England's Population

Covering the entire period since the Norman conquest, this history charts the magnitude and characteristics of population change in England since the 11th century. It describes the major explanations for population change which have been proposed by historians over the years, and introduces the main historical sources which have been used to analyse the population history of England. Our knowledge of the population history of England has been transformed since the 1960s by the research of historians and demographers. The book emphasizes throughout the process by which ideas and evidence interact to create knowledge, using the full range of research tools. It assumes no prior knowledge of technical demography and the few technical terms and concepts which are used are clearly explained. Three appendices describe the main documentary sources and how they can be exploited to yield vital demographic data. The book should appeal to anyone interested in how our ancestors lived: how they were born, grew up, courted, married, had children and died. It should also be useful to students taking courses in English population history and society.