Towns in medieval England 
Selected sources

This is the first collection of translated sources on towns in medieval England. It draws on the great variety of written evidence for this significant and dynamic period of urban development, and invites students to consider for themselves the challenges and opportunities presented by a wide range of primary written sources.

The introduction and editorial commentary situate the extracts within the larger context of European urban history, against a longer chronological backdrop and in relation to the most up-to-date research. Suggestions for further reading enable the student to engage critically with the materials and encourage new work in the field. Collectively, the texts and commentary provide an overview of English medieval urban history, while the emphasis throughout is on the particular character and potential of each type of written evidence, from legal and administrative records to inventories of shops, and from letters and poetry to legendary civic histories.

Tabella dei contenuti

Introduction
Part I: History and praise
Part II: Urban growth
Part III: Economic life
Part IV: Social development
Part V: Urban government
Part VI: The environment and quality of life
Part VII: Tensions and violence
Part VIII: Associational life
Part IX: Religion and culture
Glossary
Suggestions for further reading
Index

Circa l’autore

Simon Mac Lean is Lecturer in History at the University of St Andrews