The earl of Derby and his tenants: sales of Royalist land during the Interregnum revisited1
MELANIE HARRINGTON
Abstract
This article examines the archives of the earls of Derby alongside related governmental papers to provide a new perspective on the Royalist land sales. It revisits Thirsk's pioneering work and, while upholding its significance, argues that historians can go further in understanding the social and economic consequences of the land sales. The identity, motivation, and activity of the Interregnum purchasers are re-assessed, and it is suggested that the role of tenants was greater and more complex than has been appreciated. The case study will hopefully shed further light on a part of the Revolution land settlement story which has been underplayed.
Article Type: OA
Page range: 1195 - 1217
Extent: Page(s)
