This strangely beautiful solitude: an archaeological and historical study of Uffington House, 40MO145, Rugby, Tennessee

Uffington House, located in Historic Rugby, Morgan County, Tennessee, was the home of the mother and niece of Thomas Hughes, English author and social reformer. Hughes' attempt to provide a place for the "second-sons" of the English gentry on the Cumberland Plateau opened in 1880, but had failed by 1887. To show her support for her son's efforts, his mother, Margaret Hughes, moved to Rugby, bringing Thomas' niece, Emily along. They moved into Uffington House in 1881. After Margaret's death in 1887, the property was sold to Charles and Nell Brooks, who turned it into a successful farm.

Archaeological and historical investigations of Uffington House were aimed at documenting changes to the house and grounds made by the individual families that lived there, and locating former outbuildings on the property. Archaeological testing was undertaken in three areas of the yard based on visible features and historical photographs in an attempt to locate these outbuildings. This thesis represents the results of the historical research combined with an interpretation of the archaeological data recovered.