Bristol Houses: the Order of Merchant Capitalism in England's Second City

Summary

A survey of housing in medieval and early modern Bristol provides insights into how the urban elite overtly or less obviously reinforced social inequality and hierarchy.  Some of these elements of urban culture relate to those identified elsewhere, notably in the writings of Glassie, Deetz and Leone with reference to the vernacular architecture and social structure of 18th-century North America, the use of classical architecture, falling gardens and baroque street plans.  Other elements identified in Bristol include distinctions between shophouses and hallhouses, the use of the symbolic hall, the building of second residences, lodges, garden houses or villas, the concealment of dwellings in multiple occupation behind a façade giving the impression of a single structure, and the seemingly natural arrangement of the house in a hierarchical manner.  Georgianisation or the Georgian order, a term argued to be chronologically incorrect, might now be called the early modern order of merchant capitalism.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Another Brick in the Wall: Buildings and Architecture   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 553