Monasteries (Know the Landscape)

London, England: B T Batsford Ltd, 1994. First Edition. Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 4to - over 9?" - 12" tall. First Edition Large Trade Paperback in Very Good Condition. Illustrations, photographs, diagrams throughout. Very slight wear to corners. else Fine. Bright and clean hinged cover with illustration of Tintern Abbey, Gwent, Wales. Tight and solid binding. Internals as new. At one time monasteries were among the greatest owners of land in Britain and their influence on the landscape today can be seen not only in the magnificent buildings but also in earthworks, patterns of landholding and even industrial remains. Michael Aston examines the place of monasteries in the landscape--how they affected and how they were affected by the contryside in which they were built. He explains how monasticism arrived and developed in Britain, why abbeys and priories were sited where they were and all aspects of their activities--estate management, farming policy, industrial and commercial operations. Then comes the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, and Aston discusses how many of their estates were then bought by private owners and adapted for secular use. 160 pp. Index. 7.5 x.0.08 x 9.8 inches. 1994, B T Batsford Ltd., London, England.