Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'England Cornwall'

Twenty one magnetotelluric and 16 magnetovariation soundings were taken on or near the Carnmenellis granite over periods in the range of 0.0078 seconds to 3000 seconds. The measured impedance tensors were analysed in detail using decomposition methods. All the data are distorted by galvanic electric charges which build up on the granite country rock contact. The amount of distortion varies between sites with distance from the edge of the batholith. The vast majority of the data are at least two dimensional and the effects of three dimensional induction are increasingly sensed by periods greater than 1s. Short period soundings indicate that the anisotropy in the magnetotelluric field is caused by electric current being channelled along fluid filled cracks. One dimensional modelling of the E-pol response indicates that the bottom of the granite is not flat, but slopes downwards to the south. This finding is evidence to support the theory that the Cornubrian granites originated SSE of their present position and were rafted NNW as a thin sheet. Two dimensional modelling suggests that at least a portion of the gradient of this slope is caused by the neglection of 3D induction in models used in the study. The pattern of regional azimuths between 0.1 and 10 seconds is caused by a combination of lateral, near surface, conductivity contrast, such as the surrounding seas, and conductivity contrasts at depth due to the slope of the bottom of the granite. Mainly due to the effects of conductivity contrasts perpendicular to the regional azimuth, it was found impossible to find a model which fitted the E-pol data at both on and off granite sites. The 2D model indicates that there is a steep rise in the resistivity depth profile of the granite from 800 ohm-m at the surface to 20000 ohm-m at 4 km. The closure of fluid filled joints due to the increase in lithological load with depth is interpreted to be the cause of this increase in resistivity.

The St. Austell pluton is part of the large Hercynian batholith of south-west England. The pluton exhibits a complex sequence of mineralisation events, which occur as distinct hydrothermal vein generations associated with characteristic alterations of the host granites. Geological and petrographic observations indicate that the first mineralisation event following the consolidation of the granites consists of the intrusion of quartz porphyry (rhyolite) dykes and the formation of quartz-tourmaline veins. The latter are associated with the extensive greisenisation of the host granites. This study is concerned mainly with the subsequent evolution of the pluton, which is summarised in the following sequence of events: a. Quartz-fluorite veins, associated with hydrothermal alteration of the host topaz gran-ites and resulting in the formation of the "fluorite granite" petrographic type. b. Formation of quartz-haematite veins. The mineral assemblage of these veins consists of kaolin+illite+haematite+/-chlorite. The wall-rock granites of the quartz-haematite veins are altered to an assemblage consisting of kaolin+illite+haematite. c. Formation of kaolin+/-quartz veins, associated with the extensive kaolinisation of the host granites. The alteration assemblage consists of kaolin and smectite. Petrographic observations indicate that clay mineral authigenesis associated with the illitisation of the parent granites is controlled by differences in the precipitation kinetics of kaolin and illite. Similarly, the kaolinisation of the granites is mainly con-trolled by the slow precipitation kinetics of quartz, thus permitting SiO2 content of the fluids to exceed quartz saturation and allowing smectite to precipitate. Geochemical modelling of the kaolinisation allows the identification of the fluid/mineral equilibrium relations required for the formation of a kaolin+smectite mineral assemblage from the feldspar mineral assemblage of the parent granites. Paragenetic and fluid inclusion evidence suggest that successive mineralisation events occurred at progressively lower temperatures, culminating with the kaolinisation of the granites at relatively elevated temperatures of between 100 and 50°C. The nature of the hydrothermal fluids responsible for the formation of different alteration assem-blages is difficult to assess because of substantial uncertainties involved in the interpretation of the clay minerals' stable isotope compositions. Overall, the geological, petro-graphic, and fluid inclusion data favour the involvement of elevated temperature, moderately to highly saline fluids in both the kaolinisation and illitisation of the St. Austell granites. It is also considered that the kaolinisation of the granites did not take place due to the interaction of the parent granites with meteoric waters. The correlation of the geological and thermal history of the pluton during the Mesozoic suggests that the kao-linisation took place prior to the unroofing of the pluton and during a period of rapid uplift and cooling in the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. This uplift event is linked to the rifting associated with the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The alteration of the parent granites is attributed to their interaction with either sedimentary brines expelled from the Plymouth Basin or with evolved (modified) meteoric waters.

