72 Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire by Jennifer Lawler

72 Byzantium

Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire by Jennifer Lawler

From Abasgia to Zoroastrianism this A-Z guides the reader through a thousand years of the Byzantine

Empire, describing ‘the people who populated it, the cities they lived in, the way they dressed and ate,

the major events that shaped their lives and their world – and the people they encountered.’ The cross-

referenced and clearly presented entries are wide-ranging, introducing the general reader to many

unfamiliar people and their world. 366p, b/w illus (McFarland 2004) 0786415207 Hb £55.50

Byzantine Court Culture from 829 to 1204 edited by H Maguire * New in Paperback *

A rich collection of papers that attempt to understand the rich and complex phenomenon of the Byzantine

imperial court in all its facets. An important recurrent theme is the effects of change in the social

makeup of the court and the reflection of these changes in art and architecture. The contributions are

divided into six thematic sections which discuss: imperial spaces; imperial costumes and cult gifts;

interchanges with foreign courts; court intellectuals and rhetoric; social composition of the Byzantine

court; sart of the Byzantine court. One paper in French, the rest in English. 264p, b/w pls (Dumbarton

Oaks 1997, Pb 2004) 0884023087 Pb £15.95

Authority in Byzantine Provincial Society, 950-1100 by Leonora Neville

While Byzantine society may seem overly bureaucratic, its focus was to a large degree on central

issues, relying on imperial officials to administer authority in the provinces ensuring the extraction of

revenue and the maintenance of sovereignty. This study examines the actions of imperial officials and

the opportunities that arose for local, wealthy households to seize authority and make decisions over

their local community, often with manipulation and coercion. Focusing on the core provinces outside

Constantinople, essentially around the Aegean, she reveals how the imperial administration ‘touched

lightly’ on provincial society and how life here was governed, or constrained, more by local wealthy

families than by imperial government. 210p, 3 maps (Cambridge UP 2004) 0521838657 Hb £45.00

Women of Byzantium by Carolyn L Connor

In this study Connor presents a window into the ‘lives, occupations, beliefs, and social roles of Byzantine

women’ from Late Antiquity, AD250, to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. Drawing on a wide variety

of sources including art, architecture, inscriptions, hagiographies, poetry, histories, legal records and

chronicles, each chapter begins with a general introduction to its central theme and then takes a particular

female figure as a case study, covering many different types and social classes of women. The lives of

ordinary women, wives, mothers, and sisters are placed alongside those of the empress Theodora, the

empress Zoe, the wife of the emperor Justinian, Anna Komnene, and so on. 396p, maps, 20 col pls, 44

b/w figs (Yale UP 2004) 0300099576 Hb £27.50

Wiener Byzantinistik und Neogräzistik edited by W Hörandner, J Koder et al

This volume, forming the proceedings of a symposium held in Vienna in 2002, publishes thirty-nine

papers which present recent research by Viennese Byzantine scholars. The specialised and annotated

papers are broad-ranging in their scope and include lexicographical, art-historical, textual, socio-cultural,

prosopographical and architectural studies. Studies look at specific settlements, gravegoods, buildings,

manuscripts, Coptic and religious texts, conflicts with other regions, language, church music, wall

paintings, hagiography, Greek influence and much more. German text. 496p, 43 col and b/w pls

(Byzantina et Neograeca Vindobonensia XXIV, OAW 2004) 3700132697 Pb £73.99

Byzantium Viewed by the Arabs by Nadia Maria el Cheikh

This study examines how Byzantium, ‘the other’, was portrayed in Arabic-Islamic sources from the

7th century to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Aware of the distortions and prejudices within such

sources, and the literary traditions on which they were based, el Cheikh studies the development of

Arabic views of Byzantium in light of contact, warfare, exchanges, and within the context of the

political and ideological conditions of the Islamic world and the changing relations between Muslims

and Byzantium. What she finds is that not only was their view more to do with representation than

reality, but the Byzantine world formed a ‘category of difference against which Islam defined itself’.

271p (Harvard Middle Eastern Monographs 36, Harvard UP 2004) 0932885306 Pb £12.95

Byzantium 73

Byzantine Butrint: Excavations and Surveys 1994-99

edited by Richard Hodges, William Bowden and Kosta Lako

The ancient walled town of Butrint sits at the crossroads of the Mediterranean. In its heyday it could

command sea-routes up the Adriatic Sea to the north, across the Mediterranean to the west, and south

through the Ionian islands. It also controlled a land-route into the mountainous Balkan interior. For

much of its long history it occupied a hill on a bend in the Vivari Channel, which connects the Straits

to the large inland lagoon of Lake Butrint. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992, Butrint

covers an area of around 16 ha, but geophysical survey has shown that at times it was almost twice this

size. The site itself is made up of two parts: the acropolis and the lower city. The acropolis is a long

narrow hill, whose sides are accentuated by a circuit of walls that separate it from the natural and

artificial terraces gathered around the flanks of the hill. The lower city occupies the lower-lying contours

down to the edge of the Vivari Channel. This book brings to life this extraordinary Byzantine town,

with chapters on the historical sources, various aspects of the archaeological excavation and survey,

finds of pottery and environmental remains. 432p, 88 b/w pls, 169 b/w illus, 31 col pls, 16 col illus,

tbs (Oxbow Books 2005) 1842171585 Hb £40.00, Pre-publication price £32.00

Problemi di urbanistica giustinianea: Le città della Siria e della Mesopotamia

by Paola Carità

This fourth volume in a series devoted to medieval topography looks at issues of urbanism in a number

of Byzantine cities along the eastern frontier during the reign of Justinian (AD 527-565). Archaeological

and documentary evidence are cited for ten cities, including Palmyra, Antioch, Amida and Hierapolis,

with details on their location, history, date, their walls, gateways and other structures. An overview of

the urban transformation of Syrian and Mesopotamian cities as a whole during the 6th century, is given

at the end. Italian text. 163p, many b/w illus (BAR S1255, 2004) 1841713686 Pb £43.00

John Climacus: From the Egyptian Desert to the Sinaite Mountain by John Chryssavgis

Ladder of Divine Descent, written by the desert ascetic John Climacus during the 7th century, was

‘arguably the masterpiece of Byzantine spiritual guidance’. This detailed study examines it in some

depth, scrutinising John’s ascetic teaching, which guides the reader through tears, struggle and prayer

towards a reconciled human-divine nature. 258p, 8 b/w figs (Ashgate 2004) 0754650405 Hb £50.00

L’Ile de Kharg: Une page de l’histoire du Golfe Persique et du monachisme oriental

by Marie-Joseph Steve

The island of Kharg lies off the northern coast of the Persian Gulf, its rather isolated location making it

a perfect site for a Christian monastery. This report traces the history of Kharg from the 10th century to

the present day through the remains of the monastery, the ‘Roche Sacrée’, sanctuaries, funerary

structures, tombs and other religious structures. French text. 236p, 19 b/w figs, 13 plans, 70 b/w pls

(Civilisations du Proche-Orient série I, Archéologie et Environnement 1, Recherches et Publications

Neuchâtel 2003) 2940032033 Hb £105.00

Art and Identity in Thirteenth-Century Byzantium: Hagia Sophia and the Empire of

the Trebizond by Antony Eastmond

After the fall of Constantinople in 1204 at the hands of the Fourth Crusade, Manuel I Grand Komnenos

built the church of Hagia Sophia in Trebizond, one of the three new centres of the Byzantine Empire.

At face value this church appears as a confused and eclectic mix of ideas and styles, previously

unparalleled in Byzantine art and architecture. However, as this book explores, the church encompassed

Manuel’s vision of a new empire after 1204 and a new Byzantine identity which sought to embrace

rather than alienate the population outside of Constantinople. This detailed study of the art and

architecture of Hagia Sophia, the first in more than thirty years, examines its design and decoration

within the context of a changing Byzantine world and cultural interchange between Christian and

Muslim worlds. Eastmond argues that it was craftsmen such as those working in Trebizond, that had

an important role in carving out a new Byzantine identity post-1204. 208p, 21 col pls, 102 b/w illus

(Birmingham Byzantine and Ottoman Monographs 10, Ashgate 2004) 0754635759 Hb £50.00

74 The Islamic World

Papyrology and the History of Early Islamic Egypt

edited by Petra M Sijpesteijn and Lennart Sundelin

These ten papers originated at a conference held in Cairo in 2002, which reflected the growing

accessibility of medieval Islamic sources, paralleled by, and perhaps the result of, greater academic

interest in the medieval Near East. The specialised and annotated papers, discuss the potential role of

papyrology in the study of early Islamic Egypt, Coptic sources, unpublished papyri, the emergence of

Arabic words in Coptic legal documents, travel and trade, Byzantine Greek, the Christians of Umayyad

Egypt, town quarters and specific texts. One paper in French, the rest in English. 270p (Islamic History

and Civilization Studies and Texts 55, Brill 2004) 9004138862 Hb £81.99

Muslims and Others in Early Islamic Society

edited by Robert Hoyland

This volume reprints, in original format, fifteen articles which reflect on the integration or otherwise of

Muslim and non-Muslim communities across the Islamic world. With the majority of essays first

published during the last thirty years, but including one from as early as 1911 and another from 2004,

the volume examines the evidence for relations in, for example, Muslim legal texts, Christian theological

works and Jewish polemics as well as considering the religious and economic motivations for conversion,

social bias and minority government. 363p (The Formation of the Classical Islamic World 18, Ashgate

Variorum 2004) 0860787133 Hb £80.00

Interpreting Avicenna: Science and Philosophy in Medieval Islam

edited by Jon McGinnes

These twelve papers, the proceedings of the Second Annual Avicenna Study Group Symposium held at

the University of Mainz in 2002, present recent scholarship on the life, work and thought of Avicenna

(born in the latter part of the 10th century), arguably the foremost Islamic philosopher of the Middle

Ages who was also a powerful force in the transmission of ideas between east and west. These specialist

and heavily annotated papers focus on Avicenna’s thoughts on natural philosophy and the exact sciences,

showing his development of the ideas of Aristotle and Galen, his theological and metaphysical arguments

and his Islamic heritage. Extracts are in English. 262p (Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science

LVI, Brill 2004) 9004139605 Hb £82.00

Law and Education in Medieval Islam: Studies in Memory of George Makdisi

edited by Joseph Lowry, Devin Stewart and Shawkat M Toorawa

This volume, focusing on legal education and its place in classical and medieval Islamic civilisation,

comprises eight articles written in honour of Professor George Makdisi (1925-2002), one of the great

scholars of Islamic law, theology and education. Contributors examine: the legal institutions of medieval

Sunni Islam; George Makdisi’s publications; medieval Muslim elemetary education; the etiquette of

learning; Islamic education in Muslim Sicily; ‘Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi’s education and instruction;

the Islamization of Anatolia; Islamic law in Mamluk Egypt and Syria; the works of Sayg al-Din al-

Amidi. Contributors: Ed Peters, Joseph Lowry, Devin Stewart, Shawkat Toorawa, Sherman Jackson,

Christopher Melchert, William Granara, Gary Leiser, Bernard Weiss. The preface is by Edward

Peters. 180p (The E J W Gibb Memorial Trust 2004) 0906094518 Hb £18.00

Cities and Saints: Sufism and the Transformation of Urban Space in Medieval

Anatolia by Ethel Sara Wolper

Most studies on Sufism, Islam’s form of mysticism geared towards the knowledge of God, focus on the

13th-century poet Jalal al-Din Rumi. This study, however, looks at the physical world in which Rumi

lived and was revered – medieval Anatolia. Here, Wolper combines a history of Islamic architecture

with a history of pre-Ottoman Anatolia and of the movement of Sufism. She traces the establishment

of dervish lodges which acted as centres of Sufi worship, and later as pilgrimage sites and commercial

centres, and asks what role these had in religious and cultural change in Anatolian cities and in the

transformation of urban spaces from the second half of the 13th to late 14th century. 134p, 42 b/w figs

(Pennsylvania State UP 2003) 0271022566 Hb £49.50

Medieval History 75

The New Cambridge Medieval History IV: c.1024-c.1198

Part 1 edited by David Luscombe and Jonathan Riley-Smith

This long-awaited addition to the New Cambridge Medieval History series focuses on the events of

the 11th and 12th centuries, ‘perhaps the most dynamic period in the European middle ages’. Eighteen

scholarly essays, plus an introduction, discuss the prominent themes of the day, covering all aspects of

social and cultural, religious and secular life. Contributors examine: the rural economy; towns and

trade; government and community; law; knightly society; the Church and its institutions; religious

communities; church reform; thought and learning; Muslim Iberia; Jews; Latin and vernacular literature;

art and architecture. Contributors: Robert Fosster, Derek Keene, Susan Reynolds, Peter Landau, Jean

Flori, Ernst-Dieter Hehl, H E J Cowdrey, I S Robinson, Giles Constable, Bernard Hamilton, Jonathan

Riley-Smith, Hugh Kennedy, Robert Chazan, Jan Ziolkowski, Peter Kidson. 917p, 43 b/w pls, 5

maps (Cambridge UP 2004) 0521414105 Hb £95.00

Part II edited by David Luscombe and Jonathan Riley-Smith

Part two presents twenty-three authoritative contributions which largely focus on specific states century

by century, including Italy, the Frankish kingdoms, Spain, the British Isles, Normandy, Poland,

Scandinavia, Hungary, the western empire, the papacy, the Slavic lands, Byzantium and the Latin East,

and the Islamic world. Contributors: Uta-Renate Blumenthal. Hanna Volrath, Giovanni Tabacco, G

A Loud, Constance Brittain Bouchard, Simon Barton, Marjorie Chibnall, Michael Ingold, Martin

Dimnik, Jerzy Wyrozumski, Peter Sawyer, Nora Berend, I S Robinson, Benjamin Arnold, Peter Lineham,

John W Baldwin, Michel Bur, Thomas K Keefe, Geoffrey Barrow, Paul Magdalino, Hans Eberhard

Mayer, Michael Brett, Stephen Humphreys. 919p, maps (Cambridge UP 2004) 0521414113 Hb £95.00

A Short History of the Middle Ages by Barbara H Rosenwein * Second Edition *

This introduction and concise overview of the Middle Ages, c.300-c.1500, comprises an ‘uncluttered

narrative’ of events combined with social, cultural and economic affairs. Detailed, up-to-date and with

lots of maps, figures and genealogical lists, it is one of the best books of this type. 362p, 68 b/w and col

pls, tbs (Broadview 2002, 2nd edn 2004) 1551116162 Pb £24.99

History and Historians: Selected Papers of R W Southern edited by R J Bartlett

This volume reprints thirteen key essays by R W Southern (1912-2001) which examine the European

tradition of historical writing. Papers focus on the works of specific historians, whilst others examine

the factors that shaped academic history as we know it today. The book also includes Bartlett’s thoughts

on the origins of historiography, beginning with Geoffrey of Monmouth, and the development of the

concept of having a sense of the past. 278p (Blackwell 2004) 1405123877 Hb £45.00

Höhepunkte des Mittelalters edited by Georg Scheibelreiter

In this study fifteen historians pick out key events or processes which they argue were defining moments

for the Middle Ages. These events, many of which have a German bias, include the conversion of the

Merovingian king Chlodwig in 496, the coronation of Charlemagne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the

Black Death, the development of the German university, the Golden Bull of 1356, the burning of Jan

Hus and the advent of the printed book. German text. 256p (Primus 2004) 3896782576 Hb £22.50

Lordship and Learning: Studies in Memory of Trevor Aston edited by Ralph Evans

These fifteen essays were commissioned to celebrate Trevor Aston’s contribution to medieval scholarship

and reflect his interests in the social transformations and crises that affected England during the Middle

Ages. Subjects include: the making of nations in Britain and Ireland; social change in early medieval

Byzantium; the annals of St Neots and the defeat of the Vikings; late Anglo-Saxon Devon; English feudalism;

the Anglo-Saxon ‘gentry’; the demesne manors of Glastonbury Abbey in the 12th century; the emerging

legal profession in the later 13th century; the manorial court; poaching and sedition in 15th-century England;

the hall in 15th-century Oxford; St John’s College, Cambridge. Contributors: T M Charles-Edwards, James

Howard-Johnston, Eric John; Rosamond Faith, Trevor Aston, Peter Coss, N E Stacy, P D A Harvey, Paul

Brand, Ralph Evans, I M W Harvey, Margaret Aston, Jeremy Catto, Malcolm Underwood, Trevor Aston.

