Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The project sought to further understanding of London's dynamic role within the economy of its region, and of England as a whole, between c.1300 and c.1600. It sought to clarify the parallels between the medieval and early modern periods and to explore the dynamics of change by assembling data relating to the development of trade networks over a 300 year period. Data derived from debt litigation has been used to measure the degree to which different parts of the country were united in a single economy and participated in regular trade with London at different dates. Analysis of 'detailed' debt cases has provided valuable insights into the content of trade and the mechanisms of exchange. Grain price series from London, provincial towns and rural manors have been used to explore the emergence of integrated regional and super-regional markets, and to chart the city's complex interaction with its agrarian hinterland and with other urban markets. The changing relations between London and England's provincial centres and the city's interaction with the dynamic urban and metropolitan economies of the north-west European mainland, have been investigated.Main Topics:Three principle types of information are contained in the data collection: i) data on debt and credit linkages; ii) details of commercial organisation; and iii) wheat price series. The data on debt and credit linkages and the details of commercial organisation are the product of sampling debt litigation contained in the records of England's Court of Common Pleas, for the Michaelmas law terms of 1329, 1424 and 1570, and also include debt cases for the Michaelmas law terms of 1500 and 1602 which detail the commodity or nature of obligation. The data as collected relate principally to London, the ten surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and ...