Middle Ground: The Interface of Town & Country in the Tay Valley 1400-1800

Today, land on the outskirts of towns is often deemed unattractive. The UK government has recently pushed the concept of ‘grey belt’ – defined as ‘poor quality and ugly areas’ near to existing settlements and roads. However, in the past land on the outskirts of towns was perceived rather differently. This talk by Dr Bess Rhodes argues that in pre-industrial Scotland areas on the edges of towns were often regarded as important local resources. Drawing on sources associated with the Tay Valley, it will argue that late medieval and early modern descriptions of Perth saw its location amidst ‘pleasant plains’ as integral to the attractions of the burgh. Authors valued Perth’s ‘middle ground’, considering it an important area for grazing animals, for managing water supplies, for growing food, and for practising archery and golf. Meanwhile, early modern visitors to Dundee praised the ‘pleasant walk’ up to the town and the ‘gardens running down to the river side’. These lands on the interface of town and country were spaces of ‘pleasure and profit’ which pre-industrial writers advised urban authorities to manage carefully.

Dr Bess Rhodes researches late medieval and early modern Scotland. She completed her MA, MLitt, and PhD in history at the University of St Andrews. Her first monograph Riches and Reform examined the economic impact of the Reformation on St Andrews. She has also co-authored a book on the battle of Pinkie – the last pitched battle between the independent kingdoms of Scotland and England. Bess holds an honorary research fellowship at the University of St Andrews, as well as working with the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland on an archaeological research framework for South-East Scotland. Recently, Bess embarked on a new research project exploring attitudes to Scottish landscapes between 1400 and 1700, with a particular focus on the Tay Valley.

The talk will take place in Lecture Theatre 2, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee. Refreshments will be served from 6pm. Admission is free - donations requested from non-members.

Image: Archibald Rutherford, View of Perth from the North, 1774 (National Galleries of Scotland)

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