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Durham E-Theses A historical demography of the rolvenden hundred with reference to population genetics Hill, Alan William David How to cite: Hill, Alan William David (1984) A historical demography of the rolvenden hundred with reference to population genetics, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7471/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 A HISTORICAL DEMOGRAPHY OF THE ROLVENDEN HUNDRED WITH REFERENCE TO POPULATION GENETICS by ALAN WILLIAM DAVID HILL A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Department of Anthropology University of Durham 1984 A HISTORICAL DEMOGRAPHY OF THE ROLVENDEN HUNDRED with reference to Population Genetics. M.Sc. thesis by Alan William David Hill ABSTRACT This thesis studies some aspects of the demographic history of the Rolvenden Hundred in the Weald of Kent during the period 1560-1980, and attempts to assess the factors affecting population change in the region over that period. Research into the regions historical background revealed a number of key variables which may have influenced the course of historical demography. The established views of several Kentish authorities, together with material derived from the Anglican parish registers provided the basic approach to this study. The study starts with a general introduction to the population history of the region. Particular interest is devoted to folk movements of the Anglo-Saxon period who settled in Kent during the early fifth century. It appears to have been their descendants who were so successful in developing the soils of the Weald for agriculture. Their drove roads determined the orientation of inter-parish movement at much later dates in history. The main section of the work is concerned with the populations adaptive responses to changing socio-economic conditions. It is argued that the pioneering settlers within the Weald were peculiarly well adapted in terms of genetic 'fitness' and had presumably earlier evolved such genetic traits due to natural selection. The consequences of their failure to adapt to the demands of a market economy forms the basis for later discussion, with particular emphasis upon epidemic cycles acting as a vehicle for natural selection. The parameters of this study were of necessity limited, many possible avenues of further investigation are highlighted in the last chapter. Some statistical material was found to differ considerably from other contemporary studies. No positive conclusions can be drawn at this stage; the object of this study was primarily to provide a basis for future personal fieldwork in this region. Department of Anthropology University of Durham 1984 ABSTRACT This thesis studies some aspects of the demographic history of the Rolvenden Hundred in the Weald of Kent during the period 156|-1980, and attempts to assess the factors affecting population change in the region over that period. Research into the regions historical background revealed a number of key variables which may have influenced the course of historical demography. The established views of several Kentish authorities, together with material derived from the Anglican parish registers provided the basic approach to this study. The study starts with a general introduction to the population history of the region. Particular interest is devoted to folk movements of the Anglo- Saxon period who settled in Kent during the early fifth century. It appears to have been their descendants who were so successful in developing the soils of the Weald for agriculture. Their drove roads determined the orientation of inter-parish movement at much later dates in history. The main section of the work is concerned with the population's adaptive responses to changing socio• economic conditions. It is argued that the pioneering settlers within the Weald were peculiarly well adapted in terms of genetic 'fitness' and had presumably earlier evolved such genetic traits due to natural selection. The consequences of their failure to adapt to the demands of a market economy forms- the- basis for later discussion, with particular emphasis upon epidemic cycles acting as a vehicle for natural selection. The parameters of this study were of necessity limited, many possible avenues of further investigation are highlighted in the last chapter. Some statistical material was found to differ considerably from other contemporary studies. No positive conclusions can be drawn at this stage; the object of this study was primarily to provide a basis for future personal fieldwork in this region. i CONTENTS Page No. List of figures - see Appendicies List of tables see Appendicies Acknowledgements ... ... iv Introduction ... ... v,vifvii. CHAPTER I The Historical background 1 CHAPTER II The land and its development 22 CHAPTER III An outline of population change within the Rolvenden Hundred 1561 - 1980 32 Period I 1561 - 1700 32 Period II 1701 - 1840 37 Period III 1841 - 1980 44 CHAPTER IV Material and methods ... 48 1. Quality and detail of the Rolvenden registers 48 2. Marriages 49 3. Burials 50 4. Methods of analysis 51 5. Problems 55 CHAPTER V Mortality 58 Period I 1561-1700 1. Identification of probable cause of anbormal rates 58 2. Tuberculosis ... 59 3. Crisis mortality ... 62 4. Infant mortality ... 64 5. Occupational diseases 69 6. Plague ... 71 7. Periods of high mortality not attributable to plague 73 ii Period II 17Q1-184Q Page No. Introduction ... 75 Infant mortality ... 77 Adolescent and adult mortality ... 79 Differential mortality ... 81 Conclusions ... 82 Period III 1841-198Q Introduction ... 83 Infant and adolescent mortality ... 84 Stillborn children ... 85 High rates of mortality when compared with the Otmoor study 85 Adult mortality ... 87 Conclusions ... 88 CHAPTER VI. Aspects of Historical Demography. 1. Focal points ... 91 2. Consanguineous unions 92 3. Mendelian Populations 93 4. Marriage distance and orientation 93 5. Parish endogamous marriages 94 6. Marriage distance and orientation 1576-1975 95 7. The Rural Network 97 8. Social and Inter-Generational Mobility 100 9. Conclusions 102 / iii LIST OF APPENDICIES Page No. Marr iage -di-st-anee -data- " 1 ID- II6 List of figures ... 117-126 List of tables ... 127-131 Sketch maps ... 132-133 Bibliography ... 134-135 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank Professor E.Sunderland of the Department of Anthropology at Durham University for his help and advice during the period this work was undertaken. I would also like to thank my wife Suzanne for her invaluable assistance and encouragement at all times. V Introduction Interest in genetic demography has produced various studies concerned with piercing together possible reasons for variation in the demographic determinants of the genetic structure of Britain's regional populations. When such material is used in conjunction with a detailed census of the existing population and a survey of genetic markers such as those for many of the blood groups it can provide very useful information on the differentiation of human populations. It is not possible to emulate the controlled breeding experiments on animals such as the fruit fly which have enabled the population geneticist to understand many of the mechanisms involved in population variation. Under laboratory conditions it has been possible to control the environment, population sizes, sex ratios and breeding habits of these creatures to such a fine degree that many factors such as natural selection, genetic drift and the influence of migration can clearly be seen to affect the genetic composition of the experimental populations. Analysis of the genetic demography of a particular region does however provide one with a better understanding of underlying historical influences which may have pre• determined the course of historical demography. One lacks precise information but it appears possible to develop a working hypothesis which may make a basic contribution to the discussion of known variation in the demographic vi determinants of genetic structure. Most contemporary studiesdevote considerable attention to the geographical regions traditionally regarded as areas of refuge in the past and in particular Wales. South-east Britain, subject as it was to invasion and settlement over many thousands of years has been termed a 'zone of cultural replacement' and as such is assumed to have been subject to much gene pool fluidity. Perhaps for this reason alone the region has not attracted the same attention as the western region. The late Professor Fleure did however suggest earlier this century that 'the Weald along with Romney Marsh were potential areas of genetic survival from perhaps the Neolithic period onwards'. Initial interest in this study area was derived from Professor Fleure's suggestions which do not appear to have produced further comment or discussion. From a purely practical viewpoint the existence of a gene pool continuous in time from the Neolithic period to the present does not appear a tenable proposition in either the Weald or Romney Marsh. In order to establish a working hypothesis for theory building purposes this study investigates a number of significant variables that may have had a profound effect on the regions genetic demography.