270p, 7 b/w pls, 5 figs (Boydell 2004) 1843830795 Hb £50.00

76 Early Medieval Europe

The Early Germans by Malcolm Todd * Second Edition *

Now updated and revised with recent archaeological and historical discoveries, Todd’s clearly presented

and scholarly study traces the development of the Goths, Vandals, Suebi, Franks, Alamanni, Burgundians,

Lombards, Saxons and other early Germanic tribes, from late prehistory to the migration period. Todd

examines their tribal law and culture as well as their interaction with the Romans, and views their

conquest of the Western empire not as an abrupt transition but as part of a continuum. 266p, 36 b/w

illus (Blackwell 1992, 2nd edn 2004) 1405117141 Pb £19.99

Early Germanic Literature and Culture edited by Brian Murdoch and Malcolm Read

This collection of eleven commissioned papers does not focus on individual texts but instead examines

the origins of early Germanic literature and its relationship to the other Germanic languages, and cultures,

of Europe, including Norse Iceland and Saxon England. 334p, 10 b/w figs (Camden House History of

German Literature Volume 1, 2004) 157113199X Hb £60.00

Charlemagne’s Mustache and Other Cultural Clusters of a Dark Age by PE Dutton

Dutton chooses to look at material culture in small manageable chunks. These seven studies which

originated as lectures presents insights into court life and thought at the time of Charlemagne. Whilst

one chapter begins by looking at Charlemagne’s penchant for facial hair and ends with the shift towards

baldness assumed by churchmen of the late 9th century, another examines keeping secrets, courtly

intrigue and gossip. The Carolingian fear of thunder and hailstorms, their views of weather-makers,

why Charlemagne wrote in bed and why he kept peacocks, are just some of the weird and wonderful

subjects addressed. 279p, 34 b/w figs (Palgrave Macmillan 2004) 1403962235 Hb £40.00

History and Memory in the Carolingian World by Rosamond McKitterick

The Carolingians had an appetite for history, a fact indicated by the number of cartularies and annals as

well as the frequently copied Liber historiae francorum. McKitterick argues that these documents

suggest an extraordinary Frankish ‘collective memory’ during the 8th and 9th centuries, and that each

history was written for a particular audience and purpose. This scholarly study examines in detail a

large number of secular and ecclesiastical texts, including Paul the Deacon’s Historia langobardorum,

the Annales regni francorum, the Vita Karolis and others, and also considers the ways in which

Carolingian historians were influenced by Classical authors. Extracts are in English translation. 337p

(Cambridge UP 2004) 0521827175 Hb £50.00, 0521534364 Pb £17.99

Politics and History in the Tenth Century: The Work and World of Richer of Reims

by Jason Glenn

The death of King Lothar of west Francia in 986, and his son soon after, left the succession open. With

magnates being forced to make allegiances to one side or another as contenders to the throne came

forward, civil war ensued. During this time a monk, Richer of Reims, was writing a history of events

in Francia from the late 9th to late 10th century, for the Archbishop Gerbert, using both historical

sources and his own experiences and observations. Richer and his manuscript are used here as a point

of entry into the world of 10th-century politics in Francia. Richer’s background, his writings, the

community in which he lived, the rulers and magnates that he wrote about are discussed in detail as a

means of investigating how politics seeped into the religious and intellectual world in which he lived.

The relationship between politics and history writing, highlighted here, has much to offer more general

studies of the early medieval period. 330p, 10 b/w pls, 4 b/w figs, 2 maps, 2 tbs (Cambridge Studies in

Medieval Life and Thought, Cambridge UP 2004) 0521834872 Hb £50.00

Le Duc et la Loi by Gilduin Davy

At the end of the 9th century the government of the Duchy of Normandy was characterised by its

conservatism and it Carolingian heritage, but by the time of the death of William the Conqueror all this

was changing. Davy’s study examines the heritage of the Duchy of Normandy, the imagery of the

Duke, and how his power was expressed through the Duke and his entourage. This study looks in

detail at the process of legislative and judicial change that took place in Normandy from the end of the

9th century to 1087. French text. 669p, b/w figs and pls (de Boccard 2004) Pb £33.50

Vikings and the North 77

Historical Dictionary of the Vikings by Katherine Holman

The remarkable achievements of the Vikings become clear in this A to Z guide. The entries reflect the

great distances that the Vikings travelled, the people and cultures they encountered both to the east and

the west, the conflict between Christianity and paganism, the archaeological sites they left behind,

their runes, inscriptions and artefacts, and the sagas and legends that are still read today. The cross-

referenced entries are informative and scholarly, although brief, and followed by an extensive

bibliography, and a list of museums with Viking collections. 383p (Scarecrow Press 2003) 0810848597

Hb £55.00

Swords of the Viking Age by Ian Peirce * New in Paperback *

Viking swords are among the most evocative finds of the medieval period; their paramount importance

in Viking society is attested by archaeology and literature alike. This volume demonstrates the rich

variety of swords that were made and makes these available to the scholar and the enthusiast by focusing

on sixty examples drawn from collections in Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland. Each sword, both blade

and hilt, is photographed from every angle and discussed in detail, highlighting its decoration, inscriptions

and archaeological context. A final technical chapter by Lee A Jones examines the blade construction

and patten-welding. The introduction is written by the late Ewart Oakeshott. 152p, 8 col pls, many b/

w illus (Boydell 2002, Pb 2004) 1843830892 Pb £25.00

Draupnir’s Sweat and Mardöll’s Tears: An Archaeology of Jewellery, Gender and

Identity in Viking Age Iceland by Michèle Hayeur Smith

Items of jewellery in Icelandic society traditionally have been analysed in typological, chronological

and technological terms with descriptive approaches to discussing their presence in the archaeological

record. Drawing on this research but taking a more anthropological approach, Michèle Hayeur Smith

looks at jewellery as social symbols and a potential indicator of gender, status and power differences,

and of spiritual and religious sentiment. Taking evidence largely from burial contexts dating to between

AD 870 and 1000, the results of her study suggest that jewellery was used to differentiate between the

sexes, and especially to draw attention to female sexual attributes, and most likely to denote differences

in gender and cultural identity. The materials used to produce jewellery, craftsmanship, technology and

production are also examined in the later chapters. 147p, 21 tbs, 78 b/w figs (BAR S1276, 2004)

1841713767 Pb £39.00

Woven into the Earth: Textile Finds in Norse Greenland by Else Ostergard

In 1921 Poul Norlund discovered dozens of garments from a graveyard in the Norse settlement of

Herjolfsnaes, Greenland. Preserved intact by the permafrost, these medieval clothes displayed remarkable

similarities to those worn elsewhere in Europe and which, until then, had been known only from

illustrations. This volume reports on the results of eighty years of research and scientific investigation

into this remarkable discovery. Ostergard describes the events of the excavation, the materials and

methods used in making the clothes, and the sophisticated weaving and sewing techniques despite the

harsh conditions the women had to work in. 256p, illus (Aarhus UP 2004) 8772889357 Hb £29.95

Also available: Northern Archaeological Textiles, NESAT VII edited by Frances Pritchard and

John Peter Wild (Oxbow Books 2005) £25.00, Pre-publication price £20.00. Please see page 6

Icelandic Folktales and Legends * New Edition *

by Jacqueline Simpson

Medieval Icelandic folk tales are unfamiliar to many outside their country of origin and yet, with their

vivid and enchanting accounts of landscapes, treasure, changelings, elves, witches, trolls, ghosts and

other supernatural beings as well as their heart-felt and often very personal expressions of griefs and

joys, there is much about them to appeal to us. This becomes very clear in Jacqueline Simpson’s

anthology of 85 stories, all translated into lively modern English, and accompanied (unobtrusively) by

notes. First published in 1974, this new edition begins with a preface by Magnus Magnusson in which

he declares: ‘This is such a lovely book. Welcome back! I positively purr whenever I open it.’ 224p

(1972, Tempus new edn 2004) 0752430459 Pb £15.99

78 Anglo-Saxon Archaeology and History

The Prittlewell Prince: The Discovery of a Rich Anglo-Saxon Burial in Essex

In October 2003 the Museum of London Archaeology Service began an excavation at Prittlewell,

south-east Essex. Prittlewell was a village with roots in the prehistoric past. The Anglo-Saxon cemetery

there was already known, but it wasn’t long before a burial had been found that increased its importance

by a considerable degree. Grave goods include a gold belt buckle, a Byzantine silver spoon, an iron

sword and a selection of vessels. The size of the grave and the richness of its associated objects make

it perhaps the most important Anglo-Saxon burial since the discovery of Sutton Hoo in 1939. 44p, col

illus throughout (Museum of London Archaeology Service 2004) 1901992527 Pb £3.99

Early Anglo-Saxon Buckets: A Corpus of Alloy and Iron-Bound, Stave-Built Vessels

by Jean Mary Cook, edited by Birte Brugmann

Anglo-Saxon buckets are an enigmatic and relatively rare type of object found in 5th- to 7th-century

Anglo-Saxon graves. Elaborate decorative elements on some buckets and many of the grave contexts

suggest that these buckets were status goods rather than every-day household equipment. Jean Mary

Cook began compiling a corpus of Anglo-Saxon buckets in the 1950s. The posthumously published

corpus comprises 339 entries on complete buckets, bucket mounts and objects erroneously published

as buckets, many of them based on first-hand examination, with information on their archaeological

context. The detailed information in the illustrated monograph is accompanied by a website that enables

the reader to search Jean Cook’s database for certain aspects of bucket construction and design. 128p,

22 b/w illus (OUSA Monograph 60, 2004) 094781664X Hb £18.00

Britain AD: A Quest for Arthur, England and the Anglo-Saxons by Francis Pryor

This sequel to Britain BC delves into the world of Dark Age Britain. As with Britain BC, this is a

personal and insightful investigation which, this time, takes Francis Pryor into some uncharted

archaeological and historical territory. Pryor looks beyond the dominant figures of the Dark Ages, in

his words the ancient authors, semi-mythical leaders and the impossible hero Arthur, to discover who

the Britons, Celts and Ango-Saxons really were. Were there really mass migrations and invasions in

Dark Age Britain? How and why have these myths and legends been distorted over time? Concepts of

ethnicity and identity recur as the book reviews the ancient sources, the modern myths of Britain and

the legend of Arthur, leaving the archaeological evidence to form the mainstay of the book. Excellent –

you would expect nothing else! 268p, b/w figs, col pls (Harper Collins 2004) 0007181868 Hb £20.00

The Monarchy of England Volume I: The Beginnings by David Starkey

David Starkey is a great ambassador for English history and an outstanding communicator as anyone

will testify who has seen his recent television series Monarchy. Written with Starkey’s usual inimitable

skill, this book tells the first part of the story of the monarchs of England starting from ‘before the

beginning’ with the Roman occupation of England and ending in c.1100 when, rather ironically, the

English conquered Normandy. Supported by many colour photographs, the book vividly recreates the

challenges and issues that faced the rulers of England’s kingdoms, including foreign invasions, rivalry

and alliances between kingdoms, Christianity and paganism, the Vikings, Danes and, ultimately, the

Normans. It is also a story of success with the efforts of Alfred the Great and, many years later, William

the Conqueror’s sons to unite England behind one man. This is history at its best and most accessible.

182p, many col illus (Chatto & Windus 2004) 0701176784 Hb £20.00

The Ruler Portraits of Anglo-Saxon England by Catherine E Karkov

Anglo-Saxon coins are almost our sole source for portraits of England’s kings and queens. There are,

however, five surviving manuscript portraits and a few others in different media, such as the Alfred

Jewel, a seal and several stone monuments. This detailed study focuses on the five manuscript portraits

because these are the least ambiguous, considering each in turn. They depict Alfred, Aethelstan, Edgar,

Aelgifu/Emma with Cnut and Emma. The study contrasts the style and composition of these royal

portraits with those of Rome, Byzantium and Carolingian Europe and discusses in more general terms

the Anglo-Saxon conception of history. Extracts are in Latin or Old English. 209p, 28 b/w illus (Boydell

2004) 1843830590 Hb £55.00

Anglo-Saxon and Medieval England 79

Queenship and Sanctity: The Lives of Mathilda and the Epitaph of Adelheid

translated by Sean Gilsdorf

Mathilda and Adelheid were 10th-century Saxon and Burgundian queens, venerated and canonised as

‘holy queens’ for the ways in which they combined their considerable secular power with exemplary

and saintly behaviour, including their patronage of the church. This study presents English translations

of two anonymous ‘Older’ and ‘Later’ Lives of Mathilda as well as Odilo of Cluny’s Epitaph of

Adelheid, preceded by an extensive introductory discussion of the origins and authorship of the texts.

Appendices present further sources. 221p, maps (CUAP 2004) 0813213746 Pb £20.50

The Metre of Old Saxon Poetry: The Remaking of Alliterative Tradition by S Suzuki

This specialised study of alliteration in the Saxon poetry of Germany and, to a lesser extent, England,

presents a close reading of the Heliland, the most extensive Old German poem. The metre of this

Gospel poem is then compared with that of the Anglo-Saxon masterpiece Beowulf. This study is full of

technical information and terminology as well as alliterative instances. Includes extensive indices. 505p

(Brewer 2004) 1843840146 Hb £50.00

The Durham Liber Vitae and its Context edited by David Rollason, A J Piper et al

The Durham Liber Vitae originated in the mid 9th century as a list of over 3,000 names, arranged by

status, of people who were associated with an unidentified Northumbrian church, possibly Lindisfarne.

From 1100 to 1539 further names were added, including those of all of the monks of Durham. These

sixteen papers, from a colloquium held in 2001 and other seminars, discuss the manuscript itself, its

history and content, and its context as a book of commemoration and as a document from northern

England. In particular, contributors highlight the names of Scandinavians, Anglo-Normans, Scots,

monks and lay families. 260p, 12 b/w pls, 10 b/w figs, table (Regions and Regionalism in History,

Boydell 2004) 1843830604 Hb £55.00

A Second Domesday? The Hundred Rolls of 1279-80 by Sandra Raban

In 1279 England’s government embarked on a massive project, rivalling Domesday in scale, to record

‘land tenure and regalian rights throughout the country’. The reasons and scale of this inquiry remain

enigmatic becuse the rolls only survive in a few counties in East Anglia and the midlands. This detailed

study examines the logistics of this second Domesday, placing it against a background of vigorous

administration at a local and national level. Raban discusses the motivations of Edward I, the inquiry’s

agents and structure, and the resulting rolls. A final section lists and discusses the surviving rolls.

Appendices present examples (in Latin with English translation) of articles of inquiry. 229p (Oxford

UP 2004) 0199252874 Hb £35.00

Mills in the Medieval Economy: England 1300-1540 by John Langdon

Domesday Book records more than 6,000 mills in England in 1086, although the real figure is likely to

have been nearer 15,000; a figure that reflects the importance of this industry in the early medieval

period. This study begins in 1300, as the milling industry reached the peak of its numbers and investment,

and traces its history and progress throughout the next 240 years. Based on a computer programme

created by the author to analyse the mill industry and a large amount of documentary evidence, Langdon

examines the numbers of mills in existence, the milling technologies, the workers, investors and

customers. 369p, 12 b/w pls, 28 b/w figs, 6 maps, tbs (Oxford UP 2004) 0199265585 Hb £60.00

The Peasants’ Revolt by Alastair Dunn * New Edition *

By 1381, having suffered decades of plague, famine, war and crippling taxes, the commoners of England

were ready for revolt. This well-written study, now available in a new edition, reassesses the nature of

the so-called Peasants’ Revolt. After a look at the build-up of events, beginning with the Black Death

and concluding with the accession of the Richard II, aged 10, in 1377, Dunn then examines the

motives of ringleaders Wat Tyler, John Ball and Jack Straw and the events of June 10th to 13th. The

final section examines the impact of the revolt on eastern England, the reasons for its failure and its

longterm significance. This excellent book was previously published as The Great Rising of 1381.

