The North South Divide: The Origins of Northern Consciousness in England

by Helen M. Jewell

The North-South divide in England is rooted in prehistory and attested throughout recorded time in widely varied sources. This book traces its development from earliest times and provides a corrective to the popular notion that the divide only originated with the Industrial Revolution. A major theme of the study is the development of northern consciousness, and the presence of Scotland across the northern border is seen as an important factor in shaping northern English identity, as well as the attitudes of southern kings and governments to the north. Evidence of the divide is taken from chronicles, administrative sources, travellers' accounts and letters, and literature, from earliest times to around 1760 when the Industrial Revolution brought significant changes. Different placings of the dividing line are accounted for and the author also explores why the sense of difference was emphasized more at some periods than others.

251 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 1994

Reviews

[annatonistory]

This book tries to show that there existed a north-south divide in England even before the Industrial Revolution. As such, it focuses mostly on the Middle Ages with some jumps to Prehistoric times. Absolutely nothing about the 19th century so be warned.
The chapters jump all over the place chronologically, so you can't just read 1 chapter about the period you are interested in.

This are the contents:
0. Introduction
1. Where does the divide take place? (various historical ideas about where the south ends and the north begins exactly)
2. The beginning of northern consciousness
3. The political and administrative southern offensive
4. The economic distinctiveness of the north
5. Social distinctiveness: perceptions and realities
6. Two provinces and other religious differences (about religion and church in north and south)
7. The literary and linguistic evidence (mostly Medieval texts, only a mention of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South)
8. Conclusion (makes a good summary of the whole book, read this one if you want the TL;DR)