Tuesday 25 October 2011

Mediaeval - # 129/2011


We're now going back a long way.  A pleasant day out near Oxford brought me to this ancient landscape where the impact of ancient farming and village organisation is clear to see but not so simple to photograph.  I dithered for ages about which shot to choose. 


I settled on this one.  You can read about medieval Ridge and Furrow here http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba33/ba33feat.html   The fact that its remains can still be seen amazes me.

4 comments:

  1. What happens on this land now?

    And look at Julie's photo today.
    Same - same.
    http://sydney-eye.blogspot.com/2011/10/wrinkled-between-earth-and-sky.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hah! Good ole Letty ... linking us one to the other, yet again. How be things, Chuckeroon?

    I know about the dithering re shot selection. But resolved upon three. You were more hard-headed.

    i appreciate the light you have captured here. Would that I could be so subtle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @FF......the land is still pure open country and still fully farmed. It's low grade land but productive if properly used and the rotations (similar to those practiced years ago) are still normal. My friend's barn has beams with the builder's initials and build date 1647, cleanly and clearly cut, but the ridges are older thatn that. The builder's name appears many times in the area. The Parachute Regiment finds it ideal for practice drops!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This photo and the link sent me off to a lesson in medieval farming. Very interesting. I always wondered where the word "furlong" came from. I enjoy your blog.

    ReplyDelete