Medieval England: From Alfred the Great to Richard III (Archaeology, history, and classical studies)

In 'Medieval England' the archaeological collections of the Ashmolean Museum serve to illustrate a comprehensive series of historical themes from the reign of Alfred the Great to the end of the Wars of the Roses. A sequence of topics has been chosen which characterise these crucial six centuries of English history; social, economic and political developments are reviewed; the evolution of trade, industry and agriculture is traced; the progress of warfare, religion, literacy, dress, sports and pastimes are all examined. The text is supplemented by eighty-five illustrations (including twelve pages of colour) of exhibits from the Ashmolean's superb medieval collections, giving tangible form to the concepts examined. The whole forms a well-integrated presentation of archaeological and historical evidence. The authors - a member of the Museum's Education Service and the curator of the collections - combine scholarly insight with an easy style in an attractive and accessible booklet for the general reader.