This MA thesis research has taken all of the available archaeological and historical research related to medieval Trellech to address the ongoing debate regarding the precise location and layout of...Show moreThis MA thesis research has taken all of the available archaeological and historical research related to medieval Trellech to address the ongoing debate regarding the precise location and layout of the original settlement, as well as investigate the exact cause and time of the decline of this town.This thesis was not able to provide a definitive conclusion to the debate surrounding the location of 13th century Trellech. However, the available archaeological evidence tips the scales heavily in favour of the theory that places the centre of medieval Trellech along Catbrook Road, rather than the current village centre. The Lost City of Trellech project has provided strong archaeological evidence for this theory, but is hampered by a lack of academic publications. Further excavation of the site is needed, but a focus on analysing the available but unprocessed archaeological data should be a high priority. The available archaeological evidence points to a hiatus of activity in the 15th century for most of the excavated areas of Trellech. The historical evidence seems to confirm this, leading to the conclusion that the 15th century was the start of Trellech’s decline from major town to the small village it currently is. Based on the available evidence, the combination of the Black Death that hit Trellech in the second half of the 14th century, combined with the revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr in the early 15th century, seems the obvious cause of this decline, though further research is needed.Show less
Late Medieval north-western Europe was transformed by the introduction of hopped beer into the market. It has been assumed that during the late 13th and into the 14th century, beer replaced wine as...Show moreLate Medieval north-western Europe was transformed by the introduction of hopped beer into the market. It has been assumed that during the late 13th and into the 14th century, beer replaced wine as the preferred beverage in the areas around the Low Countries and Germany. Authors like Raymond van Uytven, Susan Rose, Max Nelson and Richard Yntema have all demonstrated how this change is reflected in the historical records. The focus of this thesis is to study how this change from wine to beer consumption may be reflected in the material record. To study this, research has been conducted on the material that was most common from the 1300-1600s; stoneware. A use-function approach was used to gather information about characteristics of drinking vessels. This approach was carried out by researching previous scholarship and studying the defining characteristics of different vessels outlined in the Dutch classification system. Further research brought in contemporary historical illustrations of stoneware vessels in use, where specifically wine or beer can be assumed. These sources present a window into how artists and their audiences interacted with reproductions of social situations. Once gathered, these characteristics work as guidelines to apply specific use-function of either wine or beer consumption to individual vessels. This catalogue of characteristics can then be applied to datasets of stonewares. In this case, these characteristics were applied to a dataset of stoneware assemblages from Nijmegen, Dordrecht and Deventer reported in Cities in Sherds (Bartels 1997). These assemblages were classified into groups based upon use; Beer, Beer?, Wine, Wine?, Either wine or beer, Non-wine/beer, and unknown. By breaking down the assemblages into these categories, it was possible to observe trends in the production of beer or wine vessels. One large bias in the data, and indeed to the approach, is the size of the Unknown category. Making up 65% of the assemblages, there is a problem with the documentation and identification of stoneware vessels. Focussing on the other groups, the results from this data indicate something different from what has been argued by historical scholars. The data showed an increase in wine vessels after the 14th century. Future studies in the field could focus on developing more accurate methods to identify vessels. With more accurate results at this stage, the sample size for analysis will grow, creating a better understanding of the different forms consumed during the centuries. This research could potentially be used as a starting point for future enquiries into the nuances of beverage preferences in the late medieval period.Show less
