ABSTRACT
Town and country are often perceived as distinct entities, frequently in conflict with one another during the mid-nineteenth century, because of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. Doncaster offers a particularly interesting example of a reciprocal relationship between town and country. In the mid-nineteenth century, Doncaster was a country market town on the cusp of change. In contrast, Doncaster Corporation's proactive role in market improvements is indicative of a much more positive relationship between town and country in the district, and specifically of the high esteem in which agriculture was held there. The Corporation soon made further improvements to the market infrastructure in Doncaster. This chapter shows that strong reciprocal relationships characterised the interactions between Doncaster and its environs. The majority of towns and cities in England had new market buildings and agricultural societies in the mid-nineteenth century, but this did not necessarily equate to a reciprocal relationship.
