, while each light was also used to advertise the support of the Lancastrian cause. This building was clearly built to impress and for the owner to ostentatiously display his courtly connections.
The multi-discipline approach will enable the examination of the façade and plan of the properties while also investigating the approach and setting and associated landscape features. It will demonstrate that many of the design features linked with the Renaissance already existed in England prior to the fifteenth century, and that this can be seen in buildings of gentry status.
Buildings in the late medieval period were a reflection of society, and one of the means through ... more Buildings in the late medieval period were a reflection of society, and one of the means through which wealth and status were displayed. During the late medieval period, investment in houses began to evolve to meet new fashions and trends. This was predominantly true in the homes of the gentry, who during this period, were becoming much more defined as a class. These aspirants expressed through their houses, their gentility, while the more established families rebuilt and modified their homes to keep up with fashionable styles. This paper will look at how the exterior of the building was used to display status, by combining the results from archaeological and standing remains in late medieval England. It will show that architectural devices such as the use of materials, or the creation of contrived symmetry, were used to display lordly status.
People shape buildings and buildings in turn shape people's perceptions, experience and behaviour... more People shape buildings and buildings in turn shape people's perceptions, experience and behaviour. Yet in spite of the importance of architecture in structuring our environment, the relationship between architecture and societies in the past remains poorly understood and under-theorized. Building studies fall in the gaps between the disciplines of architectural history, archaeology and social anthropology.
"This thesis examined the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteent... more "This thesis examined the architectural design and exterior display in gentry houses in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England. The research investigated how and why the exterior of these buildings were designed, and outlined the methods medieval builders and architects used in order to achieve this. It considered the argument that the design of the exterior of these houses was driven by the rise of the nouveaux riches who used it to display their status. Late medieval England was an era of increasing social mobility amongst the upper levels of society. As this group grew, it became increasingly important for the newly enriched familes to display their position through their home, and for the existing members to keep up with the latest developments and styles. The work compared architectural devices used at other medieval high-status sites including the geometry of cathedrals and the setting of castles, and showed that it was possible to recognise many of these features in buildings further down the social scale.
There have been very few analytical studies of gentry houses from late medieval England from this point of view. Architectural historians have begun to understand some of the more subtle messages of display, such as privacy and the role of gender. Although these messages are not easy for us to decipher, late medieval society is likely to have understood these messages and took them for granted. At Ockwells Manor, the political and social relationships of the Norreys family were publically displayed through heraldic images on an expanse of stained-glass windows. At Athelhampton the marriage alliances of the Martyn family were also displayed through heraldic images on stained-glass windows as well mouldings on either side of the entrance to the porch which displayed the crests of the Martyn’s and the Faringdon crest, the family of Sir William Martyn’s first wife.
The implications of the results in this thesis are wide reaching. No longer can it be claimed that the houses of the late medieval gentry were not designed. This is a study of breadth rather than depth which seeks to identify general principles informing the planning of elevations, rather than undertake a detailed study of a single building. Consequently, seven sites were studied from which a total of eleven architectural devices were recorded. Devices such as in-filling the façade with gables as seen at Acton Court, and the creation of a central point on the exterior around which an axis of symmetry was formed as seen at the manor of Hextalls, were used to establish a sense of balance. This suggested that presenting a balanced outward face was important in the medieval period, and was not confined to the post-medieval period. This thesis emphasised the need for scholars to go back and study houses that were believed to be relatively well understood, particularly those that fit the conventional models, to look for elements of design that may not have been previously recognised.
"
This study primarily focuses on the continuity and change of settlements and landscape in the Car... more This study primarily focuses on the continuity and change of settlements and landscape in the Cardiff area. While a considerable amount of work has been done in this area, no one study has concentrated solely on the landscape as a whole, and as such, the information is scattered across a wide range of resources. The aim of this study is to bring these sources together for the first time, whilst also examining what the archaeology of the region can provide to the overall picture. The study concludes with a critique of how accessible the sources actually are, to both archaeologists and the general public.
This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth... more This list includes books and articles on British rural
settlement and landscape between the fifth century and
the fifteenth published in 2013, together with books
on related subjects and items omitted from previous
bibliographies. Any omissions found here should
be sent to the Bibliographer for inclusion next year:
jcampbell66@qub.ac.uk
This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth... more This list includes books and articles on British rural settlement and landscape between the fifth century and the fifteenth published in 2010, together with books on related subjects and items omitted from previous bibliographies. Any omissions found here should be sent to the Bibliographer for inclusion next year: jcampbell66@qub.ac.uk 1