A new captivating portrait of medieval Britain, combining the mundane and the extraordinary. Using extensive evidence, Martin Witts sheds light on Britain in the Middle Ages, vividly bringing it to life in this engaging new portrait that combines the mundane and the extraordinary.

Thus, we can glimpse rural society of the 11th century through a conversation between a ploughman and his master.

The life of Dick Whittington illuminates the flourishing of the urban elite. Stories about Roger "the Plague", who drowned in his own sewage, "the Water", imprisoned in Orford Castle, and the sufferings of the Jews of Bristol reveal the extraordinary diversity of medieval society.

Thanks to these characters and events - as well as the use of the latest discoveries and research - a dynamic and engaging panorama of medieval England is revealed.