The Medieval Village

Coulton was a talented populariser of medieval history. In this 1925 book he examines the workings of the European village, and how it was controlled by its lay or ecclesiastical lords. By using a wide range of original sources he discusses all aspects of the lives of ordinary people.

First published in 1925 as part of the Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought series, Coulton's The Medieval Village was an expanded version of lectures given at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Although a rigorous academic, who stressed the importance of using primary sources, Coulton was skilled at making medieval history accessible to a wider audience. He played an important role in encouraging interest in the study of social and economic, rather than political and military, history of the Middle Ages among younger scholars. In the present work, he used his extensive reading to discuss all aspects of peasant life throughout medieval Europe. He covers a wide range of topics, including the peasants' legal status and access to justice, their relationship with the Church, their landlords, and their work and aspects of daily life. The result is a fascinating picture of medieval life for the common man.