Hierarchies

Hierarchies: The arrangement of settlements within a given area, in an ‘order of importance’.

This depends on:

Population Size: To determine a settlement hierarchy through size. Though nobody was able to produce a reasonable boundary between types of settlements.

Range of services: Villages provide little services, usually everyday items.

Sphere of influence: The area served by a particular service, better known as a market area. The sphere of influence depends on transport, the size of the town, competitors and the number of consumers served.