224p, 30 b/w illus (Tempus 2002, new edn 2004) 0752429655 Pb £9.99

80 Medieval England

The History of the Merchant Taylors’ Company by Matthew Davies and Ann Saunders

Seven hundred year ago, around 1300, London’s tailors and linen-armourers began an affiliation that

is still strong today. The home of the Merchant Taylors’ Company is the same building today that it was

in 1400. This well-presented study examines the history of the Company, or the Fraternity of St John

the Baptist, from 1350 onwards, based on numerous contemporary records which document details

about the members and their business as well as the properties and leaders of the Company. Half of the

study covers the medieval and Tudor years, the remainder looks at the Company’s survival through the

English Civil War, the Plague and the Great Fire, finishing with the bomb damage of WWII and the

celebration in 2003 of the 500th anniversary of the 1503 Charter. An appendix presents a list of masters.

316p, 24 col pls, 98 b/w illus (Maney 2004) 1902653998 Hb £49.50

The Bridges of Medieval England: Transport and Society 400-1800 by David Harrison

On the eve of the Industrial Revolution the network of roads and bridges that existed relied on ‘an

existing and impressive infrastructure which dated back centuries’. Countering arguments that the

main period of road and bridge construction took place in the post-medieval period, David Harrison

shows how the provision of safe, dry crossings was provided and maintained throughout the Anglo-

Saxon and medieval periods, leaving a network in place for the Industrial Revolution. He shows that it

was the social and administrative infrastructure that made it possible for these bridges to be maintained

for so many years, allowing trade and communication to flourish. 249p, 27 b/w pls, 7 tbs (Oxford UP

2004) 0199272743 Hb £45.00

Imagining Robin Hood by A J Pollard

Robin Hood’s character and the world in which he dwelt gave him great flexibility to assume any

guise, take on any adversary and promote any message which is perhaps why he became and remains

such a popular hero. In this study, Pollard examines the stories or ‘rymes’ about Robin Hood that were

written down in the 15th century and asks what these say about contemporary society. This is not a

search for the man himself, if he existed at all, but looks at how he was imagined and employed by

society, how he appealed to all classes in the way in which he put wrongs right and challenged those in

authority. 272p, 14 col pls (Routledge 2004) 0415223083 Hb £15.99

The Kings and Their Hawks: Falconry in Medieval England by Robin S Oggins

Perhaps the equivalent of polo-playing today, the sport of falconry was the preserve of the wealthy and

royalty, regarded as both a suitable and enjoyable leisure activity, and as a source of status and prestige.

This study, based largely on literary sources, governmental records as well as artistic and archaeological

evidence, not only presents a history of the sport, but also investigates what birds were used, how they

were obtained and trained, the role of the falconer, his pay, housing and status in the royal household.

All this provides insights into royal sport and medieval leisure, royal administration and the infrastructure

of the royal household, as well as how activities such as falconry were perceived by different social

classes, from peasantry to the clergy, from proponents to critics, from royalty to legislators. A delightful

and thoroughly interesting book. 251p, 8 col pls, 15 b/w figs (Yale UP 2004) 0300100582 Hb £25.00

Processional Cross in Late Medieval England: The ‘Dallye Cross’ by Colum Hourihane

Processional crosses were destroyed in such great numbers at the Reformation that we perhaps forget

what an important role they once played in community and liturgical life. Tracing the form of the

processional cross back to specific ceremonies in the 6th-century Byzantine world, Hourihane shows

that they had become ‘dallye crosses’ by the later Middle Ages, objects indispensable to everyday

religious observance. Core to the book is a history of the procession itself which was an occasion for

clergy and public to join together in festive community events. Large and well-supported processions

accompanied the celebration of saints linked to the parish or the definition of parish boundaries, while

others were associated with membership of a professional organisation or religious fraternity. The

book also catalogues all the crosses currently known to exist in England. These crosses offer a glimpse

of a world in which community, religion and landscape were woven together in a complex tapestry.

176p, 114 b/w illus (Society of Antiquaries of London, Reports of the Research Committee of the

Society of Antiquaries of London 71, 2004) 0854312811 Hb £30.00

Kings, Queens and Pretenders 81

The Kings and Queens of England edited by W V Ormrod * New in Paperback *

This authoritative history of the kings and queens of England from the Dark Ages to the present queen

is now available in paperback. Written by a group of renowned historians the book traces the arrival of

William the Conqueror and the establishment of the Houses of Normandy, Anjou, Plantagenet, Lancaster

and York, Tudor, Stuart, Hanover and Windsor, reflecting on the ability of the monarchy to survive and

endure. Well written and concise, though still with lots of illustrations, this is the perfect pocket history

of the monarchy. 352p, 125 col and b/w illus (Tempus 2001, Pb edn 2004) 0752425986 Pb £9.99

Henry V: The Rebirth of Chivalry by Malcolm Mercer

This excellent series draws on key documents held in the National Archives to elucidate aspects of the

lives of the English monarchs and the events of their reign. The twenty manuscripts presented here are

inter-woven with a narrative history of Henry V’s life and reign which provides insights into the relative

obscurity of Henry’s birth, his childhood, his entry into the political limelight with the coronation of his

usurper father in 1399, his accession, the revolts and rebellions of his reign, his war with France and

the Battle of Agincourt, as well as his marriage to Katharine of Valois, his religious beliefs and his

domestic affairs. 118p, col pls (The National Archives 2004) 1903365716 Pb £14.99

Edward IV by Michael Hicks

This new addition to the Reputations series examines the reputation of Edward IV in English history

from the writings of his contemporaries to the present day. Various conflicting views abound in the

literature and although victorious in war, attributed with invigorating the English monarchy, re-

establishing royal prestige and authority, law and order, Edward’s reign is very much tainted by the

events that followed his death in 1483, whether directly attributable to him or not. The first five chapters

of this book examine the development of Edward’s reputation over time and how it changed, followed

by a discussion of key themes of his reign including his marriage, his relationship with the nobility,

with Richard, the Earl of Warwick, his campaigns abroad, government and finance. 273p (Reputations,

Arnold 2004) 0340760052 Hb £40.00, 0340760060 Pb £14.99

Perkin: A Story of Deception by Ann Wroe

Was Perkin Warbeck really the younger of the two Princes in the Tower, Richard Duke of York? This

book provides a meticulous investigation of the murders in the Tower, the evidence for Warbeck’s true

identity, the conspirators and the counteractions of the new king Henry VII, culminating in the pretender’s

execution on the gallows as a common criminal. Through its many details, this book vividly and elegantly

recreates life at the close of the 15th century and England’s yearning for peace after years of civil war.

As Wroe declares, following Warbeck’s death ‘England was comfortable without him’. 610p, 16 b/w

pls (Vintage 2003) 009944996X Pb £8.99

Lady Jane Grey: Nine Days Queen by Alison Plowden

Lady Jane Grey became queen at the age of sixteen. She had endured an unhappy childhood, had been

forced into marrying John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, and was unprepared for the future

that others were engineering behind her back that led her to the throne of England. History remembers

her as a Protestant saint, a martyr and a heroine, but sentimentality aside, what was she really like and

how aware was she of the implications of the events of her short life as they were happening? Alison

Plowden tells the story of Henry VIII’s great-niece and how she was used as ‘a pawn in the deadly

power game of Tudor politics’. 200p, 40 b/w illus (Sutton 2003) 0750937696 Pb £8.99

Great Pretenders: The True Stories behind Famous Historical Mysteries by Jan Bondeson

Most countries have their own national mysteries that have never been solved, enigmatic figures who

have disappeared, pretenders who have surfaced to claim their rights, and many of these are now in the

realms of folklore and legend. However, in this study, six case studies are reopened and re-examined

using modern historical and medical science, including DNA technology. Among those investigated by

Bondeson are the fate of the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the identity of the German Kaspar

Hauser, the faked death of Tsar Alexander I, and the alleged secret marriage of George III. A light-

hearted read for the curious. 326p (W W Norton & Co. 2004) 0393019691 Hb £19.99

82 Scotland and Ireland

Picts, Gaels and Scots by Sally M Foster * New Edition *

From the 5th to the 10th century AD, there were five tribal groups that inhabited Scotland; by the early

11th century, four of these had united to form the origins of today’s Scotland (the Picts, Gaels, Britons

and Angles). This book outlines who these groups were, how and why they united and describes the

sources on which various assumptions are made. Sally Foster examines in turn aspects of settlement,

drawing on recent archaeological evidence and research. Now extensively revised and updated. 128p,

lots of b/w and col pls and figs (Batsford 1996, new edn 2004) 0713488743 Pb £14.99

Barra: From the Clans to the Clearances by Keith Branigan

This large, well-illustrated book is the culmination of fifteen years of historical and archaeological research

into the history of Barra and its people from the time of the Vikings to the notorious clearances of 1850/51,

as revealed by archaeology and hundreds of historical documents tucked away in archives in Scotland,

England, Italy and Canada. The book describes the homes and workplaces of the population from Kisimul

Castle and Eoligarry House, to the blackhouses and shielings of the ordinary clansmen. It pieces together

their way of life, and for the first time uses archaeology to reveal just what it was like to live in a blackhouse.

There is also a special study of the township of Balnabodach, one of the most romantic settings in the whole

of the Hebrides where one of the most notorious dramas of the Clearances was played out. The book

contains a complete list of the MacNeil Clan members, now dispersed across the world, following their

displacement from their crofts. There is also a chapter by renowned Canadian historian J L Bumsted. 272p,

illus (Oxbow Books 2005) 1842171607 Hb £25.00, Pre-publication price £20.00

Cin Chille Cuile – Texts, Saints and Places: Essays in Honour of Padraig O Riain

edited by John Carey, Marie Herbert and Kevin Murray

This attractive volume presents twenty-eight studies by John Carey, Máire Herbert, Máirín Ní

Dhonnchadha, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Seán O Coileáin,Donnchadh O Corráin, and others, focusing on

the subjects of Celtic Saints, Irish placenames, Irish literature and language of all periods. Includes a

bibliography of the publications of Professor O Riain, the leader of the Irish Place Name Survey. Eight

chapters are in Gaelic. 406p (Celtic Studies Publications 2004) 189127113X Hb £29.95

The Modern Traveller to the Early Irish Church by K Hughes and A Hamlin * Reprint *

The second revised edition of one of the best guides to the early monastic sites of Ireland from the 5th

to the 12th centuries has now been reprinted. It aims to answer the sort of questions visitors frequently

ask: what were the monasteries for, how did they function, how did they support themselves? The

book looks at the architecture of church buildings, round towers, carved memorial stones and includes

a list of recommended sites to visit and a guide to further reading. 135p, 22 figs (1977 Four Courts

2nd edn 1997, rep 2004) 1851821945 Pb £9.95

A History of the Black Death in Ireland by Maria Kelly * New in Paperback *

Despite being somewhat hampered by a paucity of explicit source material, Maria Kelly undertakes the

history of the Black Death in Ireland. Arriving in Ireland in 1348, Kelly traces how the disease got here

and how it then spread. She tracks its progress from town to village assessing the impact it had on

urbam and rural lives and work, the response of the Church and how it affected the governance of

Ireland. Her discussion of the aftermath of the Black Death is placed within the context of Anglo-Irish

relations. 223p, 25 col pls (Sutton 2001, Pb 2004) 0752431854 Pb £12.99

Britain and Ireland 1050-1530: Economy and Society by Richard Britnell

This first volume is a series which looks at the economic development of Britain and Ireland from the

Norman Conquest to the 21st century, covers the 11th to 16th centuries. The structure of the book

means that it can be approached either chronologically or thematically. In comparing and contrasting

economic and social change across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, Britnell is able to highlight

similarities and differences between areas in terms of trade, the growth of towns and industry, agricultural

practices, patterns of rural settlement and society, lord-tenant relations, the use of money, the role of

merchants, participation in overseas trade, and so on. 562p, 38 b/w illus, tbs (Oxford UP 2004)

0198731450 Pb £19.99

Medieval France 83

Robert D’Arbrissel et la vie religieuse dans l’oeust de la France edited by Jacques Dalarun

To celebrate the 900th anniversary of the foundation of the monastery at Fontevraud in 1101 a

colloquium was held where contributors presented papers on monasticism in western France, on

Fontevraud itself and its founder Robert D’Arbrissel. These fifteen interdisciplinary papers are given

here. Subjects include Gregorian reform and Robert D’Arbrissel; Fontevraud and the tradition of female

monasticism: Marie, Jean, Madelaine, Lazare; the monuments of Fontevraud. French text. 359p

(Disciplina Monastica 1, Brepols 2004) 2503515789 Hb £51.99

Anjou: Medieval Art, Architecture and Archaeology edited by J McNeill and D Prigent

In 2000 the annual conference of The British Archaeological Association met at Angers in France. This

publication contains sixteen papers from the conference, in English and French, covering a number of

different aspects of the history, art and architecture of Anjou and its surrounding area in the medieval

period. The subjects discussed include: Anjou in the 12th and 13th centuries; the evolution of medieval

stone construction; religious art in Anjou; the Romanesque Abbey Church; the sculpture of Ronceray

d’Angers; architectural patronage of the Counts of Anjou; Cistercian architecture; painted murals.

Contributors are: Francois Comte, Daniel Prigent, Annie Renoux, Jacques Mallet, Malcolm Thurlby,

Maylis Bayle, Lindy Grant, John McNeill, Ron Baxter, Alexander Grajewski, Alexandrina Buchanan,

Lawrence Hoey, Karine Boulanger, Christopher Norton, Christian Davy, Mary Whitley. 258p, 4 col

pls, b/w figs and pls (The British Archaeological Association Transactions XXVI, Maney 2003)

1902653688 Hb £48.00, 190154257X Pb £36.00

Day of Reckoning: Power and Accountability in Medieval France by Robert F Berkhofer

As the Middle Ages progressed the lords of France began to regulate and organise their raising of

funds, rather than relying on the more traditional methods of extortion and pillage. This detailed study

focuses on five large Benedictine monasteries in France and, drawing on their rich documentary archives,

explores the ways in which abbots adapted their power by delegating tasks, and making subordinates

accountable for their responsibilities. Tracing these developments from the 11th to 13th century and

beyond, Berkhofer examines the reasons for the increasing need to control and regulate lands, fees and

people, the ways in which they enforced and maintained this control, the use of administrative records

and the rise of book-keeping. Berkhofer also explores the movement of these new methods into the

secular world by the end of the 12th century. 270p (Pennsylvaina UP 2004) 081223796X Hb £35.00

The Valois: Kings of France 1328-1589 by Robert J Knecht

The Valois dynasty which ruled France from the 14th to the end of the 16th century had its ups and

downs. The story of their ‘survival, achievement and catastrophe’ is told here by Robert Knecht who

examines the role of the monarchy in the changing fortunes of the dynasty and of France in general.

