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The Story of England
The village of Kibworth in Leicestershire lies at the very centre of England. It has a church, some pubs, the Grand Union Canal, a First World War Memorial - and many centuries of recorded history. In the thirteenth century the village was bought by William de Merton, who later founded Merton College, Oxford, with the result that documents covering 750 years of village history are lodged at the college. Building on this unique archive, and enlisting the help of the current inhabitants of Kibworth, with a village-wide archeological dig, with the first complete DNA profile of an English village and with use of local materials like family memorabilia, Michael Wood tells the extraordinary story of one English community over fifteen centuries, from the moment that the Roman Emperor Honorius sent his famous letter in 410 advising the English to look to their own defences to the village as it is today. The story of Kibworth is the story of England itself, a 'Who Do You Think You Are?' for the entire nation. It is the subject of a six-part BBC tv series to be shown in autumn 2010.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
140 people are currently reading
843 people want to read
About the author
Michael Wood
232 books340 followersLibrarian Note: There's more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael David Wood is an English historian & broadcaster. He's presented numerous tv documentary series. Library of Congress lists him as Michael Wood.
Wood was born in Moston, Manchester, & educated at Manchester Grammar School & Oriel College, Oxford. His special interest was Anglo-Saxon history. In the 70s Wood worked for the BBC in Manchester. He was 1st a reporter, then an assistant producer on current affairs programmes, before returning to his love of history with his 1981 series In Search of the Dark Ages for BBC2. This explored the lives of leaders of the period, including Boadicea, King Arthur, Offa, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Eric Bloodaxe & William the Conquerer (& gave rise to his 1st book, based upon the series).
Michael David Wood is an English historian & broadcaster. He's presented numerous tv documentary series. Library of Congress lists him as Michael Wood.
Wood was born in Moston, Manchester, & educated at Manchester Grammar School & Oriel College, Oxford. His special interest was Anglo-Saxon history. In the 70s Wood worked for the BBC in Manchester. He was 1st a reporter, then an assistant producer on current affairs programmes, before returning to his love of history with his 1981 series In Search of the Dark Ages for BBC2. This explored the lives of leaders of the period, including Boadicea, King Arthur, Offa, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Eric Bloodaxe & William the Conquerer (& gave rise to his 1st book, based upon the series).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
March 12, 2011
I always take a little longer to read non-fiction - just the nature of the beast.
Michael Wood is a long-standing favourite of mine - in tandem with his television series. He truly is a rarity - a historian who knows how to popularize history without losing insight and scholarship.
When I heard about his The Story of England, I just had to get it straight away. The concept of depicting the culture and history of England from prehistoric times to modern day, through the archives and archaeology of a single set of village hamlets, was inspiring. And I can say that the reading validated my anticipation.
I particularly liked the medieval period of history, and the Tudors, but I can say that the book was interesting and insightful throughout. What I particularly liked was his ability to use contrasts and comparisons between different time periods (often with examples of families who lived in or near the locale for those represented periods), and expressing insightful patterns in history.
And of course, his writing is crisp, fluid, and even at times, poetic.
Perhaps the only criticism I can throw in - which does not undermine my rating of 5 for this work - is that the geography often mentioned of areas outside of the locale are not represented by maps. As a non-Englishman, I simply lose my sense of direction and geographical context when reading about various counties and cities. It would have been helpful to have a few extra maps.
I heartily recommend this book to any student of history or culture.
Michael Wood is a long-standing favourite of mine - in tandem with his television series. He truly is a rarity - a historian who knows how to popularize history without losing insight and scholarship.
When I heard about his The Story of England, I just had to get it straight away. The concept of depicting the culture and history of England from prehistoric times to modern day, through the archives and archaeology of a single set of village hamlets, was inspiring. And I can say that the reading validated my anticipation.
I particularly liked the medieval period of history, and the Tudors, but I can say that the book was interesting and insightful throughout. What I particularly liked was his ability to use contrasts and comparisons between different time periods (often with examples of families who lived in or near the locale for those represented periods), and expressing insightful patterns in history.
And of course, his writing is crisp, fluid, and even at times, poetic.