In this regional study of Methodist development and societal influence throughout the period of industrialisation, recent trends in Methodist historiography at a national level are combined with the research and source material accumulated at a local level, to provide a detailed analysis of Methodist growth in Cornwall between the years 1780 and 1870. The thesis is divided loosely into three sections. In the first, four chapters outline the essential background to interpretative analysis by considering, in turn, recent historiographical developments in Methodist studies; social change in Cornwall during industrialisation; the performance of the Anglican Church in the county as represented in the Visitation Returns for 1779, (as well as historical and structural reasons for its 'failure'); and Methodist growth as expressed through available statistical indices, especially the date of formation of Methodist societies, and the 1851 Ecclesiastical Census. In the second section, one long chapter is devoted to an in-depth, county-wide analysis of Methodist growth, which considers the impact of external factors, particularly socio-economic, and internal circumstances, such as the degree of maturity of pastoral and administrative machinery, and the level of Connexional or lay control over chapel and circuit affairs, on the form and function of Methodism in nine distinct socioeconomic regions within the county. In the third section, four chapters concentrate on West Cornwall, where Methodism was strongest, in order to examine the roots of, and reasons for, the distinctively indigenous form of Methodism which developed there. On the one hand, the pastoral and administrative difficulties in exerting adequate Connexional control are considered; while on the other, an interpretation of the 'folk' functionality of revivals and of Methodism as a 'popular religion' is offered.

This thesis provides a critical understanding of the size and relative position of the Cornish in Cornwall, a county in the south-west of the UK. Cornwall is a region which has experienced increased levels of disadvantage for a prolonged period of time. The indigenous people, whilst seeing a rise in their inclusion in ethnicity variables in the region, have remained under-researched in terms of their socio-economic position relative to the non-Cornish in the same geographic area. This thesis addresses this gap in the literature and represents the first in-depth examination of the group. The 2001 Census included an option to ‘write-in’ a Cornish ethnic identity, however whilst accurate in the responses it recorded the result was almost certainly an under-enumeration due to the lack of a dedicated tick-box selection. This thesis is a rigorous examination of the Cornish, starting with these data, estimating their size and socio-economic position (in terms of social exclusion) relative to non-Cornish individuals. Three stages of primary analysis sought to; analyse, adjust and extend the 2001 Census result to broadly estimate the size, links with exclusion and the causal processes behind these links. Firstly, an accurate picture of the size of the Cornish population was estimated using an innovative weighting strategy, developed to collate all other data referring to the Cornish and to derive weights for application to the raw Census data. Secondly, a stage of primary survey research examined this group more directly for links with social exclusion factors; and thirdly, a stage of qualitative interviews with knowledgeable individuals in the region lent depth to the findings and provided a more coherent explanatory framework. The results indicate that the Cornish are certainly more numerous than the 2001 Census had indicated. The proportion of individuals self-identifying as Cornish is likely to be closer to a quarter of the population rather than the 6.7% indicated in the 2001 ii data. There was some discrepancy in the data between the belief amongst the group of social exclusion and the reality. In order to explain the discrepancy, a model was used which explores the difference between personal-level experience and group level discrimination (Taylor et al 1990). The results of this thesis highlight the complex and multi-dimensional processes inherent in, firstly, the methodological and practical process of ethnicity measurement and, secondly, its use as an explanatory variable for social exclusion experience. Overall, this thesis represents the first and most comprehensive examination of the indigenous people of Cornwall and their relative lived experience compared to non-Cornish in the same area.

