April 24, 2025, by Chloe

On the Land

In celebration of our new exhibition, ‘Country Lives: Exploring the English countryside from 1800’, today we’re sharing a selection of items from our collections which can give us insight into how the countryside has been used and depicted in the past…

Many documents recording property holding and the changing use of land over the centuries survive in family archives. Together with records about agriculture and labour, these now support the study of rural communities.

Ne D 1868 Quitclaim (Latin) from Robert Umfrey? to Master Hugh of lands held in dower in Haughton, Nottinghamshire; 29 Nov. 1312

By a quitclaim deed of 1312 all rights in land held in medieval Haughton, Nottinghamshire were relinquished in favour of the new owner, Master Hugh. The property had been held in dower by Agnes Lenham, supporting her as the widow of Robert Lenham, and was subsequently sold by her son. Such references to women are common in medieval deeds. Together with names of other parties and of witnesses these can build up a picture of communities.

The ‘Observations on December’ from Riders (1680) ‘British Merlin’ provides a sample of popular advice on husbandry in the late-17th century. Pocket books of this kind included details of fairs and markets. They had blank pages for the owner’s own notes.

MS 294/1 ‘Observations on December’ from ‘British Merlin’ by Cardanus Riders; 1680

A plan of Muskham Grange and its estate was made in 1812 when the property came on the market. The accompanying printed particulars identify the features which were valued by auctioneers of the early 19th century. For the local historian, the detail of the lands and the names of the current tenants are useful.

MS 76/10/1 Plan of Muskham Grange from sale particulars relating to North Muskham, Nottinghamshire; 13 Jan. 1812

While the themes of agriculture and country pursuits run through many of our archival collections, recalling a time when the majority of the population lived in the countryside, the illustrations in published works over the centuries show changes in the perception of the countryside. One example is Thomas Miller’s ‘Country Year Book’ of 1847. This presents a romantic and idealized picture of country life, quite removed from the realities of a farm labourer’s experience. Such works had a strong appeal for urban middle-class Victorians, for whom nostalgic descriptions of the rural calendar of work and play were very popular.

Briggs Collection LT210.S /M4 Spring Ploughing from ‘The country year book, descriptive of the seasons, rural scenes and rustic amusements; birds, insects and quadrupeds. Spring and summer’ by Thomas Miller; 1847

A similar message is emphasised in the beautifully bound children’s book ’Birds and their nests’ by the Quaker writer Mary Howitt. It is typical of its time in its moral tone, in which kindness and respect for animals are principal themes. Howitt writes:  “Man, however, should always stand as a human Providence to the animal world. In him the creatures should ever find their friend and protector…”

EMSC Not 1.W8 HOW/MY Front cover of ‘Birds and their nests’ by Mary Howitt; 1878

To find out more, why not visit our new exhibition, Country Lives: Exploring the English countryside since 1800’? The exhibition is open at Weston Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Tuesday-Sunday from 12 noon -4pm until 21 September.

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