Geology and Scenery in Britain Book

This text explains the relationship between the landscape of Britain and its underlying rocks and structures. Why, for example, do the Scottish Highlands present a scene of heathery wilderness while the English Midlands appear as a rich farmland invaded by patches of industrial spoliation? Current readers are now more conscious of environmental issues and those starting at University and Polytechnic are urgently seeking to discover how the landscape in which they live was fashioned over aeons of time. It is not simply a matter of relating topography to rock-types because landscape is changed as natural processes fashion the soils, vegetation and therefore the land uses. It is important, moreover, to trace the ways in which human impact began to alter our scenery from the time of our prehistoric forebears right up until our mineral resources were fully exploited in the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Whilst the book concentrates on the character of the rock types and the varying ways in which they have been worked upon by weather, rivers, glaciers and wind, attention is also given to the evolution of the cultural landscapes in post-glacial times. Such items as forest clearance and changing agricultural practices are examined together with regional differences in the use of building materials. Among the most distinctive features of this book are the systematic regional treatment of British scenery and the inclusion of a substantial bibliography, to allow the reader to pursue their explorations further among major books and articles.Read More