Temporality and Political Ecology in a Medieval Small Town

The potential of legacy data for experimenting with new conceptual approaches to medieval urbanity is explored through a case study of Romsey, Hampshire (UK). The paper explores the theme of ‘forgotten towns’ in three ways. Firstly, by mapping the ‘archaeological method assemblage’ of development-led archaeology it is proposed that an emphasis on the characterization of significance creates forgetfulness as data are not synthesized and the potential for archaeology to reveal detail of the ‘everyday’ elements of urban life overlooked. Secondly, the paper focuses on small towns which it is demonstrated are often overlooked, or forgotten, in narratives of urban development. Finally, the paper explores ‘forgotten’ elements of urban life, by examining material practices which are generative of distinctive modes of temporality and ecological dependencies which are constitutive, rather than reflective, of urbanity.