Abstract
This article explores the driving forces acting upon the Warwickshire land market between 1284 and 1345, utilizing the feet of fines of this period as its key source. Previous historiographical inquiry has either focused primarily on external factors or else the ‘family-land bond’, neglecting the concept of individualized property management as an explanation, something this paper seeks to rectify. Firstly the article examines exogenous forces in the form of grain prices to test the popular hypothesis as to whether the land market was ‘harvest-sensitive’. Comparative analysis of these prices with land transfers recorded in the fines determines that outside forces played a key role, although this was primarily during periods of economic crisis. The paper then explores the role of the period’s most prolifically active individuals, reconstructing their lives through cross-referencing of the feet of fine evidence with other relevant sources. This clearly reveals the powerful influence these property magnates exerted on the land market, often fluctuating according to their personal needs and desires. The result is to build a clear picture of land market dynamics, which draws on both external and internal forces, defining their roles in relation to periods of stability and crisis.
Published Version
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