What Makes A Place 'Rural'?

Question 1

What makes a place ‘rural’?

Answer 1

• The degree to which an area depends on agriculture/food/forestry
• Population density
• Distance in time and/or space from services and opportunities
• Variety of services and opportunities available locally

Question 2

What are the stereotypical perceptions of the ‘rural idyll’?

Answer 2

Current stereotype is time and place specific e.g. not a common perception of 19th Century UK, not currently in developing parts of the world

Question 3

What contributes to this perception of the ‘rural idyll’?

Answer 3

• TV (e.g. Last of the Summer Wine)
• Advertising (e.g. Country Living magazine)
• National culture (e.g. Jerusalem)
• Art and literature (e.g. Constable and Austen)

Question 4

Rural areas have experienced counter urbanisation, why?

Answer 4

• High house prices (Push)
• Better transport links (Pull)
• Better internet (Pull)
• Perceived advantages of rural life (Pull)

Question 5

What are some challenges facing rural areas?

Answer 5

• Second home owners and incomes build new post productive rural landscape; diversifying from farming to leisure and tourism
• Higher house prices
• Ageing population

Question 6

Give an example of diversification

Answer 6

Boyton Farm

• 2,500 acre farm in Wiltshire
• Mainly grain production and cattle and lamb meat
• To diversify: Converted barn which holds weddings, farm shop, café, shoot school, educational courses and farm tours