A Country Merchant, 1495-1520
Trading and Farming at the End of the Middle Ages
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:17th Apr '14
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
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- Hardback£155.00(9780199214242)
This book explores the life of John Heritage, a wool merchant, during a transformative period in England's economic and social history around 1500.
In A Country Merchant, 1495-1520, the author delves into the economic and social history of a pivotal era around 1500, utilizing new evidence and analytical methods. This period marks a significant turning point for England, transitioning from stagnation to an age characterized by innovation and initiative. Key developments such as enclosure, voyages of discovery, and advancements in technology defined the landscape, while societal tensions arose from government fears of beggars and potential rebellions. The book provides a fresh perspective by focusing on the life of John Heritage, a wool merchant and large-scale farmer who embodies the spirit of this transformative time.
John Heritage's meticulously kept account book serves as a primary source for reconstructing the society surrounding Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. His involvement in the removal of a village to facilitate agricultural improvements, along with his extensive travels to engage with gentry, farmers, and peasants, paints a vivid picture of the era's economic dynamics. By selling both his own wool and that of others to London merchants for export to Flanders, Heritage's activities illuminate the interconnectedness of local and international commerce.
A Country Merchant, 1495-1520 is not just a biography; it intertwines family history, local history, and landscape history. The author, Dyer, explores themes of economic and social change while also considering the religious and cultural contexts. Through this lens, the book highlights the significance of commerce and the role of peasants in shaping a changing economy, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of this fascinating period in history.
[A] rich work ... greatly enhances our appreciation of the more dynamic elements typical of the period. * R. B. Peberdy, Oxoniensia *
Dyer is scrupulous in sticking to his sources, and in doing so provides us with a fresh, deep and measured understanding of rural society at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. * Paul Warde, History *
Christopher Dyer's most recent book shows his characteristic impeccable scholarship and ability to illuminate the lives of otherwise obscure people. ... I am a great fan of Dyer's work and can wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. * Kathleen Troup, Parergon *
a significant work of scholarship about a Gloucestershire wool merchant and large-scale farmer. ... Highly informative and a pleasure to read, with much more than local importance. * Northern History *
This is a dense, detailed and highly scholarly book which can be read with pleasure, as well as for enlightenment. * Paul Stamper, Journal of Medieval Archaeology *
Throughout his long and distinguished career, Dyer's work has been characterized by clear presentation of arguments and accessible prose, and this book is no exception. The publisher has sought to broaden the book's appeal to a general readership by including a large number of photographs of places discussed in the text and providing other useful ancillary material. * James Masschaele, Agricultural History Review *
- Winner of Winner of the Henry A Wallace Award 2012 for the best book on agricultural history outside the US from the Agricultural History Society of America.
ISBN: 9780198715986
Dimensions: 236mm x 159mm x 15mm
Weight: 392g
272 pages