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This page intentionally left blank the archaeology of improvement in britain, 1750(cid:1)1850 < Inthisinnovativestudy,SarahTarlowshowshowthearchaeology ofthisperiod manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of Improvement, one of the most current concepts of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain. Theoretically informedanddrawnfromprimaryandsecondarysourcesinarangeofdisciplines, the author considers agriculture and the rural environment, towns and buildings such as working-class housing and institutions of reform. From bleach baths to windowglass,rubbishpitstoteawares,thematerialcultureoftheperiodreflects a particular set of values and aspirations. Tarlow examines the philosophical and historical background to the notion of Improvement and demonstrates how this concept is a useful lens through which to examine the material culture of later historical Britain. Sarah Tarlow is Senior Lecturer in Historical Archaeology at the University of Leicester. The author of Bereavement and Commemoration and co-editor of The Familiar Past? Archaeologies of Later Historical Britain, she has published on a wide range of topics and is a member of the editorial board of Archaeological Dialogues. a r c h a e o l o g y the of i m p r o v e m e n t b r i t a i n , in 1750 1850 (cid:1) < Sarah Tarlow University of Leicester CAMBRIDGEUNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521864190 © Sarah Tarlow 2007 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published in print format 2007 ISBN-13 978-0-511-29486-0 eBook (EBL) ISBN-10 0-511-29486-7 eBook (EBL) ISBN-13 978-0-521-86419-0 hardback ISBN-10 0-521-86419-4 hardback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. to rachel, adam and gregory contents < ListofIllustrations page ix Preface xi one: introduction 1 two: agricultural improvement 34 three: the improved rural landscape 67 four: towns and civic improvement 90 five: improving the people 124 six: the right stuff 163 seven: final thoughts 190 References 202 Index 215 vii