Metropolitan Market Networks, c.1300-1600; London, its Region and the Economy of England

UKDA study number:4245

Principal Investigators

Keene, D.
Galloway, J.
Murphy, M.
Myhill, O.
University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Sponsors

Economic and Social Research Council
Leverhulme Trust

Distributed by

UK Data Archive, University of Essex, Colchester.

July 2002

Bibliographic Citation

All works which use or refer to these materials should acknowledge these sources by means of bibliographic citation. To ensure that such source attributions are captured for bibliographic indexes, citations must appear in footnotes or in the reference section of publications. The bibliographic citation for this data collection is:

Keene, D. et al. , Metropolitan Market Networks, c.1300-1600; London, its Region and the Economy of England [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], July 2002. SN: 4245, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-4245-1

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Copyright:
Centre for Metropolitan History

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4245 . Metropolitan Market Networks, c.1300-1600; London, its Region and the Economy of England

Depositor:

Keene, D. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Principal Investigators:

Keene, D. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Galloway, J. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Murphy, M. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Myhill, O. , University of London. Institute of Historical Research. Centre for Metropolitan History

Sponsors:

Economic and Social Research Council
Leverhulme Trust
Grant Number: R000237253

Other Acknowledgements:

R. Britnell, Department of History, University of Durham and S.R. Epstein, London School of Economics were advisors to the project

Abstract:

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 Surrey; and three more distant counties, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Devon.

Data can be analysed at the level of individual locality (village, town etc), county and region, and can be broken down by the occupation or status of debtors or creditors. The strength of this data is its abundance, its suitability for quantitative analysis, and the light it can shed upon patterns of commercial and related interaction between individuals, groups, towns and regions. It is most useful for illustrating the structure of relationships and their changes over time. The datasets do not provide national coverage, although individuals from every county in England are encountered.

The wheat price series have been compiled from various manuscript and other unpublished sources and cover London between 1277 and 1640, Exeter between 1317 and 1640, Chester between 1378 and 1503, Canterbury between 1393 and 1502, and for twelve Bishopric of Winchester manors in the Thames valley and adjacent areas of southern England between 1208 and 1454. All these series have gaps of greater or lesser extent within the indicated spans, and there are significant variations in data quality between and within the series, necessitating great caution in their analysis and interpretation.

Coverage:

Time Period Covered: 1208 - 1640 Common Plea Roll debts 1329, 1424, 1500, 1570 and 1602

London wheat prices 1277 to 1640
Exeter wheat prices 1317 to 1640
Chester wheat prices 1378 to 1503
Canterbury wheat prices 1393 to 1502
Bishopric of Winchester wheat prices 1208 to 1454

Gaps of greater or lesser extent within wheat price series.
Dates of Fieldwork: 1994 - 2000
Country: England
Geography: Adderbury; Brightwell; Canterbury; Chester; Ebbesbourne; Ecchinswell; Exeter; Fareham; Ivinghoe; London; Merdon; Wargrave; Witney; Wolvesey; Wycombe; Bedfordshire; Berkshire; Buckinghamshire; Cheshire; Devon; Essex; Hampshire; Hertfordshire; Kent; Middlesex; Northamptonshire; Oxfordshire; Staffordshire; Surrey; Wiltshire; Yorkshire
Spatial Units: Counties
Observation Units: Common Plea Roll debts and wheat prices.
Kind of Data: Textual data; Numeric data; Individual (micro) level

Universe Sampled:

Location of Units of Observation: Subnational
Population: Debts recorded in Michaelmas Common Plea Rolls, 1329, 1424, 1500, 1570 and 1602.
London wheat prices, 1277-1640.
Exeter wheat prices, 1317-1640.
Chester wheat prices, 1378-1503.
Canterbury wheat prices, 1393-1502.
Bishopric of Winchester wheat prices for the manors of Adderbury, Oxfordshire; Brightwell, Berkshire; Ebbesbourne Wake, Wiltshire; Ecchinswell, Hampshire; Fareham, Hampshire; Farnham, Surrey; Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire; Merdon, Hampshire; Wargrave, Berkshire; Witney, Oxfordshire; Wolvesey, Hampshire; Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, 1208-1454.