Perhaps the only criticism I can throw in - which does not undermine my rating of 5 for this work - is that the geography often mentioned of areas outside of the locale are not represented by maps. As a non-Englishman, I simply lose my sense of direction and geographical context when reading about various counties and cities. It would have been helpful to have a few extra maps.
I heartily recommend this book to any student of history or culture.
August 2, 2011
A new book, and especially a new television series from Michael Wood is a cause celebre for history lovers. His latest, The Story of England, is a journey through the pageant of English history in one village in the middle of England – Kibworth (Leicestershire). Kibworth is blessed with, for some periods of its history, with good historical records. The rest is revealed through archaeology and local traditions that can be traced back to Kibworth’s ancient past. Kibworth’s history is populated with a cast of characters spanning all the years of its existence, and it is these, the ordinary village folk, that The Story of England is primarily about. It’s a laudable exercise, and highly evocative as are all Michael Wood’s books. However, due to the very nature of its focus, lacks one principle historical figure that we can follow through from beginning to end. For that reason it lacks the appeal of In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great and In Search of Shakespeare. Still, The Story of England is not to be missed.
May 1, 2021
I enjoyed this book, despite the fact that my secondhand copy repeated 35 pages and was missing a different 35 pages. Consequently I know nothing about Kibworth in the Civil War or the times of Enclosure. But I did enjoy reading about villagers who were "actors in their own history." Michael Wood's style is a bit too much made-for-TV at times, but his descriptions of hard times in the Black Death, the aspirations of the poor to become literate, the ups and downs of attitudes towards religion and the strange mix of increased prosperity and loss of village character in the 19th century were compelling.
December 18, 2018
After a rather disorganised start, this settles into an absorbing, sympathetic, sometimes entertaining account of the history of England since the fall of the Roman Empire as experienced by a small settlement in the English Midlands. Recommended.
April 10, 2015
I think this is one I actually might have preferred to see on TV than to read. I'm gasping at myself here.
October 16, 2011
I've read and enjoyed many of Wood's books so I am looking forward to this one. Just in a chapter deep so far.
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Finished on Friday. It's slow going when I mostly read on break at work.
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Enjoyable read. Needs a bit more of a timeline along with the history. Would probably be better if the reader had a firm grasp on what was happening in the background around England as a whole while Wood was relating what was happening in this one village. But then I guess this was written more for people in England. They might be likely to know their history better than we do here in the States. But, given modern education? Maybe not.
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Finished on Friday. It's slow going when I mostly read on break at work.
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Enjoyable read. Needs a bit more of a timeline along with the history. Would probably be better if the reader had a firm grasp on what was happening in the background around England as a whole while Wood was relating what was happening in this one village. But then I guess this was written more for people in England. They might be likely to know their history better than we do here in the States. But, given modern education? Maybe not.
December 5, 2011
This book, which is the companion to the BBC series, tells the story of one village, Kibworth, through the whole of British history. Wood's premise is that British history can be told through the stories of kings and queens, but it is only by looking at it from the point of view of the ordinary people that we begin to see the gradual development of society over time. There is a lot of detail in this book, chapters on the Black Death and the Suffragettes were particularly good.
Kibworth just happens to be the next town over from where a large branch of my family lived, so it was particularly interesting to read from a genealogical standpoint.
Kibworth just happens to be the next town over from where a large branch of my family lived, so it was particularly interesting to read from a genealogical standpoint.
February 21, 2013
Michael Wood undertook a weighty task and completed it. He used the tale of one location (Kibworth) near Leicester to tell the tale of England from first evidence up to an abbreviated 21st century. He gives a sense of life and people using all available resources (archaeological, written, DNA, etc.). He does a good job of using particulars to point to the whole story of England while allowing the particulars to point out the difference of this place from other locations. In all a very decent read.
October 16, 2014
Michael Wood tells the history of England through the story of a single village, Kibworth, in Leicestershire. An interesting idea but , for me, it didn't work very well and I spent unusually long reading the book, sometimes leaving it for a week or two before coming back to it. Glad I finished it at last, but three stars is the most I would give to it.
September 20, 2020
I get what the author was trying to do here- tell the story of England in just 400 pages by framing it in the experiences of a single, average village. This worked a bit, but I found the historical treatment of the country much too light. If you are looking for a good book on English history, I would suggest looking elsewhere.
