Mills in the Medieval Economy England 1300-1540 [Hardcover]

The late medieval English milling industry epitomizes one of the most important technical achievements of early societies: the exploitation of wind, water and muscle power for augmenting human endeavours. Through a computerized analysis of the number and variety of mills in England from 1300 to 1540, as well as the technology, practices and personnel sustaining them, Langdon reveals the structural evolution of the milling industry, highlighting both its accomplishments and its limitations. Although it focuses on England during the later middle ages, the book's innovative methodologies and original findings will furnish useful comparative material for all scholars investigating pre-industrial societies. It also offers a challenging new perspective on the later middle ages as a time of change, in addition to providing enthusiasts of old technologies generally with a wealth of detail about one of the most recognizable and enduring features of medieval society.

Introduction
1. The Milling Industry
2. Mill Numbers and Revenues
3. The Technology of the Late Medieval English Milling Industry
4. The Operation of Milling
5. Entrepreneurs
6. Workers and Customers
Conclusion: The Late Middle Ages as an Era of Change?
Appendices
Bibliography
Index

This volume should be required reading for advanced students in medieval history, economic history, the history of technology, social history, and related fields. --Charles R. Bowlus,The Historian

A well-crafted, carefully prepared study that not only offers a valuable description of many facets of a relatively complex technology for middle ages but also productively explores, both in theory and in practice, the forces which promote and prohibit the adoption of different methods of getting work done. --Technology and Culture

This book not only makes available a mass of empirical research and provides the best survey of its topic but also suggests a nul#-