This discussion begins with the death of Charles IV in 1328 and the problem over the succession

which eventually brought Philip of Valois to the throne, set within the social and political context of

France at the time. Beset with financial problems, Knecht discusses how the Valois kings were able to

raise money in particular to fund the Hundred Years War, how they recovered from the terrible defeats

at the hands of the English to push English territories as far back as Calais and went on to counter

internal civil war and challenges to the throne by powerful vassals, and launch offensives against the

Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Slowly but surely, the Valois became the most powerful monarchy in

western Europe but it was not to last, ending with the assassination of Henry III. 276p, 8 b/w illus

(Hambledon and London 2004) 1852854200 Hb £19.99

Les collections du trésor sous le rëgne Charles VI (1380-1422) by Philippe Henwood

In 1879 an inventory of the royal treasures of Charles V, who dies in 1380, was published. Compared

with an inventory of 1418-1422 it seems that, by the end of Charles VI’s reign, many items from the

royal collection had disappeared. This study presents the royal inventory of 1400 in its entirety, with

comment and discussion of many pieces, and a history of the royal collection under Charles VI. This

inventory confirms the disappearance of many objects after 1380 and also lists a number of gifts that

were offered to the new king Charles VI. French text. 506p, 3 col pls (CTHS Histoire 18, Comité des

travaux historiques et scientifiques 2004) 2735505715 Pb £21.00

84 Medieval Europe

Power and Property in Medieval Germany: Economic and Social Change c.900-1300

by Benjamin Arnold

Arnold explores both the concept of a national identity for Germany in the medieval period and the

ways in which people and institutions exercised authority and power. Beginning by examining the

legacy of the Carolingian era, and especially in social, economic and legal terms, the remainder of the

book focuses on social and economic changes from the 10th to 13th century. The study assesses where

the main power lay, looking at relationships between peasants, townsmen and lords, at the Crown and

its assets, at the rise of the urban milieu from the 11th century onwards, and at the collaboration

between the aristocracy and the Church. 210p (Oxford UP 2004) 0199272212 Hb £45.00

Das Kippenhorn bei Immenstaad by Dietrich Hakelberg

During the second quarter of the 14th century a flat-bottomed inland-sailing vessel sank at dock at

Kippenhorn, near Imenstadd, on Lake Constance. This volume reports on the archaeological recovery

of the boat and of a later medieval jetty construction. Supported throughout by photographs and plans,

the results of the excavation are used to draw conclusions regarding the development of inland ship

construction and building methods during the Middle Ages. The well-preserved jetty remains also

permitted hypotheses regarding the waterlevels of Lake Constance while documentary evidence linked

the landing place with a monastery and inn. German text, English summary. 249p, many b/w pls and

figs, fold-outs (MA 56, Theiss 2003) 3806214980 Pb £42.00

Reisen im Mittelalter by Norbert Ohler * Reprint *

Despite the perils that faced the medieval traveller, not to mention the formidable length of time that

many journeys could take, large numbers of people were on the move. From Viking seafarers and

migrating hoards to kings and queens on royal progressions and ordinary men and women on their

pilgrimage, this book demonstrates just how many different groups of people travelled in Europe and

even to other continents. In this informative and well-presented study, Norbert Ohler considers in turn

the different motivations, including the involuntary type, that drove people, the forms of transportation,

the places of hospitality en route, the dangers and the protection. 499p, b/w illus (Artemis 1986, Patmos

rep 2004) 3538071845 Hb £23.50

The Victors and the Vanquished: Christians and Muslims of Catalonia and Aragon,

1050-1300 by Brian A Catlos

This study, largely based on archival research, focuses on the relationship between Muslims and

Christians during the period of ‘Reconquest’ and goes beyond issues of religious difference to examine

ethnic, cultural and economic aspects of the mudéjar under Christian rule. Brian Catlos looks in detail

at the Muslims of Catalonia and Aragon in the lands of the Ebro River, discussing evidence for and

against judicial autonomy, for example. Six short case studies or historical episodes bring the reader

closer to those involved. 449p, 4 b/w figs, 7 maps, 2 tbs (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and

Thought 59, Cambridge UP 2004) 0521822343 Hb £60.00

Sancho’s Golden Age by Robin Chapman

After Don Quixote’s death, his squire, Sancho Panza, longs for more romance than reality can supply.

He confides in the local barber and together they conspire to escape from their village and create an

ideal pastoral life for themselves up in the hills. Once there they will live like classical shepherds in

Arcadia. When they turn this fantasy into reality the resulting confusions are observed, and partly

related, by Don Quixote’s old horse Rocinante, and Sancho’s ageless donkey, Rucio. Thanks to their

knowledge of their owners’ previous adventures, readers of this sequel to Don Quixote need not have

read Cervantes’s masterpiece. 140p (Aris & Phillips 2004) 0856687561 Hb £14.95

Duchess’s Diary by Robin Chapman

Maria Isabel, Duchess of Caparosso, falls in love with Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, but believes

he has misrepresented her character in his work. Consumed by the need to clear her name, her quest

for truth and her progress back into the world with hope restored, is a love story that reaffirms the

reader’s faith in humanity. 120p (Aris & Phillips 2004) 0856687553 Hb £14.95

Medieval Warfare 85

The Bayeux Tapestry and the Battle of Hastings by Mogens Rud * English Edition *

This ‘unique pictorial record in full colour of the world famous battle’ presents the whole of the Bayeux

Tapestry, one sixth its original size. For the purposes of this book the tapestry is divided into pictorial

scenes, accompanied by the Latin text and translation and a commentary. The book begins with a

survey of the techniques used in making the tapestry, its history, main themes, events and characters.

103p, col and b/w illus (5th edn (English) Christian Ejlers 2004) 8772410205 Pb £10.50

The Crooked Stick: A History of the Longbow by Hugh D H Soar

The longbow, in the skilled hands of England’s archers, struck terror into the heart of many an enemy

during the Middle Ages; Crécy and Agincourt were just two of the many battles won by this ‘most

ancient and charismatic of standoff weapons’. This welcome study touches on images of the bow in

prehistoric rock art before moving on to the longbow’s medieval heyday. Hugh Soar draws on a wealth

of contemporary documents, accounts and literary tales, as well as archaeological evidence, to present

the story of the bow from its use as the hunting weapon of choice by Saxon and Norman kings to its

refinement as a weapon of war. During the 16th and 17th centuries the longbow became a recreational

object while archery became a popular leisure activity for the well-to-do. Finally, Soar examines the

evidence for longbow archery in the 18th and 19th centuries and assesses its current revival. Full of

extracts from sources and illustrations. 233p, b/w figs (Westholme 2004) 1594160023 Hb £15.99

Armour from the Battle of Wisby, 1361 by Bengt Thordeman * Reprint *

On 27th July 1361 a violent battle took place between the King of Sweden and the defenders of the

city of Wisby on the Swedish island of Gotland. The Wisby army was slaughtered and the combatants,

mostly peasants, were buried in huge pits, still in their outdated armour. Originally published in 1939 in

two volumes, this is a one-volume reprint of Thordeman’s important study, long out of print, of the

battle, the human remains and the artefacts. Fully illustrated throughout, the volume provides a vivid

and meticulously detailed record of battle wound pathology and early 14th-century armour. Includes a

new introduction by Brian R Rice. 482p plus 145 b/w pls, 427 b/w illus (1939, Chivalry Bookshelf

2001, rep 2004) 1891448056 Hb £75.00

Warfare in Medieval Brabant, 1356-1406 by Sergio Boffa

The Duchy of Brabant lies north-west of Flanders and, during the second half of the 14th century, saw

a succession of conflicts that eventually led to its being drawn into the Hundred Years War. This military

history of the duchy focuses on the long reign of Joan, 1356 to 1406, when it was one of the most

powerful principalities of the Low Countries. Sergio Boffa covers the whole range of military action as

well as the role of the Duke, the chain of command, the combatants, military organisation, transport,

provisioning the army, lodgings, the army’s structure, military obligations and contracts, and so on.

289p, 8 maps, 1 b/w fig, 2 tbs (Boydell and Brewer 2004) 1843830612 Hb £50.00

Medieval Sword and Shield by Paul Wagner and Stephen Hand

Written around the turn of the 14th century, Manuscript 1.33 presents a manual for one particular kind

of fighting, that of a sword and buckler (‘a small shield gripped by a single, central handle’). Aimed at

those who use swords for sport or re-enactment, this book presents the principles and techniques of the

original manuscript accompanied by explanations and background information. The combat moves are

illustrated by means of hundreds of photographs by Julian Kelsey of re-enactors in action. 267p, many

b/w illus (Chivalry Bookshelf 2003) 1891448439 Pb £19.99

Battlefield Britain: From Boudicca to the Battle of Britain by Peter and Dan Snow

Eight decisive battles are analysed and retold in this book: Boudicca’s revolt (AD 60-61), the Battle of

Hastings (1066), the Battle for Wales (1400-1410), the Spanish Armada (1588), the Battle of Naseby

(1645), the Battle for the Boyne (1690), the Battle of Culloden (1746), and the Battle of Britain

(1940). Peter Snow, the strategic analyst, and his son Dan, a military historian, make an effective team

as they explain tactics, battleplans, the decision-making of great leaders and follow each battle as the

events unfold. Computer graphics, photographs and reconstructions, as well as profiles on the major

figures, bring these battles alive. 224p, many col illus (BBC Books 2004) 0563487895 Hb £16.99

86 Crusades and Castles

Crusading in the Fifteenth Century: Message and Impact edited by Norman Housley

Long after the first call to arms in the 11th century, the crusading spirit was alive and well in 15th-

century Europe, although there were significant differences in the ways in which ordinary people

regarded crusading and religious authority. This volume presents eleven specially commissioned essays

(including an introduction by Norman Houseley) which focus on how the Church encouraged crusades,

the new threat of the Ottoman Turks and the response of Christian men and women. Specific subjects

include Italian humanists, Pope Pius II, the Hospitallers and Spain’s continuing movement of reconquest.

Contributors also examine the crusading spirit and activities of Germany, Burgundy, Switzerland,

Hungary and Poland. 251p, 2 b/w illus (Palgrave 2004) 1403902836 Hb £50.00

Études de castellologie médiévale edited by P Ettel, A-M Flambard Héricher and T E McNeill

In 2002 the 21st Colloque of Château Gaillard was held in Maynooth in Ireland. This well-presented

and richly illustrated volume presents the proceedings. Thirty-one papers present recent archaeological

discoveries or research developments at castles and their environs across Europe. Specific case studies

are accompanied by more general syntheses of castles and castle-building across broad geographical

regions, including central Europe, Norman England, the Netherlands, Finland, Bohemia, Andalusia,

the Rhineland, and Ireland. Case studies include the castle of Coudenburg in Brussels, the castle of

Rosstal, Hen Domen in Wales, Schlossberg at Graz, Newark in Nottinghamshire and the Viking

Grevlunda Motte in Scania, and others. Papers also examine economic activity surrounding castles and

typical religious structures. Papers in French, English, or German; all have abstracts in these three

languages. 301p, many b/w illus (Château Gaillard 21, Crahm, Caen, 2004) 2902685157 Hb £37.99

Welsh Castles at War by John Norris

There are more castles in Wales than in any other country, providing a dramatic and powerful reminder

of the might of the Norman invaders and the violence that marked Anglo-Welsh relations throughout

the medieval period. Clearly intended for those just discovering Wales’ castles, with all terms explained

and historical details kept simple, this accessible and straightforward study discusses the castles in

chronological order, century by century, supported by pen portraits of each ruler and photographs of

the castles and re-enactors demonstrating medieval weaponry in action. Improvements in castle design

and construction are discussed alongside the parallel developments in the technology of castle warfare

until the 15th and 16th centuries when castles could no longer match gunpowder and artillery. The

lively pace of John Norris’ narrative is maintained throughout although some of the many photographs

are disappointing in their quality. 192p, 30 col pls, 92 b/w illus (Tempus 2004) 0752428853 Pb £18.99

Restormel Castle by Nicholas A D Molyneux

Built shortly after the Norman Conquest, the ruins of Restormel Castle in

Cornwall that can be seen today formed part of the 13th-century castle

built, most probably, by Edmund of Cornwall, nephew of Henry III. This

concise guide to the remains of the castle contains both a tour of its keep,

gatehouse, chapel, guardroom, cellars, and so forth, and a history of the castle

and its owners form the Norman Conquest to the present day. 24p, b/w and col

pls (English Heritage 2003) 185074789X Pb £2.00

Fortress Builder: Bernard de Gomme, Charles II’s Military Engineer by Andrew Saunders

Despite the fact that the Civil War finished off many of Britain’s medieval castles once and for all, the second

half of the 17th century saw a revival in fortress building across north-western Europe. In England, Sir

Bernard Gome worked for three Stuart kings as military engineer and was responsible for fortifications at

the Tower of London, in Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tilbury Fort, Greenwich and the Medway. He also developed

the defences of Dunkirk and Tangier and built various harbour defences around the coasts of England, the

Channel Islands and Ireland. This attractive volume presents a biography of Gome by means of a detailed

and well-illustrated discussion of his life’s work. The majority of the chapters are dedicated to a specific

citadel, fort or structure but there are also sections that examine the influence of the Old Dutch school of

fortification on Gome’s work, the legacy of the Civil War, and Gome’s skill both as a draughtsman and as a

military engineer. 382p, 8 col pls, many b/w illus (Exeter UP 2004) 0859897516 Hb £45.00

Medieval Business and Law 87

Medieval Money Matters edited by Diana Wood

The central theme of this volume, is the supply of money in circulation, rather than the importance of

money, per se. It was this circulation that determined the movement of prices, of trade, and of credit in

short, it was this that underpinned the commercialisation of the economy, and therefore was the most

important medieval money matter. Contents: What is money? What is money economy? When did a

money economy emerge in medieval England? (James L Bolton); Uses of money in medieval Britain

(Richard Britnell); The English currency and the commercialisation of England before the Black Death

(Martin Allen); Money and credit in the economy of late medieval England (Pamela Nightingale);

Coinage and money in England, 1086-c.1500 (N J Mayhew). 96p, 5 b/w pls, 5 tbs (Oxbow Books

2004) 1842171461 Pb £18.00, Special offer £12.00

The Middle Ages at Work edited by Kellie Robertson and Michael Uebel

This book sounds straightforward; it presents ten commissioned essays which aim to redefine the idea

and language of ‘labour’ in the Middle Ages, principally in England, drawing on a vast reservoir of

contemporary sources. However, as the introduction shows, this is also a book about ‘New Historicism’

in North American studies and so much of it is deeply theoretical. A sentence from the introduction sets

the tone: ‘The essays collected here are predicated upon not only an antiphonal movement between

literal and historical documents but a similar metahistorical movement between 19th- and 20th-century

social theory and the Middle Ages’. 267p (Palgrave 2004) 1403960070 Hb £32.50

Medieval Justice: Cases and Laws in France, England and Germany, 500-1500 by H Janin

Since the medieval legal system is a vast subject of study, this book provides a general survey and

selective insight into its workings in France, England and Germany from the collapse of the Roman

Empire to the Renaissance. The chapters are driven by subject matter, including Canon and Common

Law, feudalism and justice, medieval inquisitors and crime. Medieval legal cases are rarely dull and

more than 100 examples are included at the end of each chapter, giving the reader a taste of just some

of the thousands of legal records available. From divine to human justice, Hunt Janin looks at cases of

duels, highway robbery, family disputes, an accused witch, the execution of two monks, prostitutes,

entrapment, murder and much more. The final chapter looks at the legacy of the medieval legal system

to the modern world. 225p (McFarland & Co. 2004) 0786418419 Hb £33.50

Ritual, Text and Law edited by Kathleen G Cushing and Richard F Gyug

This volume presents eighteen papers on medieval canon law and liturgy in honour of Roger E Reynolds.

Divided into two sections, each of which begins with its own introduction, the first seven papers focus

on ritual with specialised analyses of angels, priests, ordination, liturgy and prayers. The final eleven

contributions examine texts and laws from across Europe, including Carolingian manuscripts and sources

from Italy, Spain, Germany, Denmark. Thirteen papers in English, two in French, three in German.