March 26, 2013
Instead of recounting English history based on the reigns of its kings and queens, this book focuses on the broader perspective through the history of one small, very well documented town near Leicester. A brilliant concept and fascinating perspective. Probably the best English history I've read.
August 11, 2012
Well researched, but it gets bogged down in the reformation and then races through everything after.
December 14, 2013
Couldn't finish it.
October 6, 2024
“…one can always generalize about history; one can always tell it through the stories of kings and queens. But it is only by particularizing, by looking at it from the point of view of the ordinary people, that we begin to see the gradual development of society over time; how our rights and duties evolved; how the people were actors in their own history from the earliest times.”
This quote is the key to understanding where this book is coming from. Wood takes a village in the heart of England and using sources that the village provides from surveys and census, wills, letters, pamphlets to mine them for nuggets of information about how people lived.
It’s quite a slow read as there is much to absorb and I don’t think you need to feel obliged to read every list. The first few centuries pass slowly while the chapters from the Civil War onwards move much quicker. This, I feel, reflects the way the reformation, industrialisation and social change came quicker and quicker for ordinary people often overthrowing centuries of tradition in a few decades: be it the destruction of English Christian culture or the ending of centuries old traditions of common rights brought about by Enclosure.
Some themes of Englishness emerge: the importance of Christianity to English life; the belief in the Past as a better place; Radicalism but not Revolution; Eccentricity; the constant war on the poor by the rich, the disdain of the middle and upper classes for the culture of the working classes in favour of enthusiasm for the imagined culture of the European working classes.
People struggle to define Englishness as opposed to Britishness which encompasses all four countries of the Union and often fall back on hoary old poorly remembered George Orwell (who himself wrestled with the concept of English civilisation) quotes about old maids on bicycles in the morning mist going to Holy Communion (although this does to some extent take in a lot of themes about Christian culture, the weather, eccentricity) or references to past glories that no one who is now alive can possibly have been part of unless they are centenarians (World War Two) or immortals!
A book like this reminds us that our identity isn’t defined by politicians, newspaper articles, or populists, it’s not genetic nor is it unchanging but by what we, as the English have created, what we value and what we choose to do with our freedom.
This quote is the key to understanding where this book is coming from. Wood takes a village in the heart of England and using sources that the village provides from surveys and census, wills, letters, pamphlets to mine them for nuggets of information about how people lived.
It’s quite a slow read as there is much to absorb and I don’t think you need to feel obliged to read every list. The first few centuries pass slowly while the chapters from the Civil War onwards move much quicker. This, I feel, reflects the way the reformation, industrialisation and social change came quicker and quicker for ordinary people often overthrowing centuries of tradition in a few decades: be it the destruction of English Christian culture or the ending of centuries old traditions of common rights brought about by Enclosure.
Some themes of Englishness emerge: the importance of Christianity to English life; the belief in the Past as a better place; Radicalism but not Revolution; Eccentricity; the constant war on the poor by the rich, the disdain of the middle and upper classes for the culture of the working classes in favour of enthusiasm for the imagined culture of the European working classes.
People struggle to define Englishness as opposed to Britishness which encompasses all four countries of the Union and often fall back on hoary old poorly remembered George Orwell (who himself wrestled with the concept of English civilisation) quotes about old maids on bicycles in the morning mist going to Holy Communion (although this does to some extent take in a lot of themes about Christian culture, the weather, eccentricity) or references to past glories that no one who is now alive can possibly have been part of unless they are centenarians (World War Two) or immortals!
A book like this reminds us that our identity isn’t defined by politicians, newspaper articles, or populists, it’s not genetic nor is it unchanging but by what we, as the English have created, what we value and what we choose to do with our freedom.
October 12, 2022
I think this book succeeds in its aim of telling the story of the history of England with where possible special reference to the people of one village, being Kibworth, just south of the city of Leicester just about in the middle of England.
