Measham and the Mease Valley to 1300 AD |
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IntroductionOn this page I try and set the scene for the historical project. Like painting the Forth rail bridge it will never be complete because events will happen and information will fall into place which no doubt change the historical prospective upon which the project is based. This being said I have tried to write the content of this and subsequent pages in such a way as they are easy to read, The whole work is not meant as a 70,000 word thesis but rather as an inter connected series of pages which would give the reader a good feel for the area. I have tried to make things as accurate as possible but undoubtedly there will be mistakes - for which I apologise in advance. |
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In the next part of the introduction I will look at: Finally I hope you enjoy exploring the findings of my historical research. It has been hard work but I hope you find all the hard work worth while. |
Structure of Web SiteIn constructing this site I have taken Measham as the central point. This page is written from a strict chronological perspective - starting from the earliest iron age finds through to the post Norman conquest period. From this page I have connected other pages covering specific topics - such as the Mercian Kingdom. |
Where is the Mease Valley ?The Mease Valley is situated about 20 miles north east of Birmingham, England. The river Mease runs westwards from Leicestershire, though Derbyshire and Staffordshire finally meeting the Tame and Trent near to Alrewas. The Mease valley is a shallow valley through which the Mease flows. There are a number of villages situated within the valley. However, the historical development of the valley has been influenced by settlements beyond the immediate valley area. Because of this the actual study area is bordered on the north, west and south by the Trent and Tame. To the east it is bordered by an old track way which I have called the Swepstone Way. This track way runs from an iron age settlement in the parish of Normanton le Heath to the Watling Street just to the west of Tamworth. |
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Why 1300 AD ?The reason for this is simple. From 1300 AD onwards the number of written and archaeological artefacts found in the area increases greatly. The period I am trying to explore helps explain what happened before this. |
Why Measham ?I was brought up in Measham. The Mease valley was where I spent most of my formative life. During this time I always wondered how Measham and the Mease valley developed. This web site is my attempt to answer this. |
Other Related PagesChronologicalGeographical/SettlementsGeneral |