326p, 18 b/w pls (Ashgate 2004) 0754638693 Hb £50.00

Political Thought in the Age of Scholasticism edited by Martin Kaufhold

This Festschrift, the title of which is presented in English and in German, publishes twenty essays in

honour of Jürgen Miethke and reflect his interests in the political and theological thought of the Middle

Ages. The specialist papers discuss: Joachim von Fiore, the Magna Carta, Thomas of Aquinas,

Nichomachean ethics, Padua, universities, William of Ockham, legal texts, Duns Scotus, Luther and

education. Fifteen papers in German, the remainder in English. 387p (Studies in Medieval and

Reformation Traditions CIII, Brill 2004) 9004139907 Hb £108.00

The Profession and Practice of Medieval Canon Law by James A Brundage

This collection of eighteen papers, previously published between 1973 and 2000, examine the textual

evidence for canonists who, during the Middle Ages, had their own way of ‘looking at the world and

dealing with problems’ and ‘seemed a species apart from other people who had learned to think like

lawyers’. Divided into three sections, the papers discuss the rise of professional canonists and their

ethical ideals; teaching Canon Law in Cambridge and elsewhere; fees, costs and legal practice. The

papers retain their original pagination. 336p (VCS, Ashgate 2004) 0860789276 Hb £57.50

88 Medieval Women

Birth of the Chess Queen: A History by Marilyn Yalom

They say that behind (or in this case beside) every great man lies a great(er) woman, but this was not

always so in the game of chess. First played in India, Persia and the Arab lands, the original game of

chess had the king accompanied by his vizier rather than his queen, but only 200 years after the

introduction of the game into Europe, the queen had made her debut. This intriguing book looks at

how and why the queen appeared on the chessboard and what this might reveal about contemporary

attitudes towards women, politics and queenship. Was the introduction of the queen merely the desire

to have a female presence on the board, or was it more inherently linked to the rise of powerful European

queens such as Isabella of Castille. From the Arab lands to Spain, Italy, France, Germany, England,

Scandinavia and Russia, Marilyn Yalom tracks the rise of the queen. 272p, 14 col pls, b/w figs (Pandora

Press 2004) 0863584462 Hb £19.99

Mechthild of Magdeburg and Her Book: Gender and the Making of Textual Authority

by Sara S Poor

Mechthild of Magdeburg’s The Flowing Light of the Godhead was the first book written by a female

mystic in vernacular German, yet it is now almost forgotten. Initially, Sara Poor examines the historical

context of the work, placing it in the mid 13th century, and discusses its content and voice which

derides the corrupt priests of her day. Poor also explores Mechthild’s skilful and poetic use of German,

her presentation of her visions, her frustrations with the church and the way in which she expressed a

sense of authority. The study then traces the transmission of The Flowing Light in several manuscripts

from the 14th century. Extracts are accompanied by English translations. 333p (Pennsylvania UP

2004) 0812238028 Hb £38.50

Authority and the Female Body in the Writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery

Kempe by Liz Herbert McAvoy

The medieval church had a fixed concept of womanhood, principally brought about by Eve’s role in

the fall of man. This detailed study, originally a thesis, examines the ways in which two female writers

broke free from their ‘allocated spaces’ and challenged the boundaries proscribed by religion, sometimes

suffering the oppressive consequences of their unorthodox actions. McAvoy focuses in particular on

the presentation of the female body in the writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe, both of

whom were let down by their bodies in the form of life-threatening diseases. Sections examine the

concept of motherhood, the ‘holy whore’ and prostitution and the wise woman. 276p (Studies in

Medieval Mysticism, Brewer 2004) 1843840081 Hb £50.00

The Texture of Society: Medieval Women in the Southern Low Countries

edited by Ellen E Kittell and Mary A Suydam

This volume, which aims to bring to the attention of a wider academic audience studies by Dutch and

other European scholars, presents nine essays that examine the role of medieval women, in the urban,

politically fragmented world of the southern Low Countries, including those in Beguine communties.

The contributors discuss the different treatment that Flemish justice meted out to men and women,

examples of female travellers, heiresses, Beguine literature, artists and Margaret of Austria’s role as

patron. 247p, b/w figs (Palgrave 2004) 0312293321 Hb £35.00

Maistresse of My Wit: Medieval Women, Modern Scholars

edited by Louise D’Areens and Juanita Feros Ruys

The preoccupation of medievalists with female intellectuals continues with this collection of twelve

specialised studies. Their aim is to celebrate the lives and works of a number of medieval ‘maistresses’

whilst reflecting on the happy relationship between modern scholars and their female predecessors.

Focusing on such women as Christine de Pizan, Hildegard of Bingen, Margery Kempe, Heloise and

Birgitta of Sweden, the contributors discuss the place of female scholars in medieval intellectualism,

debating their ‘amateur’ status, the tenet that they preached, the contrast between medieval and modern

feminist scholarship, and the relationship between women and texts in the past and now. Extracts are

accompanied by English translations. 384p (Brepols 2004) 2503511651 Hb £66.50

Medieval Society 89

Medieval Families: Perspectives on Marriage, Household and Children edited by C Neel

This study reprints eleven articles written over the last thirty years. They demonstrate the integration of

women and children, excluded for so long, into medieval history by scholars and the growth of feminist

theory. The articles include case studies from across medieval Europe, such as Genoa, England, France

and Crete, looking at the textual and iconographic evidence for relations between parent and child, for

the choice of spouse, for peasant marriages, for the abandonment of children, sexuality, incest and the

household. 436p, b/w figs (Toronto UP 2004) 0802036066 Hb £42.00, 0802084583 Pb £15.00

Blood and Roses by Helen Castor

In the 18th century the publication of a collection of letters from the Paston family in Norfolk became

an instant success. Set against the background of the Wars of the Roses, the letters written between

family members present a ‘unique and compelling perspective on the dramatic events’. Based on these

letters, Helen Castor’s book traces the story of three generations of the Paston family from Clement

Paston, a peasant farmer in the late 14th century, to John Paston III who, by 1500, was a trusted and

well-respected servant of the king. 347p, 27 col pls (Faber and Faber 2004) 0571216706 Hb £20.00

The Pastons: A Family in the Wars of the Roses by Richard Barber * New in Paperback *

Richard Barber’s detailed yet accessible account, now available again in a welcome reprint, focuses on

what the content of these unique letters reveal about the Pastons’ world during the economic uncertainty

and violence of the 15th century. Linguistic features take second place and some of the original wording

has been changed to aid comprehension. Extracts from the letters are interspersed with background

information in order to give the reader a clearer picture of their meaning and significance. 208p (Boydell

1993, First Person Singular Pb edn 2004) 1843831112 Pb £14.99

Charlemagne’s Tablecloth: A Piquant History of Feasting by Nichola Fletcher

Charlemagne’s Tablecloth is not the only dining accoutrement to appear in this book. It contains a

collection of twenty-nine stories and ‘colourful anecdotes’ of the successes and failures of feasting.

Covering all extremes, from the flamboyant and eccentric to the pretty ordinary, Fletcher looks at what

constitutes a feast or banquet, and explores whether it is to do with the dining environment and ambience,

the food, the company, whether it is a state of mind, or dependent on the amount of alcohol drunk. In

no particular order, she examines such things as the indulgence of the Persians, the Golden Age of

medieval feasting, the luxurious fish suppers of the Athenians, Renaissance feasts with their new and

exotic ingredients, Thanksgivings and Hogmanay and, of course, Charlemagne’s infamous tablecloth.

256p, b/w figs and col pls (Weidenfeld and Nicolson 2004) 0297843435 Hb £20.00

Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by Richard W Unger

Unlike today, beer in the Middle Ages was regarded as nutritional and medicinal, rather than largely

recreational, and was consumed by men, women and children as part of their daily routine. Representing

an alternative when clean drinking water was not available, a cheaper alternative to wine and a profitable

commodity for the state, beer was a necessity for all levels of state and society. Unger’s study looks at

how beer was made as far back as the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, through to the early Middle Ages

and its increasing commercialisation in the late medieval period. He goes on to discuss patterns in the

development and organisation of the industry as well as consumption. 319p, 12 tbs, 22 b/w illus

(Pennsylvania UP 2004) 0812237951 Hb £31.50

Spice: The History of a Temptation by Jack Turner

This history of the spice trade questions why the trade existed at all, what drove it and how spices

transformed peoples’ lives and the world in which they lived. Jack Turner states that ‘the hunger for

spices galvanised an extraordinary, unparalleled out-pouring of energies’ for a commodity which, on

the surface, flavoured food and made it more palatable. Beyond this, spices had much more symbolic

properties through their use in medicine, magic, religion and in rekindling sexual desire. This book

explores what drove the demand for spices from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to the Romans, to

medieval and Elizabethan times and the great Spice Race of the 15th and 16th centuries. 409p, 4

maps, b/w illus, col pls (Harper Collins 2004) 000257067X Hb £25.00

90 Medieval Religion

Religion in the History of the Medieval West by John Van Engen

This volume reprints, with the original pagination, ten essays by John Van Engen. Originally published

between 1980 and 2002, the papers examine the role of religion in medieval politics and society,

looking at how religion ‘acted as more than a mirror or reflection of social and political forces, but as

itself a force, thus caught in a dialectical movement, back and forth’. Specific subjects include Benedictine

monasticism, the letters of Heloise and Abelard, the concept of ‘Christianity’, and living a religious

life. 332p (VCS, Ashgate 2004) 0860789403 Hb £57.50

Anselm of Canterbury and his Theological Inheritance by Giles E M Gasper

Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) was a reluctant archbishop, appointed to that role by the duchy of

Normandy. However, his staunch defence of the Church against Rufus and then Henry I can be seen in

his many letters written to the leading secular and religious figures of his day. Gasper’s thesis focuses

on Anselm’s thought, asking whether Anselm had contact with the Latin translations of the Greek

Fathers of the Church and, if so, how can this influence be detected in Anselm’s own theological

writings. Gasper discusses Anselm’s more substantiated debt to Augustine before considering the sources

that Anselm may well have come into contact with in Bec monastery, of which he was abbot, and in the

libraries of other Norman and French monasteries. Much of the study presents a detailed reading of

Anselm’s theology with comparison made to the works of early Christians as well as his contemporaries.

Extracts are translated. 228p (Ashgate 2004) 0754639118 Hb £45.00

Calixtus II (1119-1124): A Pope Born to Rule by Mary Stroll

Though perhaps not the best known pope, during his reign Calixtus II made profound and long-lasting

changes to papal-imperial relations. This book is more than a history of his reign as archbishop of

Vienne and then pope, as it explores in great detail aspects of his family background, his character, life

and work. Calixtus’ conflict with the emperor Henry V is widely covered, highlighting his attempts to

keep the emperor from interfering in ecclesiastical affairs, though this culminated in compromise in

the Concordat of Worms in 1122. Calixtus’ motives, actions and their results are analysed as he sought

ecclesiastical reform and ‘aggressively promoted the authority of the papacy’ in England, Germany,

France, Spain and Italy. 540p, 3 b/w figs, 4 maps (Studies in the History of Christian Traditions 116,

Brill 2004) 9004139877 Hb £129.00

The Deeds of Pope Innocent III translated by James M Powell

Written by an anonymous author, The Deeds of Pope Innocent III presents a

contemporary biography of the first ten years (1198-1208) of the pontificate of ‘one of

the most important popes in history’. Clearly written by someone who knew the pope

personally and very well, the Gesta provides an invaluable record of papal politics,

particularly Innocent’s involvement in disputes and conflicts in Sicily, Leon and Castile,

in church reforms and in the crusades. The text, which is full of letters written by

some of the leading figures in Europe at the beginning of the 13th century, is presented

here in modern English for the first time, preceded by an introductory discussion which

discusses the mystery surround the author’s identity. 286p (CUAP 2004) 0813213622 Hb £49.50

Pope, Church and City edited by F Andrews, C Egger and C M Rousseau

These seventeen essays, published in honour of Brenda M Bolton, reflect her long and enduring interest

in the history of the medieval church and the papacy, particularly Innocent III. Divided into five sections,

the academic contributions discuss Innocent III, the papal court and bishops, Rome’s religious buildings

and rituals, the church and the world, and Italian cities. 398p, b/w illus (The Medieval Mediterranean

56, Brill 2004) 9004140190 Hb £108.00

The Jews in Sicily 6: 1458-1477 by Schlomo Simonsohn

This sixth volume in the series Documentary history of the Jews in Italy focuses on events during the

reign of King John, a time in which there was a distinct deterioration in the position of Jews in Sicily.

The period was marked by the massacre in Modica in 1474. This volume publishes almost 1,000

documents, many for the first time. (Brill 2004) 900414076X Hb £154.50

Medieval Religion 91

Health, Sickness, Medicine and the Friars in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries

by Angela Montford

Attitudes towards sickness among the Dominican and Franciscan Orders were very much guided by

the example set by their founder’s lifes and illnesses, although this is an aspect of monastic life that is

not well recorded. Based to a large extent on 14th-century manuscript evidence from the convent at

Bologna, this book pieces together evidence on the role of the mendicant orders in the medieval history

of the 13th and 14th centuries. Placed within the context of an increased awareness of the importance

of maintaining food health in society in general at this time, Angela Montford examines what happened

to sick friars, how they were nursed and treated, and asks whether the friars offered medical care to the

secular community. Issues of standards in care, duties and equipment, expenditure, surgery, secular

practitioners, and the impact of the Plague are all discussed. With lots of medieval documents on

medical matters but relatively few recording its application to patient care, this study demonstrates that

medical issues did play a large part in the lives of the Orders. 302p, 19 b/w illus (The History of

Medicine in Context, Ashgate 2004) 0754636976 Hb £57.50

Friars and Jews in the Middle Ages and Renaissance edited by S J McMichael and S E Myers

Sixteen papers, from a conference held at St Louis University in 1997, examine the treatment that

Jews received in friars’ preaching between the 13th and 16th centuries. The vast majority friars were

extremely negative and derogatory in their treatment of Jews, as moneylenders, as the persecutor of

Christ and as magicians. Throughout, the sermons are placed within their historical context, particularly

the Inquisition and the fervour of conversion and Renaissance banking. As the contributions demonstrate,

the sermons reveal far more about their authors, and their Christian context, than about their subject.

316p, 13 b/w pls (The Medieval Franciscans 2, Brill 2004) 9004113983 Hb £96.50

A Heritage of the Holy Wood: The Legend of the True Cross in Text and Image by B Baert

During the Middle Ages, the Cross was venerated above all else, both symbolically and physically ‘in

the form of countless relics, tiny splinters of the holy wood which, from the beginning of the 5th

century onwards, found their way into every corner of Europe’. This scholarly study does not aim to

prove or disprove Helena’s discovery of the True Cross in the 4th century, but instead brings together

textual and iconographic evidence in order to explore the legend that grew around it. Supported

throughout by illustrations of illuminations, paintings, reliquaries and crosses, Baert’s annotated study

discusses the representation of the legend in Carolingian manuscripts and Romanesque paintings, the

Byzantine enhancement of the legend through the adding of the Exaltation of the Cross story, the 13th-

century influential book the Legenda sanctorum and late medieval texts, the ‘Legend of the Wood of

the Cross’ which described the wood’s fateful history. 527p, 30p of col pls, b/w illus (Cultures, Beliefs

and Traditions 22, Brill 2004) 9004139443 Hb £101.50

Art and Architecture of Late Medieval Pilgrimage in Northern Europe and England

edited by Sarah Blick and Rita Tekippe

These essays focus on the visual experience and material culture of 12th- to 16th-century medieval

pilgrimage shrines in northern Europe and Britain and discuss the ways in which visual imagery and

architectural space were used to enhance the pilgrim’s experience. Subjects include reliquaries, pilgrim

dress, processions, saints’ Lives, shrines, sculptures and souvenirs. This two-volume work is richly

illustrated. 2 vols: 912p, 348 illus (Studies in Medieval and Reformation Traditions 104, Brill

November 2004) 9004123326 Hb £223.00

The Cross and the Crescent by Richard Fletcher * New in Paperback *

This ‘brilliant account of the relations between Islam and Christianity from the time of Muhammad to

the Reformation… shows how, despite long periods of co-existence and overlap, religious

misunderstanding between the peoples of the book has been present since their earliest encounters.’

