The Isle of Wight c.650 to c.1150: the localisation of a landscape?

The thesis aims to increase the profile of the Isle of Wight in early medieval studies by presenting a nuanced account of the characteristics and development of its landscape during the period c.650 to c.1150. Research presented is multi-disciplinary drawing on evidence from landscapes, buildings, archaeological interventions, historic maps, and documentary records, which have been synthesised for the first time for the Isle of Wight and assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Core datasets include the Historic Environment Record, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, documentary sources, historic mapping, church archaeology and place-names. The central theme is exploring the progressive ‘localisation’ of the landscape over time, examining how the Isle of Wight conforms to or diverges from existing scholarly models of early medieval landscape, such as the minster hypothesis, the multiple estate model, and frameworks of settlement development and relationships. Reconstruction of landscape regions provides the background for exploring these themes. Analysis of place-names identifies primacy of some topographical names. Relationships between superior and local churches generally support the minster model, but one case study raises issues regarding its application. Examination of the multiple estate hypothesis identifies central areas, and complementary peripheral areas which became individual manors. There is evidence for settlement shift, stabilisation and former economically-specialised sites but no apparent ‘village moment’. Proto-urban centres are examined with one town existing by 1086. Landscapes of continuity and of colonization are identified; the ‘core-periphery’ model provides a model of landscape development. Boundaries were formalised during the study period: parochiae and parishes, extensive estates and manors. Physical background provided both opportunities and limitations for landscape and settlement development. The thesis emphasises the importance of local studies in landscape research and findings will inform further investigation within Wight and beyond, in landscape reconstruction, development of local churches, fragmentation of extensive estates, and development of settlement patterns.