Hidden History of the Countryside

The countryside is almost sacred to many Britons. There is a depth of feeling about rural places, the moors and lochs, valleys and mountains, cottages and country houses. Yet the British countryside, so integral to our national identity, is rarely seen as having anything to do with British colonialism. This talk brings rural life and colonial rule together with transformative results.

Empire transformed rural lives: whether in Welsh sheep farms or Cornish copper mines, it offered both opportunity and exploitation. This talk will demonstrate how the booming profits of overseas colonial activities directly contributed to enclosure, land clearances and dispossession. These histories, usually considered separately, continue to link people's lives across continents.

To give an honest account, to offer both affection and criticism, is a matter of respect: we should not knowingly tell half a history. This new knowledge of our island stories, once gained, can only deepen Britons' relationship with the nation's beautiful landscapes.

Image: Christian Heitz (Pexels)

You may also like the following events from St Albans Museums:

• This Thursday, 7th August, 10:30 am, Laurentius Calvus at Verulamium in St Albans
• This Friday, 8th August, 10:00 am, Museum Minis in St Albans
• This Saturday, 9th August, 01:00 pm, Kromanti Rum Tasting in St Albans