Fletcher argues that despite the sometimes fruitful interactions between the Islam and Christianity,

‘they lived side by side in a state of mutual religious aversion’. Violent conflict was inevitable. 208p

(Allen Lane/Penguin 2003, Pb 2004) 0141012072 Pb £7.99

92 Architecture – Monasteries and Churches

Castles of God by Peter Harrison

Throughout history churches and mosques have not been safe from violent attack, requiring them to

be fortified at some point in their history. Not only that, the locations of many religious buildings across

the world were especially selected because they were easily defensible. This well-presented and richly

illustrated historical and architectural study journeys around the world to show how different religions

have all needed to defend their temples and churches and how each has adapted the idea of fortification

to meet their own religious or military criteria. Arranged geographically, the study examines the structures

of the Middle East, Ireland, Britain, western Europe, the Mediterranean, central and Eastern Europe,

America and the Philippines, North Africa and the Himalaya. 304p, col pls, b/w illus (Boydell and

Brewer 2004) 1843830663 Hb £30.00

The Stones of Naples: Church Building in Angevin Italy, 1266-1343

by Caroline Bruzelius

For approximately eighty years southern Italy was ruled by Angevin kings, a period ‘associated with a

vigorous renewal of the Gothic style in Italy’. This richly illustrated examination of Naples’ architecture

between 1266 and 1343 argues that the new monasteries, churches and monuments were not evidence

of ‘imported colonialism’ but instead were signs of ‘adaptation and integration’, and were built with

local materials and traditional building techniques. Arranged chronologically, the study discusses and

illustrates the revival of church architecture during the reigns of Charles, I, Charles II and Robert the

Wise, highlighted by their crowning achievement the San Lorenzo Maggiore monastic complex. This

and other buildings, all of which are illustrated in full, are placed within their social and artistic context

and are seen as just one element in the rejuvenation of southern Italy. 270p, 210 b/w and col pls (Yale

UP 2004) 0300100396 Hb £45.00

Klöster: Kulturerbe Europas by Bernhard Schütz

This stunning volume presents a tour of Europe’s finest cloisters and arcades through hundreds of

large colour photographs accompanied by brief descriptive text. The book begins in Spain and Portugal

and continues to France, Britain, Germany and central Europe and, finally, Italy. The book begins,

however, with a discussion of the development of the cloister through the Carolingian and medieval

periods to the present day, and the religious significance of the cloister. The main appeal of this book

though is its photographs which depict the fine decorative details of cloisters, associated structures and

windows and place these architectural masterpieces in their urban or rural setting. German text. 492p,

many col pls (Hirmer 2004) 3777421952 Hb £105.00

Cantate Domino: The Vicars Choral Of The English Cathedrals:

History, Architecture And Archaeology edited by Richard Hall and David Stocker

Staffing medieval cathedrals was always a problem. Some English cathedrals introduced monks, but

almost half of them put themselves in the hands of secular priests (canons). As cathedrals became

complex ‘prayer factories’ between the 12th and 16th centuries, the canons appointed Vicars Choral

to perform liturgical functions in their stead. From the moment of their first appearance in the 12th

century, there was concern about the vicars’ morals and behaviour and for more than 400 years, cathedral

deans struggled to impose discipline. Eventually all of the English cathedral vicars were subjected to

quasi-monastic discipline in carefully regulated colleges, which were strategically located within the

close and formed a very distinctive group of ecclesiastical buildings, which were ancestors of the

Oxbridge colleges. Several of these important medieval building complexes have survived, but significant

traces of all nine colleges - Chichester, Exeter, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, St Paul’s London, Salisbury,

Wells and York - have been recovered in this study. As these colleges survived the Reformation, most

retain extraordinarily rich archives, which modern historical scholarship is only just starting to explore.

For the first time, this volume brings together the wealth of architectural, archaeological and historical

information relating to these major, but little known, medieval institutions. It reveals an extraordinary

interdisciplinary resource that can be used to understand, not just the working of individual colleges

and cathedrals, but also the life and work of the lower orders of medieval clergy in England. 217p, b/

w illus (Oxbow Books 2005) 1842171534 Hb £50.00, Pre-publication price £40.00

Medieval Architecture 93

Façade as Spectacle: Ritual and Ideolgy at Wells Cathedral by Carolyn Marino Malone

The ‘spectacle’ that is the western façade of Wells Cathedral broke with tradition whenit was conceived

of and built in the 1220s. Whereas previous façades had been rather plain, Wells was bedecked with

architectural motifs and sculpture of the Coronation of the Virgin, with an array of saints, a real reflection

of ‘liturgical pomp and display’. This book examines both the spectacle and its meaning within the

context of the 1220s. Carolyn Marino Malone discusses what we know of its patron, Bishop Jocelin,

and his ideas for the façade, as well as its designer who had to transform these into reality, taking into

account architectural and more practical decisions. Placed within the theological, liturgical and political

context of the Church in England in the 1220s, this study reveals how Wells signified a change of

approach in how the Church engaged with its audience through architectural symbolism and discusses

what motivated this ideologically-motivated statement. 260p, 56 pls (2 in col) (Studies in Medieval

and Reformation Traditions 102, Brill 2004) 9004138404 Hb £129.00

The Medieval Stained Glass of Wells Cathedral by Tim Ayers

This boxed two-volume work presents a superbly illustrated catalogue of Wells Cathedral’s stained

glass, much of it dating to the first half of the 14th century as part of an extensive rebuilding of the east

end of the Cathedral. The book is divided into sections on each part of the church, each introduced by

a discussion of the type of glazing and how it and the architecture enhance one another. A broader

discussion of the religious iconography, the techniques, the use of colour, and stylistic developments of

the glass, as well as its depiction of known individuals, is presented in the extensive and well-illustrated

introduction to the book itself. The catalogue illustrates in black and white each glass scene accompanied

by full descriptions. The study ends with colour photos of the windows. A glossary, bibliography and

background documentary material are also included. 2 vols: 676p, 40 col pls, many b/w illus (Corpus

Vitrearum Medd Aevi Great Britain IV, Oxford UP/British Academy 2004) 0197262635 Hb £150.00

Muchelney Abbey by John Goodall and Francis Kelly

A guide to the history and remains of Muchelney Abbey lying on the Somerset Levels. Little is known

about the monastery that was first founded on the site in 693 by King Ine of Wessex, but in the early

12th century the addition of a much more elaborate set of monastic buildings meant that it represented

a wealthy, flourishing Benedictine house. Demolished by Henry VIII in 1538, only low footings remain

visible today. This short guide takes the reader and visitor on a tour of the abbey church, cloister and

remains of the monastic buildings including the abbot’s lodging, the refectory, the kitchens and the

latrines, which have all been under the protection of English Heritage since 1984. 37p, b/w and col pls

(English Heritage 2004) 1850748748 Pb £2.25

The Round Tower Churches of England by Stephen Hart

During the preparation of this book, Stephen Hart visited all 181 known round tower churches in

England, all but five of which are located in East Anglia, mostly in Norfolk. These churches are

characterised by a western tower attached to the body of the church which may well have been used

primarily for bells, although a whole range of other uses have been suggested for them. Hart’s

straightforward guide to this striking feature of the East Anglian landscape discusses the features of the

buildings, the use of flint, their date (ranging from the Saxon and Norman periods to 19th-century

restorations), their features and doors. Much of the book comprises an illustrated gazetteer of examples.

183p, 22 col pls, 96 b/w illus (Lucas Books 2003) 1903797322 Pb £15.99

Sundials by Christopher St J H Daniel

Sundials were once highly important timepieces although now they more commonly appear as garden

ornaments as the modern world demands greater convenience and accuracy. This concise study looks

at each different class of sundial, including vertical, multiple, horizontal, equinoctial polar and other

more unusual dials. The book begins with the history and development of using the sun to determine

the passing of time, from prehistory to the Romans and Anglo-Saxons and the first publications devoted

to the art of dialling from the late 16th century onwards. Historic as well as modern dials are discussed

and illustrated, including those found on buildings, in churchyards, in public squares and private gardens.

56p, b/w and col pls (Shire 2004) 074780558X Pb £5.99

94 Medieval Art and Architecture

Flowers in Medieval Manuscripts by Celia Fisher

This new addition to the very popular series publishing different themes in medieval manuscripts held

by the British Library, focuses on flowers. Taking examples from Italy, France, England and the

Netherlands, Celia Fisher not only examines examples of manuscript decoration but also explores the

multifaceted meaning of the flowers depicted. Tracing the development from plants and flowers as a

mainly decorative and then symbolic entity, ascribing to their herbal and medicinal use, she discusses

how this evolved into greater realism during the 15th century as illuminators revelled in the innate

beauty of flowers. A lovely book. 64p, col pls (British Library 2004) 0712348530 Pb £7.95

Studies in Late Antique, Byzantine and Medieval Western Art, Volume 2: Studies in

Medieval Western Art and the Art of Norman Sicily by Ernst Kitzinger

Divided into three sections, Anglo-Saxon, the Medieval West and Norman Sicily, the Anglo-Saxon

section includes papers on the Sutton Hoo finds, the coffin-reliquary of Saint Cuthbert and form and

function in Insular art. The Medieval West section includes: Römische Malerei vom Beginn des 7 bis

zur Mitte des 8 Jahrhunderts; The Gregorian reform and the visual arts; The Virgin’s face; The arts as

aspects of a renaissance. The most substantial section is on Norman Sicily. 613p, many illus (Pindar

2003) 1899828443 Hb £150.00

Shaping Sacred Space and Institutional Identity in Romanesque Mural Painting

edited by Thomas E A Dale with John Mitchell

This well-presented collection of ten essays, in honour of Otto Demus, originated at the International

Congress of Medieval Studies at Leeds in 1997. It focuses on the devotional function of Romanesque

murals, their iconography, their historical and religious context, and their place within churches between

the 11th and 13th centuries. The contributors, who focus on specific examples in Rome and Italy,

examine the broader patterns of Romanesque murals, their depiction of saints and their role in the cult

of saints. 262p, b/w illus (Pindar 2004) 1899828427 Hb £75.00

Scultura del rinascimento in Puglia edited by Clara Gelao

Eleven essays from an international conference held in Bitonto in 2001 on Renaissance sculpture in

Puglia. Italian text. 237p, b/w and col pls and figs (Edipuglia 2004) 8872283817 Pb £32.00

Hampton Court: A Social and Architectural History by Simon Thurley

This fully illustrated study of what is ‘probably Britain’s most important secular historic building

complex’ is based on the premise that the architecture of Hampton Court cannot be understood without

a consideration of the agendas of the people who built it. Soundly based on a multitude of sources,

including original plans and surveys as well as recent archaeological evidence, the book begins with

the earliest Court built in the 15th century; a structure that has almost entirely disappeared. Thurly

goes on to examine the plans and structures of Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII and the Tudors,

demonstrating how the ‘rapid and sometimes astonishing turns in Henry’s private life’ impacted on his

building programme. The book compares the use of the Court by the Stuarts before examining its

transformation under William and Mary who saved it from a long decline. 450p, many col and b/w

illus (Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art/Yale UP 2003) 0300102232 Hb £35.00

Acton Court: The evolution of an early Tudor courtier’s house by K Rodwell and R Bell

In 1535 Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited Acton Court, the home of favoured courtier Nicholas

Poyntz. Built in the 13th century, on an older structure, by the Acton family, the moated manor was

transformed by Nicholas’ family into the grand Tudor mansion that we can see large sections of today.

This illustrated volume presents the results of ‘above- and below-ground archaeology’. The demolished

parts of the house were excavated while the unique 16th-century features inside the house, such as

painted friezes, are studies in detail. It was also during the excavation that the moat was rediscovered.

With each section contributed by a specialist in that area, the volume discusses the history and restoration

of the house, before examining in detail the archaeological and structural remnants for each phase and

part of the house, focusing on the evidence from the time of Henry’s visit. Includes specialist finds

reports. 444p, many b/w and col illus, fold-outs (English Heritage 2004) 1873592639 Pb £80.00

Myths, Legends and Demons 95

Good Gargoyle Guide: * Second Edition *

Medieval Carvings in Leicestershire and Rutland by Bob Trubshaw

A great number of medieval carvings are preserved in the churches of Leicestershire and Rutland and

Bob Trubshaw has visited many of them. This guide includes a large gazetteer of sites along with short

descriptions of examples. Most of the examples date from the 13th to 15th century and include dragons,

Green Men, gurners and tongue-pokers. The text and illustrations given here are based on a CD-Rom

published in 2002, Interactive Gargoyles and Grotesque Carvings of Leicestershire and Rutland.

99p, b/w illus (Heart of Albion Press 2nd edn 2004) 1872883702 Pb £6.95

Explore Green Men by Mercia MacDermot

Green Men are everywhere, yet they remain elusive. Mercia MacDermot’s search for the origins and

meaning of this historical motif takes her back more than two thousand years. Beginning in the present

with the growing ‘paganisation’ of Green Men, she looks back at the Victorian Gothic Revival and

Romanesque periods, and at other historical and mythological figures, and folklore heroes, to which

the Green Man has been compared or associated, from Dionysus and Robin Hood to Morris Dancers.

Drawing on examples from churches and other places, this study investigates what Green Men

supposedly represent, addresses misconceptions and tries to form a better understanding of this complex

entity. 206p, 110 b/w pls and figs (Explore Books 2003) 1872883664 Pb £9.95

Sheela-na-gigs: Unravelling an enigma by Barbara Freitag

The presence of carvings of naked female figures may seem rather incongruous in medieval churches,

monastic sites and castles. However, taking a rational rather than spiritual appraoch, Barbara Freitag

argues that these female figures are not connected to eroticism, love-making or warnings against lust,

but to childbirth, to life-giving powers, renewal and fertility. The linguistic origins of the name ‘Sheela-

na-gig’, the often rather crude craftsmanship involved in their production and problems in dating them,

are discussed and a synopsis of previous academic research provides further evidence of the

inconsistencies of earlier interpretations. Includes a catalogue of 167 examples from Britain and Ireland.

205p, 20 b/w pls (Routledge 2004) 0415345529 Hb £60.00, 0415345537 Pb £22.50

Strange Histories by Darren Oldridge

Many of the ideas that come from the medieval world are frequently considered bizarre, irrational,

absurd, illogical and above all ignorant. Oldridge discusses how contemporary people were highly

capable of logical thought, but their’s was a world of magic, superstition, strong religious beliefs and

ill-understood natural and supernatural forces. Beneath the rather gruesome covers lies a sophisticated

discussion of the strange and often disturbing world of the late Middle Ages and early modern period,

a world that included flying witches, exorcism, the Devil, the walking dead, trial by ordeal, the execution

of animals and persecution of heretics. 198p, 10 b/w illus (Routledge 2005) 0415288606 Hb £18.99

Wizards: A History by P G Maxwell-Stuart

Fictional wizards have been portrayed as con artists, frauds and tricksters although, as this book

demonstrates, the wizard is a much more complex entity. Drawing on sources relating to both fictional

and historical sorcerers, necromancers, spiritualists, alchemists and ‘ritual magicians’, from antiquity

to the 20th century, Maxwell-Stuart discusses how such individuals have been portrayed and why

people have had problems in understanding their aims and intentions. A flurry of examples are cited

throughout as the author looks at how wizards learnt and mastered their art. 222p, 20 b/w pls (Tempus

2004) 0752428403 Pb £9.99

The Medieval Underworld by Andrew McCall * New in Paperback *

The medieval world was obsessed with conformity, both religious and secular, and meted out

punishments for those that strayed or abused the laws of the land and the laws of God. Andrew

McCall’discusses an array of evildoers including bandits, outlaws, beggars, thieves, prostitutes,

homosexuals, heretics, sorcerers, witches and Jews. McCall describes the nature of these groups, their

crimes, and the punishments that awaited them, concluding with the ultimate punishment – Hell.

