Thomas Gerard (historian)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Gerard (1593–1634), lord of the manor of Trent in Somerset (now in Dorset), was an antiquary and historian of the county of Dorset and is the author of "Coker's" Survey of Dorsetshire.
Country historian
He was born at Trent, in Somerset, in 1593 and was educated at Gloucester Hall, Oxford.[1]
He was the first "county historian" of Dorset, but his work has traditionally been attributed to the clergyman John Coker, hence known as "Coker's Survey of Dorsetshire".[1] He thus joined other "county historians" who made an appearance during his era, such as Sir William Pole (d.1635) and Tristram Risdon (d.1640) of Devon, William Burton (d.1645) of Leicestershire (a friend of his[1]), etc., and most notably William Camden (d.1623).
Publications
- "Coker's" Survey of Dorsetshire, Containing the Antiquities and Natural History of that County, published posthumously in 1732. It was relied on heavily by John Hutchins for his History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset.
- Particular Description of Somerset, unfinished work.
