Women and estate management in the early eighteenth century: Barbara Savile at Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire (1700-34)

Law, Sarah; Seymour, Susanne; Watkins, Charles

Abstract

There is a rich and increasing body of research pointing to the significant role elite women played in property management during the eighteenth century. In this paper we examine the contribution of an elite widow, Barbara Savile, to the management of her son Sir George Savile’s extensive landholdings in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire from 1700 until her death in 1734. We establish that Barbara Savile had a deep understanding of estate business and was a shrewd judge of character, expertise on which both Sir George and his stewards relied. She scrutinised account books, commissioned surveys for rental reassessment, was instrumental in the negotiation of wood contracts and was closely involved in the practical management of many aspects of tree and woodland management.

Citation

Law, S., Seymour, S., & Watkins, C. (2022). Women and estate management in the early eighteenth century: Barbara Savile at Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire (1700-34). Rural History, 33(1), 23-39. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956793321000133

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 25, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 22, 2021
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Deposit Date: May 25, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 22, 2021
• Print ISSN: 0956-7933
• Electronic ISSN: 1474-0656
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 23-39
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956793321000133
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5415316
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/rural-history/article/abs/women-and-estate-management-in-the-early-eighteenth-century-barbara-savile-at-rufford-abbey-nottinghamshire-170034/AB28D053C4D2A9EDC495236618930DA1