319p, 54 b/w figs (1979, Sutton History Classics series 2004) 0750937270 Pb £9.99

96 Medieval English Literature

A Book of Middle English by J A Burrow and Thorlac Turville-Petre * Third Edition *

A new, revised edition of an authoritative textbook, first published in 1992, which offers a comprehensive

introduction to and analysis of the development of Middle English, its differences to the preceding Old

English and the types of texts – and their variations – which were produced in Middle English. The

first half of the study focuses on language while the second presents a selection of representative texts,

each preceded by a brief introduction and lists of sources. Pearl and Troilus and Criseyde are new

additions to this third edition which has been revised throughout. Includes a glossary. 419p (Blackwell

1992, 2nd edn 1996, 3rd edn 2004) 1405117087 Hb £60.00, 1405117095 Pb £19.99

Interstices: Studies in Middle English and Anglo-Latin Texts in Honour of A G Rigg

edited by Richard Firth Green and Linne R Mooney

Ten specially commissioned essays reflect Professor Rigg’s interests in both Latin and Vernacular

literature in medieval England. The specialised contributions discuss the Bolton Hours, editing Chaucer,

lexical evidence for non-verbal communication, John of Glastonbury, the influence of the visit of the

emperor of the Greeks in 1400, the Confessio Amantis, Chaucer and proverbs and scientific texts.

Includes numerous and often lengthy extracts. 219p (Toronto UP 2004) 0802087434 Hb £32.00

Medieval Lyric: Middle English Lyrics, Ballads and Carols edited by John C Hirsh

This well-presented and accessible book presents an anthology of fifty lyrics, ballads and carols, each

of which is presented in its original Middle English (with translated terms where necessary) accompanied

by a full discussion. The songs are extremely varied in subject matter and tone and include poems of

mourning and fear, of joy and celebration, hymns and dedications, love and sex poems, and Christmas

carols. Includes a glossary. 220p (Blackwell 2005) 1405114819 Hb £50.00, 1405114827 Pb £17.99

The English Romance in Time: Transforming Motifs from Geoffrey of Monmouth to

the Death of Shakespeare by Helen Cooper

Medieval romance was characterised by its inclusion of a number of common elements or motifs, such

as the solitary knight and his quest, sexual punning, long descriptions of a lady’s beauty, the male gaze,

the lost heir and wild animals. Audiences continued to expect these motifs throughout the Tudor and

Stuart periods and, therefore, their legacy can be found in the works of Sydney, Spenser, Shakespeare

and many other lesser writers of the period. This scholarly study traces the interpretation and evolution

of romance motifs between the 15th and early 17th century, focusing on the influence of Chaucer,

Malory and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The study discusses in particular the ways in which

later writers, especially Shakespeare and Sidney, parodied and manipulated the motifs for their own

ends. 542p (Oxford UP 2004) 0199248869 Hb £65.00

Idleness Working: The Discourse of Love’s Labor from Ovid through to Chaucer and

Gower by Gregory M Sadlek

Roman and medieval poets and authors not only explored the physicality and sexuality of love, driven

by passion and desire, but also saw love as a labour, a project to be worked on and achieved to reach the

final goal. In this study, Sadlek examines the evolution of labour ideology in the works of Ovid, Andreas

Capellanus, Alan of Lille, Guillaume de Lorris, Jean de Meun, John Gower and Geoffrey Chaucer,

devoting a chapter to each. 298p (The CUAP 2004) 0813213738 Hb £53.50

Who Murdered Chaucer? A Medieval Mystery * New in Paperback *

by Terry Jones, Robert Yeager, Terry Dolan, Alan Fletcher and Juliette Dor

Chaucer was celebrated in life as an important public figure and the greatest poet of his age, but his

death passed without a mention and without a will. It coincided with one of the darkest hours in

English history; Richard II was gone, replaced by the usurper Henry IV in ‘an age of iron control, of

Thought Police and of intellectual straitjacketing’. This riveting book, based on a ‘coroner’s inquest’

held by the authors, puts the case that the new intellectual environment was so hostile and dangerous

for Chaucer that we should not be surprised if Chaucer had been ‘removed’. It would have been more

remarkable if he had survived. Supported throughout by thumbnail colour images and extracts from

Chaucer’s works. 408p, many col illus (Methuen 2003, Pb 2004) 0413759202 Pb £12.99

Medieval Literature and Manuscripts 97

The Subject Medieval/Modern: Text and Governance in the Middle Ages by Peter Haidu

Peter Haidu argues that there is no ‘medieval versus modern’, but a continuum where the Middle Ages

are seen as the originators of the modern world and the place where the beginnings of a statehood can

be discerned. By exploring English and French literature of the Middle Ages he seeks to uncover how

they ‘participate in the cultural invention of the subject as part of the political invention of the state’.

Theoretical and profoundly challenging for anyone outside the field of medieval literary criticism, this

is a specialist study of the development of subjectivity which ‘defines subjecthood in relation to the

state’. 446p (Stanford UP 2004) 0804747431 Hb £43.95, 080474744X Pb £20.95

The Vulgar Tongue edited by Fiona Somerset and Nicholas Watson

By the 12th century Latin was not the only option open to the authors of multi-lingual Europe. Texts

when written in the vernacular or common tongue opened up literature to a whole new readership.

This study presents thirteen essays, from a conference held at the University of Western Ontario in

1999, which draw on linguistic theory to analyse the relationship between languages and the influence

of gender, politics, society and religion on the use and spread of the vernacular. The papers are arranged

into three chronological periods, each of which beings with an introductory discussion, covering 1100-

1300, 1300-1500 and 1500-2000. 277p (Pennsylvania State UP 2003) 0271023104 Hb £45.50

Sodomy, Masculimity and Law in Medieval Literature: France and England 1050-1230

by William Burgwinkle

This is a study of what was perceived as ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ social behaviour in Europe between

the mid 11th and mid 13th centuries. Focusing on three texts or stories (Marie de France’s Lais, the

Perceval legend and Alain de Lille’s De planctu naturae), Burgwinkle discusses the depiction of

homosexual acts in literature, their condemnation, or otherwise, in ecclesiastical and legal texts, and

whether literary figures, such as the emblematic Christian knight Perceval, and historical figures,

including Richard the Lionheart, could be labelled as ‘gay’. Numerous extracts are accompanied by

English translations. 298p (Cambridge UP 2004) 0521839688 Hb £45.00

Trial by Fire and Battle in Medieval German Literature by Vickie L Ziegler

Ordeals by fire and by battle were a fact of the medieval German legal system between 800 and 1200.

They were also a popular and dramatic feature of German literary texts, including the nostalgic romances

of the 13th and 14th centuries. This detailed study examines the origin of trial ordeals, intended to

defend oaths, combat perjury and resolve conflicting statements, and discusses medieval attitudes towards

these undoubtedly unreliable forms of justice. Focusing on late medieval Charlemagne epics, Gottfried’s

Tristan and chronicles featuring unfaithful or saintly queens, Ziegler discusses the disparity in these

ordeals with women, notably Tristan’s Isolde, having to endure trial by fire in order to defend their

virtue. Examples of texts are presented in English translation in appendices. 234p (Camden House

2004) 1571132910 Hb £50.00

Late-Medieval Prison Writing and the Politics of Autobiography by Joanna Summers

Boethius was the first of a small group of medieval writers who wrote their finest pieces while imprisoned.

Although, as Summers makes clear, medieval imprisonment varied considerably as did the experiences

of those considered here, the authors’ condition and isolation inevitably affected the text, adding an

autobiographical element. This study focuses on six prisoners and their texts: Thomas Usk and The

Testament of Love; James I of Scotland and The Kingis Quair; Charles d’Orléans and his English

Book of Love; the Testimony of William Thorpe; the Trial of Richard Wyche; Sir Thomas Malory’s Le

Morte Darthur. 229p (Oxford UP 2004) 0199271291 Hb £45.00

Music and Medieval Manuscripts edited by John Haines and Randall Rosenfeld

This volume presents fifteen specially commissioned essays with the aim of providing an interdisciplinary

study of medieval music in honour of Andrew Hughes. Divided into four parts, the contributors examine

the historical and textual evidence for: medieval paleography; the theory and performance of music;

civic music and its role in drama; liturgical music. The papers cover much of Europe including Britain,

the Papal court, Andalucia and Italy. 438p, b/w figs (Ashgate 2004) 075460991X Hb £59.95

98 Medieval Chronicles and Sources

The History of the Normans by Amatus of Montecassino translated by Prescott N Dunbar

Written in about 1080, Amatus of Montecassino’s History of the Normans not only provides an

invaluable record of the abbey of Montecassino, ‘one of the most important cultural and religious

centres of 11th-century Christendom’, it also provides a vivid account of the Norman conquest of

southern Italy and Sicily. The faithful translation of all eight books is preceded by an extensive

introduction by Graham A Loud. 220p, 3 maps, 7 tbs (Boydell 2004) 1843830787 Hb £45.00

Littere Baronum: The Earliest Cartulary of the Counts of Champagne edited by T Evergates

This study presents the Latin text of the 1211 cartulary of the chancery of the counts of Champagne,

which presents 121 letters covering the years 1198-1211. The letters, each of which is preceded by a

brief English summary, provide an invaluable source for the chancery of Count Thibaut II and his

widow and regent Countess Blanche. The introduction discusses the development of French chanceries

during the 12th and 13th centuries. Tables list the subjects and authors of the letters. 210p, b/w figs, tbs

(Medieval Academy of America 2003) 0802087620 Hb £32.00

The Deeds of Frederick Barbarossa by Otto of Freising edited by C C Matthew * Reprint *

In the mid 12th century Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I wrote a letter to his uncle Bishop Otto of

Freising, in which Barbarossa outlined the principal events of his (at that time) five-year reign. This

document formed the basis of ‘the most valuable biographical study to come out of the twelfth century’.

The Deeds is divided into four books, the first two of which cover the years and reigns of 1075-1152

and Frederick’s reign in detail. The final two books, written after Otto’s death in 1158, continue the

events of Bararossa’s reign through to 1160 and were written by Otto’s secretary Rahewin. 366p

(Columbia UP 1953, rep 2004) 0231134185 Hb £48.50, 0231134193 Pb £22.50

Ulrich Von Liechtenstein: The Service of Ladies * New in Paperback *

translated by J W Thomas, introduced by Kelly DeVries

This volume reprints the 1969 translation by J W Thomas with a new introduction by Kelly DeVries

that describes the life and work of Ulrich Von Liechtenstein, born c.1200 in Austria. Ulrich’s noble

background enabled his success as a champion jouster but, as the fascinating introduction explains,

Ulrich’s main motivation was to win the love of a woman who would not even look at him for years

until he cut off his finger as a gesture of love and sent it to her. Ulrich’s glistening career in the lists

provided a wealth of material for his dramatic autobiographical poem The Service of Ladies, written in

the mid 13th century. There are no notes here, just the verse translation and a bibliography. 172p

(North Carolina UP 1969, First Person Singular Pb edn 2004) 1843830957 Pb £14.99

Chronicles: The Writing of History in Medieval England by Chris Given-Wilson

Although few more than fifty chronicles survive that were written between the mid 13th and the mid

15th century, there were undoubtedly many more. This authoritative study examines the reasons for

the popularity of chronicle writing, its different shapes and forms and, above all, discusses the purpose

of the chronicler and his intended audience, and asks why some events were focused upon while

others left out. Given-Wilson argues that these chronicles, which were more and more written by

secular writers and no longer by monks, ‘throw a sharp light on the workings of the medieval mind and

the ways in which people in the middle ages conceived of their place in history’. He focuses on chronicles

of contemporary events written in England between 1270 and 1430, but makes comparison with

chronicle writing on the continent. 292p, 8 b/w pls (Hambledon 2004) 1852853581 Hb £19.95

The Unconquered Knight: A Chronicle of the Deeds of Don Pero Niño, Count of Buelna

by Gutierre Diaz de Gamez, translated by Joan Evans

This volume reprints the 1928 translation of the vivid biography of the Count of Buelna written by his

standard bearer Gutierre Diaz de Gamez who served as the Count’s head of military household for

almost fifty years (from 1402). For the last twenty or so years of that time, Diaz de Gamez kept a

chronicle, reflecting Diaz de Gamez’s devotion for his master, records the Count’s actions in the

tournament, in affairs of the heart, in naval battle against the Moor and on the battlefield. 232p, 8 b/w

illus (1928, Boydell First Person Singular Pb edn 2004) 1843831015 Pb £14.99

Medieval Religious Literature 99

Fictions of the Inner Life: Religious Literature and Formation of the Self in the

Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries by Ineke Van ‘T Spiker

The quest for self-knowledge lay at the heart of man’s journey toward God, so believed the religious

authors of the 11th and 12th centuries. This book presents a specialised and, at times, challenging,

study of ‘interiority’ in the treatises of four monks: Peter Damian, Hugh of Saint-Victor, Richard of

Saint-Victor and William of Saint-Thierry. Spiker examines in detail the concept of the inner self in

monastic and theological traditions, the exploration of the inner self through withdrawal from society

and the role of ‘spiritual combat’ in this quest. The study also examines the arguments of the monks

and places their ideas within the wider context of medieval religion. Extracts are presented in English

translation. 264p (DISPUT 4, Brepols 2004) 2503515142 Hb £53.00

The Idea of the Theater in Latin Christian Thought by Donnalee Dox

Drawing on a wide range of documentary evidence dating from the 4th to 14th century, this study

looks at the legacy of the Greco-Roman theatre in Christian writings. Placing this source material

within an intellectual and historical, rather than a theatrical, tradition, Donnalee Dox reconsiders the

role of classical theatre seeing it less as performance and more as a metaphor in medieval thought and

writings. 196p (University of Michigan 2004) 0472114239 Hb £40.50

Mary Magdalene and the Drama of Saints: Theater, Gender, and Religion in Late

Medieval England by Theresa Coletti

Mary Magdalene embodied both the saintly and the profane, allowing medieval theologians and authors an

unparalleled opportunity to express their conflicting attitudes towards women. This detailed study focuses

on an early 16th-century drama from East Anglia, the so-called Digby Mary Magdalene, in order to explore

the religious culture of late medieval England as a whole. Coletti adopts a number of approaches, but the

emphasis is on ‘female contributions to salvation history’ and the role of that most popular of literary genres,

drama and the theatre. Coletti discusses examples of holy women in East Anglia, the relationship between

religious and lay values and theatre, and the Digby play’s treatment of the male Christ and the ‘fleshliness’

of Mary Magdalene. 342p, b/w figs (Pennsylvania UP 2004) 0812238001 Hb £42.00

Goscelin of St Bertin: The Book of Encouragement and Consolation

by Monika Otter

The Liber Confortatorius, written in the late 11th century, is a letter of spiritual

guidance written by Goscelin of St Bertin to his much younger protegé Eva. Goscelin’s

deep love for Eva is blatantly clear in this letter which was prompted by grief following

Eva’s withdrawal into a small reclusive religious community in Angers. The translation

is followed by an essay that interprets this idiosyncratic and peculiar letter and assesses

what it reveals about Goscelin. Otter also considers the literary and religious context of

the letter, written in post-Conquest England. 179p (Brewer 2004) 1843840154 Hb £40.00

The Letters of Peter Damian 121-150 translated by Owen J Blum and Irven M Resnick

This volume, the fifth in a series to publish all 180 letters by the monk Peter Damian, presents Letters

121-150 which were written between 1065 and 1071. The correspondence includes letters to the

Empress Agnes, to lay officials and nobles, to monastic communities and to his nephew. In all of these

letters, Peter deplores the excesses of the church, particularly clerical marriage, and stresses the need

for reform, exhorting the qualities of a celibate, contemplative monastic life. Each translation is preceded

by a brief summary. 195p (CUAP 2004) 081321372X Hb £32.95

Giles of Rome’s On Ecclesiastical Power edited by R W Dyson

Written at the turn of the 14th century, Giles of Rome’s De ecclesiastica potestate is a papal tract written

at the height of Pope Boniface VIII’s conflict with King Philip IV of France. This book presents a critical

edition of this difficult text, which repeats old medieval ideas concerning the supreme authority of the

divinely appointed Pope over secular princes. Dyson’s English translation faces the annotated Latin text

and is preceded by a discussion of Giles’ arguments and style as well as the conflict which inspired the

treatise. 406p (Columbia UP 2004) 0231128029 Hb £47.00, 0231128037 Pb £21.00

100 Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeology and Finds

Medieval Floor Tiles of Northern England. Pattern and Purpose:

