Devon and its People

Devon and Its People examines the history of Devon county in England from prehistoric times through the mid-20th century. Author W.G. Hoskins presents detailed research on the region's landscapes, settlements, and inhabitants across millennia. The book covers major developments in Devon's agriculture, industry, architecture, and social structures. Hoskins analyzes primary sources including archaeological findings, parish records, tax documents, and local accounts to reconstruct how the county evolved. Chapters move chronologically through different eras while exploring topics like farming practices, market towns, religious life, and cultural traditions. The text includes maps, photographs, and statistical data to support its historical narrative. Through this county study, Hoskins demonstrates how local history can reveal broader patterns in English social development and the complex relationships between people and place. The work helped establish new methods for studying regional history and influenced subsequent scholarship in the field.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of W. G. Hoskins's overall work: Readers consistently praise Hoskins's detailed observations and ability to explain how England's landscape evolved through human activity. His clear writing style makes complex historical concepts accessible to non-academics. What readers liked: - Clear explanations of how to "read" landscape features - Practical field observation techniques - Integration of maps, photos, and historical documents - Focus on ordinary people's impact on the land - Personal, engaging writing style about Devon What readers disliked: - Some outdated archaeological information - Heavy focus on English Midlands and Devon - Limited coverage of urban landscapes - Can be overly technical in sections about field systems Ratings from review sites: Goodreads: "The Making of the English Landscape" - 4.2/5 (127 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.4/5 (52 reviews) Common reader comment: "Changed how I look at the countryside" appears in multiple reviews. Several readers note his work remains relevant despite its age, though archaeological sections need updating with modern findings.

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Cornwall: A History by Philip Payton This examination of Cornwall presents the county's social history, industries, and cultural development through primary sources and historical records.

The Making of the English Landscape by W. G. Hoskins The foundational text traces how human activity shaped England's rural and urban geography over two thousand years.

The South Country by Edward Thomas The book chronicles the author's walking journey through rural southern England, documenting the landscapes, villages, and people of Hampshire, Sussex, and Kent.

Lost Devon by Felicity Goodall A collection of historical photographs, maps, and accounts reveals Devon's vanished buildings, industries, and ways of life from the Victorian era to the mid-twentieth century.

🌟 W.G. Hoskins (1908-1992) pioneered the academic study of local history in Britain and was the first professor of English Local History at the University of Leicester. 🏛️ Published in 1959, "Devon and its People" was written after Hoskins spent years walking the Devon landscape himself, developing his revolutionary approach of "reading" the landscape as historical evidence. 🌳 The book introduced the concept of "fieldwork history" - combining traditional document research with direct observation of landscapes, buildings, and settlements to understand how people shaped their environment over centuries. 🏰 Hoskins revealed how Devon's distinctive landscape pattern of scattered farmsteads and small hamlets was largely established during the Anglo-Saxon period, challenging previous assumptions about medieval settlement. 📺 The author later presented the influential BBC series "Landscapes of England" (1976), bringing his methods of landscape interpretation to a wider audience and cementing his reputation as "the man who made landscape history."