Reasonable and intriguing educated guesses are made on the origins of the settlement, the Romano-British period, who the Mercian Cybba for whom the village is named might have been, and what happened to the Anglo-Saxon (some might say English) notable residents who are documented before Domesday Book but are not in the great survey itself. Then it's on through the Norman Yoke, the Simon De Monfort revolts which seems to have especially involved the area, then the Black Death, the devastation of which beggars belief, especially as the estimate of the death toll changes as more and more research is done. We have the so-called Peasant's Revolt (we need a better name), other upheavals, all stories told with where possible a tie to the Kibworth area and to Kibworth people.
I found the book particularly good on the changes of the reformations of the 16thCE. That there were three seismic change of the national religion in twelve years in a time of deep faith among people never fails to make me pause to think. It's no surprise to learn that Kibworth was affected by the Civil Wars of the 17thCE. Then the enclosures, the Industrial Revolution in particular the digging of the canals, the coming and goings of the railway, and of course the two world wars all made their mark. That the people through all of this "seem to have got on with it" isn't a surprise, it's what people do but some of these events brought real hardships and left their marks.
As Mr Wood says in his recommendation for further reading, he hasn't referenced all his quotations though he does makes many recommendations, that so many of them are new books based on recent research is exciting. I suppose if there were footnotes the book would be half as long again, i for one wouldn't have minded that but, like the people of Kibworth and surely everywhere else i will just get on with(out) it.
On a personal note i currently live just off the A6, and having had friends in Leicester i now wish i'd driven up the A6 to see them rather than using the much quicker but not in any way evocative M1. Next time i'm that way, i think i'll go the country way.
Reasonable and intriguing educated guesses are made on the origins of the settlement, the Romano-British period, who the Mercian Cybba for whom the village is named might have been, and what happened to the Anglo-Saxon (some might say English) notable residents who are documented before Domesday Book but are not in the great survey itself. Then it's on through the Norman Yoke, the Simon De Monfort revolts which seems to have especially involved the area, then the Black Death, the devastation of which beggars belief, especially as the estimate of the death toll changes as more and more research is done. We have the so-called Peasant's Revolt (we need a better name), other upheavals, all stories told with where possible a tie to the Kibworth area and to Kibworth people.
I found the book particularly good on the changes of the reformations of the 16thCE. That there were three seismic change of the national religion in twelve years in a time of deep faith among people never fails to make me pause to think. It's no surprise to learn that Kibworth was affected by the Civil Wars of the 17thCE. Then the enclosures, the Industrial Revolution in particular the digging of the canals, the coming and goings of the railway, and of course the two world wars all made their mark. That the people through all of this "seem to have got on with it" isn't a surprise, it's what people do but some of these events brought real hardships and left their marks.
As Mr Wood says in his recommendation for further reading, he hasn't referenced all his quotations though he does makes many recommendations, that so many of them are new books based on recent research is exciting. I suppose if there were footnotes the book would be half as long again, i for one wouldn't have minded that but, like the people of Kibworth and surely everywhere else i will just get on with(out) it.
On a personal note i currently live just off the A6, and having had friends in Leicester i now wish i'd driven up the A6 to see them rather than using the much quicker but not in any way evocative M1. Next time i'm that way, i think i'll go the country way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2017
Published in 2010, The Story of England attempts to tell English history from the viewpoint of the village of Kibworth, near Leicester. The book was published in connection with a BBC tv series on the same subject, and Kibworth was selected because it has a little more evidence than some in the form of archaeological evidence from pre-1066 and some documentary evidence after that point, amongst other things. The result is fascinating as it describes the creation of the village and the feudal system, and later follows the breakdown of the feudal system and the rise of the capitalist system. The description of events that killed off large parts of the English population comes into play, bringing them into much sharper focus. The impact of religion not surprisingly is also a key factor. But you must also recognise that the viewpoint reflected here will differ considerably from the viewpoint of a large town or city in the same timespan, and also English foreign policy gets only a peripheral mention from time to time. Hugely enjoyable.
September 10, 2017
I slowly read this over the course of a year after watching the TV programme several times. I enjoy Michael Wood's work and am fascinated by the project he set out to accomplish here. The only reason I'm not giving this book five stars is that it is very repetitive and you can tell that it was somewhat rushed. Wood even admits as much in his acknowledgements. But I have fallen in love with Kibworth and its history, so much so that I made a point to visit Kibworth Harcourt (however briefly) during my first trip in England in 2016 and tracked down the mysterious 'Munt' using the map in the front of the book. My verdict: it's good and worth your time, however some more polishing could have made this book truly great.
May 6, 2021
Magnificent
A wonderful account of one village through the ages. Michael Wood is an accomplished historian and especially effective on TV; his History of China is sweeping history that amazes. Perhaps he is less effective in print however. As is often the case with TV history there is repetition and rhetoric. There are some gaps in this story and in particular the influence of ‘radicals’ during the Civil War; iconoclasm is described but the political debate slides by. The same is true of 19th Century radicalism especially the Chartists and later the rise of the Labour Party let alone the effects of Syndicalism and fascism in the early 20th C. The impression is given that the author doesn’t want to sully the tale with ‘modern’ politics which is a pity.
A wonderful account of one village through the ages. Michael Wood is an accomplished historian and especially effective on TV; his History of China is sweeping history that amazes. Perhaps he is less effective in print however. As is often the case with TV history there is repetition and rhetoric. There are some gaps in this story and in particular the influence of ‘radicals’ during the Civil War; iconoclasm is described but the political debate slides by. The same is true of 19th Century radicalism especially the Chartists and later the rise of the Labour Party let alone the effects of Syndicalism and fascism in the early 20th C. The impression is given that the author doesn’t want to sully the tale with ‘modern’ politics which is a pity.
March 30, 2024
Micro-History remains unparalleled in its complexity and beauty. Michael Wood is so generous, empathetic and meticulous with his narrative of ordinary people in an ordinary place. A must read if you love the narrative of a nation, but want to meet the ordinary people who shaped it.
Got slightly bogged down in the late 14th and early 15th centuries but I think that was pirelyto do with the rich and vast array of sources available for that time. But only a small criticism as I was looking more for that sweeping narrative.
Wood's style is engaging and fluent, and encapsulates that beauty of history and how it shows us who we really are.
Got slightly bogged down in the late 14th and early 15th centuries but I think that was pirelyto do with the rich and vast array of sources available for that time. But only a small criticism as I was looking more for that sweeping narrative.
Wood's style is engaging and fluent, and encapsulates that beauty of history and how it shows us who we really are.
November 8, 2018
I rather liked reading this book. It's basically the history of England as told through the history of a village in the center of England and that village's name is Kibworth. Well written and told by historian Michael Wood. We're guided through the events that made England since the beginning of recorded history through to the Roman invasion, the Vikings and the Norman invasion up to the present. All done very well and I cannot recommend this book too highly.
April 13, 2020
Extremely readable and enjoyable narrative history of one English village from pre Roman times to the First World War and by extension, a history of England generally. It's fascinating to see this story through a very particular lens, this village's own lollards,suffragettes and soldiers. An epilogue briefly covers the interwar period and Second World War.
June 5, 2017
Really interesting to go through the history based on one village and the people of that village rather than focussing on the related national events and kings and queens as traditional history books do.
March 30, 2020
Really enjoyed this story of Britain. Written in such a way as to help you to really 'see' in the minds eye what Britain looked, smelt an felt like throughout the ages.
Could have been a 3 star as a little dry in places, but one needs to make allowances so its a low 4 star.
Could have been a 3 star as a little dry in places, but one needs to make allowances so its a low 4 star.
October 10, 2024
a great read
A really interesting book, but ultimately a bit sad, as you think what is lost in our modern world where no body talks to one another, and can’t exchange the time of day
A really interesting book, but ultimately a bit sad, as you think what is lost in our modern world where no body talks to one another, and can’t exchange the time of day
February 13, 2018
A very good way to present history.
Currently reading
January 7, 2020Nothing written by Michael Wood ever disappoints me, especially when he writes on English history and rural England.
February 26, 2021
Comprehensive exploration of English history through looking at the Kibworth village in the Midlands. Interesting and informative on many levels.
November 19, 2022
The story of england
Very interesting read, could not put the book down.
Have recommended to friends already
Well worth reading
rating 5 stars
Very interesting read, could not put the book down.
Have recommended to friends already
Well worth reading
rating 5 stars
April 27, 2025
Extremely well researched account of Englands history through one village using Merton college archives.
June 15, 2025
English history based on a Leicestershire village in an area I have no come to call 'home'. Fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews