A wide-ranging history of Scotland's towns from their earliest foundations to the turn of the 21st Century This pioneering book tells the story of urban development in Scotland over the course of a millennium, drawing on original research into more than thirty towns, from the smallest settlements to major cities. The changes in urban society came at different times and at different paces for most towns and many had to withstand crisis after crisis. The overall evolution of urban life, in its different guises, is explored throughout the book. Beautifully illustrated and blending archaeological, cartographic and geographic resources, the study also examines the lives of people who lived in Scotland's towns and cities to give the reader a vivid impression of the times and a clear understanding of how these urban developments came to be. The book also considers urban heritage and asks what we have lost and may continue to lose through neglect and fragmentation. Pat Dennison is an historian who has wide experience of working with both documentary and archaeological evidence. She was appointed as the historian to the archaeological excavations at the site of the new Parliament of Scotland. She has taught and published extensively on Scotland's towns, both large and small.