This thesis reports an investigation of Iron Age diet in Britain using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data obtained from skeletal material from four locations across England and southern Scotland. Both human and animal bone Collagen has been analysed from Wetwang in East Yorkshire and other sites in East Lothian, Hampshire and Cornwall. Animal bone from Dorset has also been included. The aims of the study were to characterize British Iron Age diet in general isotopic terms and also to provide a contextual base for future analysis which allows an understanding of both inter- and intra-site variation in such data for this and other periods. The comparisons across the locations allowed consideration of geographical variability within England and southern Scotland and included material from coastal sites (Cornwall and East Lothian), from sites with easy access to rivers and estuaries (Hampshire) and an inland site where access to water would have been more difficult (Wetwang). All human groups were consuming high levels of animal protein and there was very little evidence for the consumption of aquatic resources. There was significant variation in 815N values between the locations, which was reflected both in the humans and the herbivores, such that it is likely to be related to environmental rather than to dietary differences. Intra-site group comparisons at Wetwang showed very little variation within the cemetery population IM according to age, sex, subjective status category or site phase. The data were very consistent within the populations, although those for Hampshire displayed more variation in nitrogen.

Artefacts relating to tin smelting from tin mills or 'blowing houses' in Devon and Cornwall, plus material from smelting sites that cover a range of dates from the Bronze Age through to the 19th Century, were examined: these include metallic tin, furnace linings, ore samples and slag. Analysis of tin slags from over forty sites was carried out, to determine microstructure and chemical composition. Techniques employed included optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence and ICP mass spectrometry. Analysis indicates that slag appearance and composition are heavily influenced by local geology. Composition, particularly iron content, is shown to have a strong effect on slag melting point and viscosity, and the implications for the purity of metal produced are discussed. Bringing together the evidence provided by slag chemistry, documentary sources and smelting remains in the archaeological record, changes in tin smelting technology through time, and the consequences thereof, are considered.

Concerns about anthropogenic climate change, fossil fuel depletion, energy security, and damage to our ecosystems are acting as a catalyst for action in many sectors of industry and society. One key sector which has been identified as crucial for addressing these issues is the building sector. Therefore, in the UK context, with the aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the requirements for new homes in terms of their energy efficiency are becoming ever more stringent, leading to the introduction of the zero carbon homes standard from 2016. Alongside this, broader priorities for sustainable development have been established in the UK, with a focus on the creation of sustainable communities. These are communities which support the diverse needs of residents and provide a good quality of life whilst protecting the natural environment. The literature suggests that the volume housebuilding sector is failing to meet housing demand in terms of either quantity or quality. Furthermore, it is apparent that the sector is failing to respond to voluntary stimuli for the delivery of zero carbon homes. Thus, it is with an overall aim of supporting the delivery of zero carbon homes and sustainable communities that this thesis has been undertaken. The UK Government suggested in 2011 that self-build homes, in which the occupant is involved in either building or commissioning the home, are more likely to be affordable, energy efficient and innovative than open market housing. Self-build housing accounts for only around 10% of new homes built in the UK, and group self-build is a small proportion of this. The UK Government has an aspiration to double the size of the self-build sector, with an expansion in the group self-build sector, over the decade to 2021. Literature on the self-build sector is limited, and that on the group self-build sector even more so. Indeed, gaps in knowledge in terms of the motivations for and benefits of group self-build exist. There are also gaps in knowledge in terms of the barriers to group self-building and ways in which the expansion of the sector could be best supported. Furthermore, existing literature on drivers for and barriers to zero carbon homebuilding is limited and fails to gather opinions from the broad range of professionals involved in the delivery of new homes. With the aim of addressing these gaps in knowledge, three complementary studies were conducted with an element of focus on the region of Cornwall, in South West England. With the aim of exploring opinions of professionals involved in the delivery of new homes regarding zero carbon homebuilding, a series of 34 semi-structured interviews was undertaken within the first study (Perceptions of zero carbon homebuilding). The second study was undertaken with the aim of investigating professional and expert opinions on the suitability of group self-build as a development model for zero carbon homes and sustainable communities (Self-build perceptions). This investigation employed the Policy Delphi method, an iterative, non-contact group research process in which data was gathered from participants through three rounds of online questionnaire surveys. This second study was formed of two concurrent studies; one employed a panel of national participants within England, the other a panel of regional participants within South West England. The third and final study aimed to explore the experience-based opinions of group self-builders through a series of 11 in-depth interviews (Group self-build reflections). The three studies are presented independently. However, each subsequent study is built upon the knowledge gained in the previous study. Within the final chapter of the thesis, the results are brought together and triangulated through a consideration of how the findings coalesce to cast light on the three central concepts of zero carbon homes, sustainable communities, and group self-build housing. The findings from this research identify and elucidate a number of themes of drivers for and barriers to zero carbon homebuilding. Themes of drivers include: legislative, economic, social responsibility, individual, and industry. Themes of barriers include: economic, skills and knowledge, industry, legislative, and cultural. Multiple potential support mechanisms for the delivery of zero carbon homes were also identified. The findings highlight the need for a cultural shift in the housebuilding industry, reducing the over-reliance on volume housebuilders. A broad range of benefits and motivations for group self-building have been identified and explored. However, whilst a strong appetite for environmentally sustainable development amongst group self-builders is established, this research casts some doubt on the central assertion that group self-build homes will be more energy efficient than speculatively built homes. Differences between the individual and group self-build sector were exposed both in terms of the motivations and the barriers faced. This thesis demonstrates how the benefits of group self-build housing serve to help create sustainable communities, and how they also serve to address some of the barriers to zero carbon homebuilding. The findings of this research demonstrate that group self-build housing offers a significant number of potential benefits towards the delivery of zero carbon homes and the creation of sustainable communities.

