Synopses & Reviews
This is a study of Bristol during the sixteenth century, when it was the third largest city in England and an important provincial capital. The local focus of the book belies the breadth and innovation it brings to the study of the English clergy, the Reformation, and the early modern city. Skeeters examines the clergy of Bristol in its entirety--monks, friars, and the parish clergy--and integrates it into the urban context. She demonstrates that by the early sixteenth century these various sorts of clergy had become co-operative rather than competitive, and formed a community which was a fundamental part of the city's collective identity. Skeeters explores the impact of the Reformation on the clerics of Bristol and its lay citizens in an original and scholarly account which has much to offer both ecclesiastical and urban historians.
Review
"Skeeters' book is based upon extensive research in the sources and she has produced a fascinating study of church and state divided."--Sixteenth Century Journal
"Represents an important addition to the literature surrounding the English Reformation and the history of early modern urban communities."--Albion
"[The book] offers thorough consideration of the subjects it covers and is a welcome addition to the growing number of local studies of the Reformation."--American Historical Review
Synopsis
This volume is a compact and authoritative historical survey of the way English urban environments have developed since the Roman period, viewed chronologically and thematically, focusing particularly on the last two centuries. The text covers types of urban development (e.g., industrial
towns, commercial cities, slums, and suburbs), plus important topics such as transport, recreation, civil and ecclesiastical functions, and images of the town and city in literature, art, and film. The chapters are supplemented by cameos that focus in detail on specific towns and subjects.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [281]-308) and index.