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Life in a Late Medieval City: Chester, 1275-1520by Jane LaughtonThis account of late medieval Chester - shire town, regional and ecclesiastical capital, major port, place of craft manufacture and market with an extensive hinterland - is the result of years of detailed research. The medieval historian Dr Jane Laughton draws on her comprehensive knowledge of the documentary sources to paint a vivid picture of urban society. Particular use is made of the city's court rolls, documents that allow the author to populate the urban landscape with real people leading ordinary lives. Medieval history, in contrast to archaeology, tends to be about the good and the great, and this book is a rare exception. The early chapters set out Chester's political, socio-economic and architectural context and the author then explores the realities of every day life, complete with its successes and failures, its highs and its lows. We meet all sections of society, including the mercantile elite who controlled the city, the craftsmen and traders who worked hard to raise their families, and the immigrants who struggled to make a living. We learn of the supportive networks that linked the townspeople and the quarrels that divided them. Almost reminiscent of Dickens in its detail on daily life yet analytical and carefully structured and illustrated throughout, this is a book which all those interested in medieval social history will not want to miss. 272p, 60 b/w illus (Windgather Press, an imprint of Oxbow Books 2008) 
Review Quotes"This book makes an important contribution to the study of urban history and is the culmination of many years of dedicated research. Invaluable to anyone undertaking serious study of the period and to anyone interested in the history of the city of Chester." Chester Community History and Heritage Newsletter (Spring 2009) "...engaging... This is a classic example of how to make exacting scholarship appear unobtrusive to the neophyte. This book could be used profitably by university students." David Nicholas, Clemson University (Emeritus) "This is a thorough introductory survey of the city, demonstrating the extent of available research material which has yet to be explored to its maximum potential. Laughton has certainly succeeded in providing us with an enticing glimpse into the energy and vivacity of an important English medieval city." James Davis "Dr. Jane Laughton has given us a book which should interest a wide readership. This is a book to be read, used and enjoyed." John W. Gittins "This work has succeeded in giving a clearer and more lively understanding of the city during this period than has ever been achieved before." Simon Ward "For those interested in English medieval urban history, as well as the historical geography of north-western England, Laughton's book is highly recommended reading, being both detailed yet accessible." Keith Lilley "Life in a Late Medieval City: Chester, 1275-1520 should become the standard single volume of work on the subject...easy to assimilate but maintaining a very high quality of scholarship and textual style...excellent value in every sense and it can be thoroughly recommended." Alan Crosby
ContentsMedieval Towns and Urban Hierarchies; The Historical Background, 1275-1520; Topography; The Built Environment; A Hierarchical Society; Urban Government; Making a Living; The Wider World; Education, Medicine and Leisure; Relationships; Conclusion; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index.
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