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This article explores the intersection between society and culture in medieval England by examining the ways in which the social identities of female pilgrims were represented in twelfth-century miracle narratives. Miracle stories are written accounts of miraculous events associated with saints' shrines, and often include detailed sociological information about medieval pilgrims. The article focuses on women in these texts, and investigates the extent to which the social roles and labels attributed to female pilgrims by clerical writers suggest a hagiographical discourse of womanhood rather than an accurate reflection of women's social experiences in twelfth-century England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An examination of the decorative elements on the structure of the Anglo-Saxon chapel of St Laurence at Bradford on Avon, Wilts., has suggested that the total decorative scheme, comprising different elements, was abandoned before completion. This hypothesis arises from an examination of the carved moulding on some of the internal and external pilasters, the external blind arcading, and the 'unfinished' rood on the eastern wall of the nave. A historical context for this is suggested in the abandonment of the nearly completed building on the death of King ABthelred, the sponsor of the construction of the chapel as a cult centre for Edward the Martyr from AD 1001. While his successor King Cnut would probably have been supportive of the continuation of the cult at Shaftesbury, the chapel was arguably soon abandoned because the underlying religious and political rationale for its construction no longer obtained in the circumstances of the new king's regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an analysis of the images on the seals used by the archbishops of Canterbury which portrayed the martyrdom of Thomas Becket. The discussion will proceed on several levels. First, although the image of the murder appears on all of them, there is great variety in the iconographical detail to be explored and compared with contemporaneous manuscript illuminations and reliquaries. Secondly, the accounts which furnished the material for the images differ widely; an investigation of the descriptions of the martyrdom given in the Lives of Becket written by his close associates, as well as contemporaneous sermons and liturgical celebrations, demonstrate a variety of influences on the iconography. Finally, an examination of the seals within the various political contexts will illuminate unexplored aspects of historical detail concerning the legend of the Canterbury martyr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limestone quarried on Ham Hill near Yeovil in Somerset is very distinctive and readily identifiable. It was used extensively throughout the medieval period for a great variety of purposes. Whole buildings were constructed using it from floor to roof and it was also employed for decorative work and sculpture. A large group of church monuments was carved in Ham Hill stone, especially effigies and cross slabs. Monument production can be appreciated in the context of a much larger industry and analysis of the figures has revealed that the clients were predominantly the local gentry. Consequently, there are significantly more male civilian and female effigies than are typically found elsewhere, such as in Devon and Yorkshire. There is evidence of an awareness of the products from other stone centres in the south-west, which the carvers of Ham Hill stone were willing to imitate in order to satisfy customer requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through historiographical error, the belief persists that 'town air makes free' was a principle applicable throughout medieval England. However, it was not in force in all towns, nor advantageous to all hoping to escape servitude. This avenue to emancipation was introduced for pragmatic, not philosophical, reasons, and to benefit the free rather than the servile sector of society. Caught up in larger trends, it became a nuisance to the intended beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In early modern England, bestiality was tied to cultural and social perceptions and realities and (alongside other sexual behaviours viewed as lewd or subversive of the natural order) had a powerful cultural resonance. This paper investigates early modern English attitudes (social, religious, and cultural) to bestiality and argues that, while contemporary pamphlet literature, sermons, broadsides, and legal texts strongly condemned bestiality and hint that occurrences of it were rife, prosecutions for the crime were relatively rare and this asymmetry may be explained by analyzing the political atmosphere at specific moments when bestiality was legislated against. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various methods for carrying arrows, whether for hunting, warfare, or archery practice, during the Middle Ages. Emphasis is given to the use of leather girdles for carrying arrows, the use of quivers, and various English military engagements where the use of archers was of prime importance. The wartime manufacturing of arrows in England throughout the Middle Ages, largely carried out by the Bowyers Company, is described. The use of longbows in various military engagements is discussed.

Interactions between saints and animals have been the focus of modern scholarship, yet an important aspect has been neglected, namely that of the saint as healer of animals, when a third party has requested help on behalf of the animal. This article therefore examines, through examples drawn from saints' Vitae and other sources, the types of animals for which saintly intervention was sought, the ailments from which they suffered, and the form which their cure took, in order to understand why medieval people turned to the saints when their animals were ill. An examination of this relationship between saint and animal will not only elucidate the role of saint as thaumaturge, but will also shed light on the veterinary aspect of animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henry Bolingbroke allegedly swore not to usurp the throne in Yorkshire in 1399 before going on to do so. Whether he committed perjury has divided historians of the past fifty years. Understanding of some old sources has improved and a new source has been discovered. This article reviews the evidence. It itemises each source in its original language and a modern translation as a foundation for future study. It suggests that Henry swore several oaths in different parts of Yorkshire and that originally there were options other than replacement of Richard II by Henry IV. It finds that all nine sources are interrelated. All date from the Percy revolt of 1403 or later. Some definitely do re-use Percy propaganda and others may. They cannot therefore be regarded as independent accounts of Henry's perjuries, which may nevertheless be true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological Excavations by Field Archaeology Specialists in 2002 outside the walls of York have revealed new evidence for the elusive transition between the Roman and Viking city. At Heslington Hill, in the campus of the present University of York, an early-Anglo-Saxon settlement dates from c AD 550 to AD 650. In the 7th century a new settlement began 2 km westwards on the same glacial moraine. This was the site of Eoforwic at Fishergate on the River Ouse, investigated in the 1980s and here revisited with additional evidence from excavations in 2000–01. The ceramic assemblage suggests that the two communities were connected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]