Production between the 13th and 16th centuries by Jennie Stopford

Jennie Stopford examines the monastic influence on northern England’s manufacture and use of floor

tiles. Split into three sections – Chronological Survey, The Tile Groups, and The Sites and Collections

– this in-depth study covers an immense body of work. Contents include: a view of the world - plain

mosaic floor tiles and the Cistercians, c.1230-1270; long distance supply and personalised designs,

c.1350; standardisation – plain-glazed tiles; the plain tile mosaic group, c.1220-1270; inferior quality

plain mosaic, later 13th century; the decorated mosaic tile group, c.1300; parallels to the decorated

mosaic tile group, possibly c.1300; the Nottinghamshire tile group, c.1325-1365; fourteenth-century

copies; the plain-glazed tile groups; small assemblages dating from the 14th or 15th centuries; the

Transpennine tile group, later 15th century; the Huby/Percy tile group, c.1500. 464p, many illus in

colour, tone and line (Oxbow Books 2005) 1842171429 Hb £40.00, Pre-publication price £32.00

Intimités de Faïences by Henri Amouric, Lucy Vallauri and Jean-Louis Vayssettes

A catalogue from an exhibition held at the Musée des Tapisseries in Aix-en-Provence in 2003-4 of

highly decorative wall and floor tiles from Languedoc and Provence dating from the 16th to 18th

century. The examples shown and described range from coloured rustic floor tiles to complex painted

scenes making up large wall murals, with the majority being painted in blue on a white background. As

well as presenting hundreds of examples from the exhibition, the book also tells the history of their

production and workshops. 264p, many col pls (Ville d’Aix-en-Provence 2003) Pb £18.00

The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment edited by John Clark * New Edition *

This well-presented volume publishes horse equipment and associated objects discovered during

excavations in London during the 1970s and early 1980s. This material, most of which is stratified

securely, provides an invaluable reference source for any medievalist. An overview on the excavations

is followed by sections on the major find-types: harness-fittings, horseshoes, spurs and spur-fittings

and curry combs. An appendix reports on the skeletal evidence. This edition has a new introduction

which summaries recent discoveries and parallels. 185p, 132 b/w illus (Medieval Finds from

Excavations in London 5, HMSO 1995, Boydell new edn 2004) 1843830973 Hb £25.00

English Civil War Archaeology by Peter Harrington

It is estimated that the ten years of the English Civil War (1642-1651) destroyed between 150 and 200

country mansions, not to mention the devastated castles and the countless communities, villages and

towns that were torn apart in the conflict. This well-illustrated and accessible study examines the

archaeological legacy of these years, in the form of town defences, siegeworks, mines, garrisons,

battlesites, refortified castles, bridges and burials. In clearly structured sections, Peter Harrington

discusses the archaeological remains at a large number of sites the length of the country, supported by

maps, plans and photographs, and describes the military function of each feature as well as its part in

the wider context of the Civil War. A final section discusses the material evidence for weaponry and

armour. This is a fascinating and informative study that never forgets the grim background to the

archaeology presented. 128p, 89 col and b/w illus (Batsford 2004) 0713488972 Pb £14.99

The Dynamics of Regionalisation and Trade: Yorkshire Clay Tobacco Pipes c.1600-

1800 edited by Peter Davey and David A Higgins

At the heart of this study lies an illustrated catalogue of over 2,200 clay pipes dating from the 17th and

18th centuries, the majority of which are held in Yorkshire collections. The size and topographical

range of Yorkshire ensures the county’s suitability as a case study for examining pipe production as

well as regional variations and trade. The extensive catalogue is preceded by a discussion of the

methodology of studying clay pipes, the documentary evidence for kiln sites and production, Yorkshire

clay sources, the development of the bowl form, the stem, the range of marks, the distribution and the

archaeological evidence for imported pipes. Lists of pipemakers and associated documents and

inventories are presented in appendices. 567p, many b/w figs, tbs (The Archaeology of the Clay Tobacco

Pipe XVIII, Archaeopress BAR 374, 2004) 1841716294 Pb £52.00

Regional Archaeology 101

Alban’s Buried Town: An Assessment of St Albans’ Archaeology up to AD 1600

by Rosalind Niblett and Isobel Thompson

St Albans has a long tradition of archaeological investigation dating back to the 18th century. What has been

lacking however, is a detailed synthesis and interpretation of the accumulated information. This book is

intended to meet that need, and comes out of a project set up by English Heritage in 1992 designed to

promote ‘intensive’ urban archaeological strategy. It comprises a critical assessment of the current

archaeological information from an area of 12 square km centred on St Albans and its Roman predecessor,

Verulamium. There is evidence of scattered occupation in the area from the Mesolithic period onwards, but

it was only towards the end of the 1st century BC, that a settlement was established to the south of the

modern town. This was superseded by the development of the Roman town of Verulamium on the south

side of the River Ver, but by the 8th century settlement had become focused on the shrine of the late Roman

martyr, Alban, on the hill to the north of the river. In the late Saxon period an Abbey was established close to

this shrine, and after the Norman conquest, settlement concentrated in the area north of the Abbey. Most of

the monastic buildings were demolished shortly after the dissolution of the monastery in 1539, but on the

whole St Albans retained its medieval form until the 19th century. The papers in this volume look at the

development of this important city throughout its long history. 320p, 6 pls, 12 tbs, 156 figs (Oxbow Books

2005) 1842171496 Hb £40.00, Pre-publication price £32.00

The Origins of a Leicester Suburb: Roman, Anglo-Saxon, medieval and post-medieval

occupation on Bonners Lane by Neil Finn

Excavations in 1993 and 1994 in Leicester uncovered a frequently-repaired Roman road, roadside and

industrial features, and a substantial late Roman timber building, on the site of which a sunken-featured

building was constructed during the 5th and 6th century. Medieval dwellings were replaced in the early

post-medieval period by a hide-processing workshop and a dye works. This volume reports on the

excavation’s discoveries, which are also placed within the wider context of Leicester’s archaeology, as

well as finds. These included ceramics, building materials, ironworking debris and environmental

remains. 175p, b/w figs (Archaeopress BAR 372, 2004) 1841716146 Pb £30.00

Excavations at Deansway, Worcester 1988-89: Romano-British small town to late

medieval city by Hal Dalwood and Rachel Edmonds

In 1988 and 1989 large areas in the centre of Worcester were excavated providing a unique opportunity

to examine the development of the city. Although little prehistoric evidence was recovered, the project

identified the remains of a Roman small town, with most intense occupation between the 2nd and 4th

century. The evidence indicated that ironworking and livestock were two staples of the town’s economy.

Medieval discoveries included Anglo-Saxon defences, evidence of Anglo-Norman lime-burning and

metalworking, and the first complete plan of an 11th- or 12th-century stone hall uncovered in Worcester.

A later medieval bronze foundry was also recorded. This substantial and well-presented report publishes

descriptions of the archaeological remains, with a full chronological synthesis, and numerous specialist

finds reports on pottery, building materials, ironworking residues, metalwork, jewellery, glass, coins,

inscriptions, worked stone, bone and antler tools, human skeletal remains and other environmental

remains. 605p, many b/w illus (CBA Research Report 139, CBA 2004) 1902771419 Pb £32.00

Yarnton: Saxon and Medieval Settlement and Landscape by Gill Hey

From 1989 to 1998, Oxford Archaeology investigated an extensive area of landscape around Yarnton

and Cassington, Oxfordshire. Remains dating from the Neolithic up until the post-medieval period

revealed a remarkable story of changing settlement and landscape over five millennia. This volume

describes the Saxon to post-medieval discoveries, tracing the developments from small-scale early

Anglo-Saxon farmsteads to the medieval village, and reveals the profound changes that occurred at

Yarnton in settlement, agriculture and social organisation between the end of the Roman empire and

the post-Conquest world. Rare evidence from multi-disciplinary studies shows that many of the key

features of this transformation took place during the late 8th and 9th centuries AD, at an earlier date

than conventionally believed. 456p, b/w illus, col pls (Oxford Archaeology 2004) 0947816704 £25.00

102



Oxford Archaeology









Newbooks







These popular books, entirely illustrated in colour, explore two fascinating

sites. They combine archaeology, history and documentary sources to give

you an intriguing and unexpected insight into peoples lives in the past.

£6.50 The Roots of an English Town

Exploring the archaeology of Higham Ferrers

EYNSHAM £4.50

A village and its Abbey







www.oxfordarch.co.uk/pages/bookshop

Local History 103

Barentin’s Manor: Excavations of the moated manor at Hardings Field, Chalgrove,

Oxfordshire 1976-9 by Philip Page, Kate Atherton and Alan Hardy

Archaeological investigations at Harding’s Field, Chalgrove, revealed the remains of one of the most

complete examples of a moated medieval manor yet excavated in England. Evidence of a pre-moat

occupation dating from the first half of the 13th century, which may not have been seigneurial, was

succeeded in the mid 13th century by the construction of the moated manor house. The documentary

evidence indicates that this house belonged to the Barentins, a prominent Oxfordshire family. The

manor underwent considerable alterations and improvements during the following 200 years, particularly

during the early part of the 14th century and, to a lesser extent, in the late 14th and early 15th century.

It passed out of the hands of the Barentin family shortly before it was demolished in the late 15th

century. 172p, many b/w illus, some col illus (Oxford Archaeology 2005) 0947816623 £19.95

The Roots of an English Town: Exploring the Archaeology of Higham Ferrers

by Alan Hardy and Peter Lorimer

In recent years archaeologists at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshere, have uncovered a wealth of evidence,

largely Saxon, that tells ‘a story both fascinating and intriguing, gruesome and tragic’. This colourful

guide presents this story in layman’s terms, explaining and illustrating what Anglo-Saxon remains look

like, how the important settlement at Higham Ferrers functioned, how the inhabitants lived, worked,

worshipped and died, and what objects they left behind. A good introduction for children. 52p, many col

illus (Oxford Archaeology 2004) 0904220389 Pb £6.50

Excavations at Stansted Airport, 1986-91 by Richard Havis and Howard Brooks

When excavations began on the site of an expanding Stansted Airport, it was expected to focus on three

known medieval settlements. However, the discoveries were far more extensive and impressive than

that. In addition to the largest assemblage of late Bronze Age pottery unearthed in Essex, several Iron

Age settlements were recorded included a complete defended site which was arranged around a central

structure interpreted as a shrine. Roman features included burials with especially rich gravegoods and

a cremation cemetery while a complete farmstead was dated to the 12th and 13th centuries. These two

volumes report on all phases of evidence (the prehistoric and Romano-British in volume one and the

medieval evidence in volume two), concluding with the construction of the airfield during the Second

World War. The books incorporate specialist reports on the finds and reconstructions of the medieval

and post-medieval buildings. 2 vols: 583p, many b/w pls, illus, figs, tbs (East Anglian Archaeology

107, Essex County Council 2004) 1852812427 Pb £50.00

Archaeology in the Bedford Region by Michael Dawson

In the late 1980s and early 1990s five excavations took place around Bedford in preparation for a water

pipeline. In addition to revealing the development of the rural landscape throughout prehistory and the

historic period, the project also uncovered evidence of Roman domestic and industrial activity, as well

as cemeteries. The Roman cemetery at Kempston is of particular interest because of the large number

of decapitations. The report includes large amounts of data, with detailed descriptions of the sites,

features, environmental and skeletal remains, and the rich finds. 526p, b/w illus, tbs (Bedfordshire

Archaeology Monograph Series No 4, Archaeopress BAR 373, 2004) 1841716286 Pb £50.00

Birmingham: The Hidden History by Michael Hodder

Many of us would believe Birmingham to be a fairly recent phenomenon, with a limited history beyond

the Industrial Revolution, but as this book clearly demonstrates, it does have a prehistoric, Roman and

medieval past that has remained hidden for too long. Hand axes, stone hammers, barrows, enclosures

and burnt mounds all attest to the area being occupied, although not continuously, from the Mesolithic.

Roman remains in the city, including forts such as Metchley in Edgbaston, are placed within the context

of a network of forts in the West Midlands linked by a complex road network. The town of Birmingham

was created in the 12th century as a commercial centre and, combining documentary and archaeological

evidence, Hodder explores the history of the medieval buildings before moving on to Birmingham’s

industrial past. 192p, 100 b/w pls and figs (Tempus 2004) 075241358 Pb £17.99

104 Local History

Maps and Map-making in Local History by Jacinta Prunty

Maps are an invaluable source for any undertaking of local history research although they are not the

easiest things to ‘read’ as they are the products of the techniques and methodologies at the time of their

creation, and they encompass the motives and aims of their creator(s). This study attempts to show

how and why they are an important historical source, and how they can be used in researching local

history, from travel maps and Ordnance Survey to military and maritime mapping. Much of the book

comprises a historical overview of map-making in Ireland although subsequent chapters discuss map-

reading skills and offer practical guidance on working with maps, how to get access to them and what

information they offer. 344p, 73 b/w illus (Four Courts 2004) 1851826998 Pb £19.95

The Local History Companion by Stephen Friar * New in Paperback *

A hugely informative book containing concise (and sometimes extended) descriptions and definitions

of terms, objects, places and things that are typically encountered within local history and social history

research. Arranged alphabetically and with useful cross-referencing, entries include such well-used

and well-known terms as stagecoach, monasteries, railways, chapels, and more obscure examples

such as Ember Days, heriot, ormolu and trailbaston. A superb source of reference. 506p, b/w illus, 15

col pls (Sutton 2001, rep 2002, Pb 2004) 0750927232 Pb £14.99

English Heritage maps

These handy fold-out maps, which easily fit into the pocket, present historical background and discussions

on one side and maps on the other. All cost £1.99 each. They cover: English Castles; Kings and Queens

of England; Hadrian’s Wall; Battles of England; Ancient England; Abbeys of England

An Enigma of Ancient Suffolk: South Elmham Before 1066 by Basil Harrold

In AD673, East Anglia was divided into two parts, with two bishoprics, the second of which may have

been at South Elmham. In this synthesis of literary and archaeological sources, Basil Harrold pieces

together the history of South Elmham from Saxon times and the arrival of Christianity. Local events

are placed in a wider context as he considers the evidence for South Elmham being the site of the

second Episcopal see, asks whether the ruins of the Old Minster might have been the cathedral of the

diocese, examines place-name evidence, Domesday references and other ancient buildings in the area.

A well written study of an important local ‘enigma’ drawing on primary source material with considered

interpretation by the author. 145p, 33 col pls, 7 b/w figs, 6 maps, 12 tbs (Red Bird Press 2003)

1902626575 Pb £12.95

Carrstone in Norfolk Buildings: Distribution, use, associates and influences by J R L Allen

Along with flint and brick, carrstone is a common building material in north and west Norfolk, with

local sources providing a readily available supply. This reconnaissance survey of the distribution and

use of carrstone and leziate quartzite looks at standing buildings from all periods and across a large part

of north and west Norfolk. Approaching the evidence more from a geological and geographical

perspective than an archaeological one, John Allen discusses and illustrates the use of carrstone in

settlements, proving particularly popular among large estates such as Holkham and Sandringham, in

ecclesiastical buildings, in the construction of community and public buildings, monuments and

memorials, and railway buildings and bridges. 177p, b/w and col pls, b/w figs (Archaeopress BAR

371, 2004) 1817161385 Pb £36.00

Tyburn: London’s Fatal Tree by Alan Brooke and David Brandon

More than 50,000 people are thought to have died at Tyburn between the 12th century and 1783 when

public hanging there was stopped. Located near Marble Arch in London, the three miles from Newgate

prison to Tyburn provided entertainment for the people of London as heroes, martyrs, criminals,

highwaymen, pretenders and impostors were sent to the gallows. This book looks at the people who

died there and their crimes, providing insights not only into the penal system in London and Britain as

a whole, but also the changing social and economic climate from the 12th to 18th century. William

Wallace, Perkin Warbeck and the dashing highwayman Claude Duval were just some of the victims of

Tyburn. 246p, 28 b/w pls (Sutton 2004) 0750929715 Hb £20.00