Farm buildings form an important element in the landscape, whether they are found in villages or hamlets, or are isolated in the countryside. In their design they reflect the differences in types and methods of farming between one area and another and between different periods of history. They thus provide valuable material evidence for agricultural history. However, the old buildings are generally not suited to modern farming methods. A great many have been converted to houses or some other use, others have been modified, or demolished or left to decay. The need to study and record what is left is therefore very urgent. The traditional farmstead was composed of a number of different buildings, each with its own characteristic features and each serving a different purpose. This book looks at the purely agricultural buildings in turn, so that each can be recognised, as a barn, a cowhouse, a stable and so on; the house is ignored, being a subject on its own. The buildings are looked at as you would approach them, noting first the features visible from outside, then those seen inside, and only finally the plan. The book also looks, more briefly, at the way buildings are grouped together.

The sequel to Traditional Buildings of Britain traces the origins and development of traditional buildings by going inside the houses and revealing from their plans how they evolved from basic accommodation to homes giving comfort and privacy. The book shows how local traditional materials--earth, timber, stone, brick--were used in the construction of the buildings.

Emphasizing past gains in knowledge from experimental, aerial and field archaeology, Dr Fowler demonstrates how the application of archaeological approaches to agrarian history has made the subject central to our understanding of the prehistoric period. Emphasizing past gains in knowledge from experimental, aerial and field archaeology, Dr Fowler demonstrates how the application of archaeological approaches to agrarian history has made the subject central to our understanding of the prehistoric period.

Traditional farmsteads and farm buildings make an important contribution to the remarkably varied character of England's landscape. They are fundamental to its sense of place and local distinctiveness. Although the majority of traditional farm buildings have now become partly or wholly redundant for modern agricultural purposes unsupported by income to fund their maintenance and repair, they often have the potential to be of economic value in terms of their capacity to accommodate a variety of new uses. Successful adaptive reuse of any farmstead or building depends upon an understanding of its significance, its relationship to the wider landscape setting and its sensitivity to and capacity for change. This advice is aimed at owners of farm buildings, building professionals and local authority planning and conservation officers. It explains how significance can be retained and enhanced through well-informed maintenance and sympathetic development, provided that repairs, design and implementation are carried out to a high standard. This replaces The Conversion of Traditional Farm Buildings published September 2006.

The second edition of an introduction to the traditional buildings of Britain, for the intelligent general reader. Dr Brunskill has held office in a number of organizations devoted to the study and protection of Britain's architectural heritage. His other books include Timber Building in Britain.