SANHS: The Great Re-Building or the Great Refurbishment? by Chris Sidaway

A talk by Chris Sidaway exploring the history of building practices in England, specifically focusing on the difference between rebuilding and refurbishing medieval structures.

The talk examines the phrase "The great re-building of England," which was coined by Professor W.G. Hoskins in the 1950s. It presents research from vernacular building investigators showing that urban merchants and rural yeoman farmers tended to upgrade their medieval Open Halls rather than constructing entirely new buildings.