Mediæval Byways

A lively guide through the dusty corridors of England’s medieval paperwork, this collection invites listeners to join a curious archivist on a series of unplanned discoveries. With a wry eye for the absurd, he pulls surprising anecdotes from forgotten court rolls, tax lists and charters, turning the mundane—like a humble craftsman’s dispute over a forged seal—into vivid snapshots of daily life. The narrator’s love of language shines through, as archaic phrasing and unexpected word‑play lend both humor and a sense of stepping back into another age.

The essays are stitched together with the spirit of a treasure hunt, each entry chosen for its oddity, charm or darker shade of medieval superstition. Rather than a textbook, the work feels more like a conversational stroll beside stone walls and hedgerows, where the ordinary people of the past become oddly familiar companions. Listeners will come away with a richer feeling of the period’s simplicity, its wit, and the hidden stories that survive in the margins of history.