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Archaeologist uncovers role of religion in South West woollen industry

Dr Claire Strachan discusses her findings on Wednesday 10 February in a free public lecture entitled ‘Congregation and Community: Space, Architecture and Identity in the South West woollen industry, c.1760-1850’.

Issued on 05 February 2010

A new study into the role of religion among the working classes during the industrial revolution will be presented at the University of Leicester. The research centres on the woollen industry of South West England, where a domestic industry had existed since the twelfth century.

The study involved analysing the architecture and spatial locations of nonconformist chapels in seven case studies in the South West, and illustrates the significance of religious observance in the expression of community identity.

Dr Strachan’s detailed research into the social and economic contexts of the region revealed that nonconformist Christian identities were not only visible in the built environment, but also in the social actions of the cloth workers, influencing their behaviour, political beliefs and relationships with their employers. Religious observance had a much greater impact on the social and political landscape of the industrial revolution than has been previously considered.

Dr Strachan commented:

“This research demonstrates that a study of religious observance is not only a valuable tool in understanding the social life, group interaction and identities of the working classes, but also provides a timely and necessary study of the archaeology of the industrial period. This is particularly significant given the increasing focus within industrial archaeology on the social activities of the working classes and the trend to move away from traditional studies of technology and processes that have previously dominated the discipline.”

The research suggests that the Evangelical Revival of the eighteenth century can be attributed to a rising in confidence of the working classes, not as previously argued, the stunting of it. The study proposes that religion was an integral part of social life during the industrial revolution, providing comfort and security, particularly in times of distress and instability, and a place for people to talk, share their experiences, and their grievances.

Dr Strachan’s research will be presented at the Doctoral Inaugural Lectures being held in Lecture Theatre 3, Ken Edwards Building, University of Leicester. Lecture time: 5.30pm-6.30pm on Wednesday February 10th.

Notes to Editors

For more information, contact Dr. Claire Strachan via the University of Leicester Press Office on 0116 252 2415 or email her at claire.strachan@yahoo.com

Dr. Claire Strachan is currently working as the Church Buildings Development Officer for the Dioceses of Leicester and Coventry, where she assists parishes in both dioceses to understand the issues relating to the property in their care, and to help them develop plans for the use of church buildings in the furtherance of mission and ministry as well as ensure a high standard of maintenance of those church buildings.

She obtained her first degree in Archaeology at the University of Leicester where she developed a keen interest in historic buildings particularly of the period of the Industrial age, before undertaking an MA in Industrial Archaeology at the Ironbridge Institute, where she graduated with distinction. Claire chose come back to Leicester to carry out a PhD under the supervision of Professor Marilyn Palmer, entitled Congregation and Community: Religious Observance and Identity in the South West Woollen Industry, c1760 – 1860. She was awarded her PhD in July 2009. She now lives in Bromsgrove with her fiancée and a menagerie of animals!

In a year out between her BA and MA degrees, and two year between her MA and PhD, Claire worked as a field archaeologist for ULAS (University of Leicester Archaeological Services) where she excavated a number of archaeological sites across Leicestershire.

Ruth Shepherd