Localism places a special value on the local, and is increasingly prominent as a political doctrine. The literature suggests localism operates in three ways: bottom-up, top down and mutualistic. To assess its impact, localism needs to be seen within the broader context of multi-level governance. Here localism is examined in relation to three major themes: place, public value (PV), and institutional design. Regarding place, a key distinction is drawn between old and new localism. Old localism is about established local government, while new localism highlights the increasing room for manoeuvre that localities have in contemporary politics. This enables them to influence wider power structures, for example through trans-local organizing. With regard to public value, localist thinking makes a key contribution to core PV domains such as sustainability, wellbeing and democracy, as well as to others like territorial cohesion and intergovernmental mutuality. As for institutional design, the study is particularly concerned with ‘sub-continental’ political systems. A set of principles for the overall design of such systems is proposed, together with a framework of desirable policy outcomes at the local level. This can be used to evaluate how effective political systems are at creating public value in local settings. The thesis presents a comparative study of localism in two significant, sub-continental clusters: India/Kerala/Kollam and the EU/UK/England/Cornwall. Both can be seen as contrasting ‘exemplars’ of localism in action. In India, localism was a major factor in the nationwide local self-government reforms of 1993 and their subsequent enactment in the state of Kerala. In the EU, localism has been pursued through an economic federalism based on regions and sub-regions. This is at odds with the top-down tradition in British politics. The tension between the two approaches is being played out currently in the peripheral sub-region of Cornwall/Isles of Scilly. Cornwall’s dilemma has been sharpened by Britain’s recent decision to leave the EU. The thesis considers the wider implications of the case studies, and presents some proposals for policymakers and legislators to consider, together with suggestions for further research.

This thesis provides a full-length critical treatment of the Essayes (1600-01) of Sir William Cornwallis (c.1579-1614). Cornwallis' Essayes are the first examples of the ‘familiar’ essay in English: to which the rhetorical shaping of persona and the use of the personal voice are central. This is the first such study of Cornwallis since the first half of the twentieth century, and situates his Essayes within their cultural, social, and material contexts. The thesis draws upon previous work on Cornwallis and his Essayes from the 1930s and 1940s, but also on recent developments in early-modern English studies, especially in the fields of the history of rhetoric and the history of reading. The thesis challenges the assumptions behind two major critical approaches to the early-modern essay: firstly that it is a form in which the personal voice can be unambiguously expressed, and secondly that it is an essentially unoriginal genre which is more closely related to reading than to writing. This thesis qualifies these approaches, while demonstrating that the origins of each are found in the rhetorical practices of early English essays. This thesis argues however that Cornwallis’s essays are elaborate fusions of classical commonplaces, humanistic rhetoric, and ethical theories of how to live, resulting from complex interactions between different strands of humanistic educative practices, and that Cornwallis’s use of the personal voice is shaped by ethically-inflected rhetorical theories of affect and imitation. The thesis further attempts to think about how essays were being read in this period, and to do so offers a study of the material traces of reading, in the form of annotations and commonplace books, left by early-modern readers of John Florio’s English translation of Montaigne (1603).