Past conference
“Sustainability and the Commons”. International Research Symposium, Lancaster University, Dept. of History, 11 and 12 September 2008
Conference programme
All photographs © E A Straughton and A J L Winchester
Contested Common Land
Full title: Contested Common Land: environmental governance, law and sustainable management c. 1600-2006
Duration: Launched February 2007, running for 36 months
Principle Investigator: Professor Chris Rodgers
Project team members: Dr A J L Winchester, Dr P Olivier, Dr E Straughton, Dr D G Jackson, M Pieraccini (PhD)
Higher Education Institution: Newcastle University
Other partnerships: Lancaster University
Project associate: Professor Philip Lowe
Contact information:
Tel: 0191 222 7612 or email: c.p.rodgers@ncl.ac.uk
Project web page: http://commons.ncl.ac.uk/
Project summary
The common land of England and Wales is an important common resource with multiple (and often conflicting) land uses. It provides some of our most ecologically sensitive environments and landscapes. This collaborative project will bring together academics from the Universities of Newcastle and Lancaster to examine the environmental governance of common land from an interdisciplinary, historical and contemporary perspective.
For more details please go to the project summary document 
Progress and Highlights
Year 1
Framework methodology statements were prepared in order to focus (i) the archival research, and (ii) the qualitative data generation, in each case study area ( Cumbria , Norfolk , North Yorkshire and Powys). Archival research on the manor court records for Eskdale ( Cumbria ) and Ingleton ( North Yorkshire ) highlighted important management issues and common strands that could be integrated into the qualitative data exercise. The records of post-manorial institutions, such as commoners' associations and stint-holders' meetings, were also collected. Evidence of contrasting common land management traditions raised a number of questions in regards to environmental governance and historical notions of sustainability. A project website was launched to raise awareness of the project and to make ongoing research findings and working papers freely available to interested members of the public, stakeholders and academics: http://commons.ncl.ac.uk/.
Year 2
Background archival work has been completed for three of the case studies – Eskdale ( Cumbria ), Ingleton (North Yorkshire) and the Elan and Claerwen Valleys (Powys). Working papers summarising the historical research for these cases are posted on the project website, together with galleries of images, maps and links relevant to each case study area: see ( http://commons.ncl.ac.uk/). The project team is also preparing archival material for display on the project website. Archival research for the Norfolk case study area will begin autumn/winter 2008.
The Qualitative Research for the Eskdale and Ingleton case studies is largely complete. Semi structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders in December 2007 and March 2008 in Eskdale and in May and September 2008 in Ingleton. Semi structured interviews in the Ingleton case study focussed on commoners holding rights on the Scales Moor, Ingleton and Clapham common units. The semi structured interviews were followed up with a focus group involving commoners and other stakeholders in September 2008 in Ingleton. A further focus group is to be held in Eskdale before Christmas 2008.
The Qualitative Research for the Elan valley case study started in October 2008 and will be completed by march 2009. The North Norfolk case study to be completed in early 2009.