Methodology:

Time Dimensions: Repeated cross-sectional study; Time Series
Information on Common Plea Roll debts was gathered in a repeated cross-sectional manner and a time series was compiled of wheat prices.
Sampling Procedures: No sampling (total universe); Convenience sample
Common Plea Rolls selected on the basis of their condition, content and with the aim of avoiding years of, or immediately following, particular crisis or high prices. No sampling was done for the wheat prices information.
Number of Units: (A) 542 (obtained) Common Plea Roll debts, 1329
(B) 4489 (obtained) Common Plea Roll debts, 1424
(C) 3102 (obtained) Common Plea Roll debts, 1570
(D) 24 (obtained) Common Plea Roll detailed debts, 1329
(E) 250 (obtained) Common Plea Roll detailed debts, 1424
(F) 97 (obtained) Common Plea Roll detailed debts, 1500
(G) 979 (obtained) Common Plea Roll detailed debts, 1570
(H) 106 (obtained) Common Plea Roll detailed debts, 1602
(I) 744 (obtained) London wheat prices
(J) 6318 (obtained) Exeter wheat prices
(K) 127 (obtained) Chester wheat prices
(L) 317 (obtained) Canterbury wheat prices
(M) 246 (obtained) Bishopric of winchester wheat prices
Method of Data Collection: Transcription of existing materials; Compilation or synthesis of existing material
Data Sources: I) Common Plea Rolls

Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls, Michaelmas term 1329, Public Record Office, CP40/279
Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls, Michaelmas term 1424, Public Record Office, CP40/655
Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls, Michaelmas term 1500, Public Record Office, CP40/954
Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls, Michaelmas term 1570, Public Record Office, CP40/1286-9
Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls, Michaelmas term 1602, Public Record Office, CP40/1688

II) Wheat Price Series

a) London

Manuscript Letter Books A, B & D, Corporation of London Record Office.

Liber de Assisa Panis, Corporation of London Record Office, Cust 4.

Sales and purchases by obedientiaries, Westminster Abbey Muniments, WAM 18962, 19840, 19893-4.

Hyde demesne accounts, Westminster Abbey Muniments, WAM 27077-27101.

Sales by manor of Shillington, Public Record Office, SC6/741/16.

Purchases by cornmongers, Public Record Office, E101/5/14.

Gilbert Maghfelds account book, Public Record Office, E101/509/19.

Sales by manor of Higham Gobion, Bedfordshire Record Office.

Beveridge Prices and Wages collection, London School of Economics Archives Department, Boxes I5, Q2 (London assize and other price transcripts and tabulations 1500-40, 1594-1640).

Papers of David Farmer, University of Saskatchewan Archives, MG145.III.c.5 (Westminster Abbey price transcripts and tabulations 1400-1500).

Published:
Hale, W.H. 'The Domesday of St Pauls of the year MCCXII' Camden Society Old Series, 69, pp.165-6, 172-3.

Secondary works:
Campbell, B.M.S., Galloway, J.A., Keene, D. and Murphy, M. (1993) 'A Medieval Capital and its Grain Supply: Agrarian Production and Distribution in the London Region c.1300' Historical Geography Research Group, Research Series, 30, pp.199-202.

Galloway, J.A. (2000) 'One market or many? London and the grain trade of England' IN J.A. Galloway (ed.) Trade, Urban Hinterlands and Market Integration c.1300-1600, London: Centre for Metropolitan History, pp. 23-42.

Nicholas, F. (1932) 'The assize of bread in London during the sixteenth century' Economic History, 2(7), pp.323-47.

Ross, A. S. C. (1956) 'The assize of bread' Economic History Review, 2nd series, 9, pp.332-42.

b) Exeter

Unpublished transcripts:
Devon Record Office, C5 G1 (Wheat prices 1317-1640, transcribed from Mayors Court Rolls).

Secondary works:
Beveridge, W. (1928-9) 'A statistical crime of the seventeenth century' Journal of Economic & Business History, i, pp.503-33.

Galloway, J.A. (2000) 'One market or many? London and the grain trade of England' IN J.A. Galloway (ed.) Trade, Urban Hinterlands and Market Integration c.1300-1600, London: Centre for Metropolitan History, pp. 23-42.

c) Chester

Manuscript:
Public Record Office, SC6/787/9 to 801/2, and SC6/HenVII/1500-19.

Secondary references:
Unpublished notes and drafts on the Dee Mills, contained in the files of material relating to the forthcoming volume of the Victoria County History for the City of Chester held at the Institute of Historical Research. We are grateful to Dr Alan Thacker for permission to consult these notes.

d) Canterbury

Unpublished transcripts:
Beveridge Prices and Wages collection, London School of Economics Archives Department, Box D3.

e) Bishopric of Winchester Manors

Papers of David Farmer, University of Saskatchewan Archives, MG145.III.c.5 (Bishop of Winchester's Pipe Rolls price transcripts and tabulations).

Language(s) of Written Materials:

Study Description: English
Study Documentation: English/Latin

Access:

Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Availability: History Data Service, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: hds@essex.ac.uk

Date of First Release:

30 July 2002

Copyright:

Centre for Metropolitan History

File last updated:

4 January 2012