Social Life in Britain from the Conquest to the Reformation

This valuable 1919 work gives a fascinating insight into ordinary life in medieval Britain, from a wide range of sources.

G. G. Coulton (Author)

9781108010634, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 July 2010

640 pages, 45 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 3.6 cm, 0.8 kg

First published in 1918, and re-issued with forty pages of illustrations in 1919, Social Life in Britain marked a turning point in Coulton's writings. Although a rigorous academic who stressed the importance of using primary sources, Coulton was skilled at making medieval history accessible to a wider audience, by dealing with ordinary lives. He played an important role in encouraging interest in the study of social and economic, rather than political and military, history of the Middle Ages among younger scholars. In the present work, he used his extraordinarily wide reading of historical and literary sources to cover all aspects of ordinary life in medieval Britain. These include birth and childhood, education, town life, food and drink, the Church and medical methods. He also deals with aspects of women's lives, travelling, and bizarre superstitions which were widely held. A fascinating book to dip into, with a wealth of material.

Preface
1. Land and folk
2. Birth and nurture
3. Authors, scribes and readers
4. Church and churchmen
5. Kings, knights and war
6. Manor and cottage
7. Town life
8. Rich and poor
9. House, dress and meals
10. Sports and pastimes
11. Wayfaring and foreign travel
12. Women's life
13. Architecture and the arts
14. Medicine and justice
15. Superstitions and marvels
Index.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC]