Norman England: 1066-1204

English Heritage

by Trevor Rowley

The year 1066 is perhaps the most important date in English history. The Norman invasion, headed by William the Conqueror, meant revolutionary change throughout English life. Soon there was a new ruling class, new language, new styles of dress, behavior and architecture, as well as a new capital and new forms of landholding. The elite Normans themselves brought England much closer to Continental Europe, lived in their new castles and brought in novel styles of military training, founded monasteries and set up schools. This volume explores their lifestyle and the ways in which they interacted with the Anglo-Saxon English as they changed the face of the country forever.

Genres: History, Medieval History, British Literature

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Trevor Rowley is Dean of Degrees and an Emeritus Fellow of Kellogg College, University of Oxford, England.

Trevor Rowley was educated at University College, London and Linacre College, Oxford. Although originally trained as a geographer, he moved his academic interests into landscape history and archaeology and promoted a flourishing programme of teaching, fieldwork, research and publication in these areas based in the Department for Continuing Education. He was for several years Honorary Secretary of the Council for British Archaeology and was a founding member of the Professional Institute of Field Archaeologists. He was closely involved with Rescue excavation, directing work along the line of the M40, in Dorchester on Thames and on Thames Valley gravel sites. For many years he directed a training excavation for continuing education students at Middleton Stoney in Oxfordshire.

He was appointed Staff Tutor in Archaeology and Local Studies in the Department for Continuing Education (then the Delegacy for Extra-Mural Studies) in 1969, and until his retirement in September 2000 was the longest serving academic in Rewley House. In 1990 he was appointed Director of Public Programmes; he was twice Acting Director of the department. In addition to directing Public Programmes for over a decade he directed the Oxford-Florida Programme at Christ Church and established a national professional archaeology programme based at Rewley House. As Director of Public Programmes he was responsible for significant expansion of the Public Programme. He was a founding Fellow of Kellogg College and was Senior Tutor in 1993/4 and Vice President in 1994/5. He continues to teach regularly for OUDCE’s weekly class and certificate programme and summer schools as well as for Stanford in Oxford. He is the external examiner for the Historic Landscape Studies programme at the University of Wales Newport and is also a Vice-President of the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society.

He has published extensively and his books include: The Shropshire Landscape( 1972); Landscape Archaeology (1974) with M. Aston; Villages in the Landscape (1978); The High Middle Ages (1984); The Landscape of the Welsh Marches (1986); Norman England (1997); The Normans (1999) and The 20th Century English Landscape (2006). He is currently working on A History of Oxford for Carnegie Publishing and a number of other major landscape history initiatives.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nicely illustrated beginners guide to England in the late eleventh and twelfth centuries.

[Sally George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at Helmsley Castle as it was a concise size and a subject that I was interested in. Questions about the Normans would often come up, such as why isn't our first language French considering we were taken over and ruled by the Normans? This was answered plus other questions I had. Well written, easy to read and very enjoyable.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start on the history of the era. I liked the list of places to visit, but I really would have also made use of a list of sources for further, in-depth learning.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to the society and culture of Norman England.

[Pers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative introduction to the period.

[Helen Mears · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic guide to Norman England.