The Idea of the Castle in Medieval England

Medieval castles have traditionally been explained as feats of military engineering and tools of feudal control, but Abigail Wheatley takes a different approach, looking at a range of sources usually neglected in castle studies. Evidence from contemporary literature and art reveals the castle's place at the heart of medieval culture, as an architecture of ideas every bit as sophisticated as the church architecture of the period. This study offers a genuinely fresh perspective. Most castle scholars confine themselves to historical documents, but Wheatley examines literary and artistic evidence for its influence on and response to contemporary castle architecture. Sermons, sealsand ivory caskets, local legends and Roman ruins all have their part to play. What emerges is a fascinating web of cultural resonances: the castle is implicated in every aspect of medieval consciousness, from private religious contemplation to the creation of national mythologies. This book makes a compelling case for a new, interdisciplinary approach to castle studies. ABIGAIL WHEATLEY gained her PhD at the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York.

ISBN:	9781903153611
Publisher:	Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Imprint:	York Medieval Press
Published date:	16 Jul 2015
DEWEY:	728.8109420902
DEWEY edition:	23
Language:	English
Number of pages:	192
Weight:	390g
Height:	158mm
Width:	234mm
Spine width:	15mm

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