Detached gardens and urban allotments in English provincial towns, 1750 to 1950: distribution, abundance and transformative processes

Thornes, Rosemary (2011). Detached gardens and urban allotments in English provincial towns, 1750 to 1950: distribution, abundance and transformative processes. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The distribution and extent of detached gardens in a sample of 10 English provincial towns was examined for the 18th century, through cartographic analysis and the construction of GIS-generated zones parallel to the urban fence. This revealed that detached gardens formed a distinct and abundant feature in the urban fringe, particularly within 200 metres of the built-up area. A case-study of Shrewsbury for the mid-19th century, using data from the tithe survey, showed that 728 plots were provided by 112 private landlords, two-thirds of whom owned less than 200 square metres for rent. This was largely a profit-motivated system that disintegrated as towns expanded. The question arises as to whether the statutory system of urban allotments, that replaced it, will stand up to today’s demands. A longitudinal study, based on maps from 1830 to 1940, indicated that a reduction in provision was linked to booms in the house-building cycle while periods of increased provision were occasioned by national emergencies. Garden-ground provided the prime location for housing and an awareness of its morphological frame was essential for an understanding of expansion from the urban core. The concept of the urban fence was critical and its use produced an alternative way to perceive and analyse the inner fringe belt.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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