Britain and Ireland 1050-1530 Economy and Society

This book analyzes the economic and social development of Britain and Ireland between 1050 and 1530. It compares economic institutions, the structure of production and rates of economic development and is richly supplied with up-to-date evidence. After considering the principal geographical, cultural and political constraints on economic development, the book examines in detail the development of towns and trade, settlement patterns, agriculture and relations between lords and tenures. The book is structured so that it can be used on both short courses and longer ones, with the material divided at 1300 in order to facilitate its adaptation for different study needs.

This book analyses the economic and social development of Britain and Ireland between 1050 and 1530. It compares economic institutions, the structure of production and rates of economic development and is richly supplied with up-to-date evidence. After considering the principal geographical, cultural and political constraints on economic development, the book examines in detail the development of towns and trade, settlement patterns, agriculture and relations between lords and tenures. The book is structured so that it can be used on both short courses and longer ones, with the material divided at 1300 in order to facilitate its adaptation for different study needs.

1 - Material resources and economic constraints
2 - Culture and economic constraints
3 - Power and economic constraints
4 - Contours of development
5 - Britain and Ireland in the later eleventh century
6 - Merchants and their trade
7 - Towns, industry and local trade
8 - Rural settlement and society
9 - Arable husbandry
10 - Pasture husbandry
11 - Lords and tenants
12 - Government
13 - Procedural routines and the uses of literacy
14 - Stability and Crisis
15 - Britain and Ireland in the early fourteenth century
16 - Merchants and their trade
17 - Towns, industry and local trade
18 - Rural settlement and society
19 - Arable husbandry
20 - Pastoral husbandry
21 - Landlords and tenants
22 - Government
23 - Procedural routines and the uses of literacy
24 - Stability and Crisis
25 - Britain and Ireland in the early sixteenth century

Richard Britnell is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Durham. He has written extensively on this period of British history.