Climatic fluctuations and changes in settlement and land usage in medieval Norfolk, c. 500 AD - c. 1500 AD

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This project will investigate how changing climatic conditions in the Middle Ages effected the pattern and distribution of settlement and land use in Norfolk. Medieval settlement and land use are characterised by their fluidity, constantly shifting location over the course of the Middle Ages. Explanations of medieval settlement have recognised the pivotal role played by environmental factors in determining settlement shift but have failed to recognise the crucial role short- and long-term fluctuations in climatic conditions, such as temperature, rainfall, levels of solar irradiance, and changes in mean sea-level had on the nature and distribution of medieval settlement. It is this gap in the existing literature that this project will seek to fill, shedding light on a topical and chronically under-researched subject that will enhance our understanding of how climatic fluctuations influenced the pattern and distribution of medieval settlement and land use.