Carole Rawcliffe Research Articles

III The Central Middle Ages (900–1200)

III The Central Middle Ages (900–1200)

John Henderson, Peregrine Horden and Alessandro Pastore (eds), The impact of hospitals 300–2000, Oxford and Bern, Peter Lang, 2007, pp. 426, illus., £48.00 (paperback 978-3-03911-001-8)

John Henderson, Peregrine Horden and Alessandro Pastore (eds), The impact of hospitals 300–2000, Oxford and Bern, Peter Lang, 2007, pp. 426, illus., £48.00 (paperback 978-3-03911-001-8)

Leprosy in Medieval England. Carole Rawcliffe

<i>Leprosy in Medieval England</i>. Carole Rawcliffe

Leprosy in Premodern Medicine: A Malady of the Whole Body

In the last two years, two new books on the history of leprosy have redefined the image and understanding of that terrifying illness of antiquity and the Middle Ages. The first of these works dispels many of the misconceptions about Leprosy in Medieval England. This dense, well-researched volume by Carole Rawcliffe (Rochester, NY: Boydell & Brewer, 2006) looks at leprosy from ecclesiastical, medical, and cultural perspectives in England from about the twelfth to the fifteenth century. The second by Luke Demaitre is a tour de force examination of leprosy concentrating “on the period between 1300 and 1700” from a variety of angles that build one upon the other to create an overall picture of not just leprosy, but also the reasons behind the misunderstandings and prejudices surrounding this disease. In Leprosy in Premodern Medicine: A Malady of the Whole Body, Demaitre sets out to “show that premodern medicine considered the leprosus not as a reprobate, branded with a disease of the soul, but as a patient, burdened by a malady of the whole body” (xii). Demaitre does just that, and does it well. The strength of this work is that Demaitre uses case after case from primary sources to illustrate and augment his examination of the disease and the contemporary understanding of the illness.

Bodies of Knowledge

As different in approach and range as they undoubtedly are, these four books all share an interest in medieval representational practices out of which complex ideas and theories concerning bodies — indeed, out of which different bodies — emerge. Katharine Park’s Secrets of Women is a wonderfully rich study of anatomy and dissection in northern Italy as it developed from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century; Carole Rawcliffe’s Leprosy in Medieval England offers a dense and detailed examination of the treatment and theories surrounding leprosy in late medieval England; Nicola McDonald’s wide-ranging collection of essays explores a plethora of medieval obscenities ad related issues; and Patrizia Bettella’s The Ugly Woman examines the role of this reviled figure in Italian poetry from the Middle Ages to the Baroque.

Leprosy in medieval England

One of the most important publications for many years in the fields of medical, religious and social history. Rawcliffe's book completely overhauls our understanding of leprosy and contributes immensely to our knowledge of the English middle ages. This is a fascinating study that will be a seminal work in the history of leprosy for many years to come. EHR Set firmly in the medical, religious and cultural milieu of the European Middle Ages, this book is the first serious, comprehensive study of a disease surrounded by misconceptions and prejudices. Even specialists will be surprised to learn that most of our stereotyped ideas about the segregation of medieval lepers originated in the nineteenth century; that leprosy excited a vast range of responses, from admiration to revulsion; that in the later Middle Ages it was diagnosed readily even by laity; that a wide range of treatment was available; that medieval leper hospitals were no more austere than the monasteries on which they were modelled; that the decline of leprosy was not monocausal but implied a complex web of factors - medical, environmental, social and legal. Written with consummate skill, subtlety and rigour, this book will change forever the image of the medieval leper. CAROLE RAWCLIFFE is Professor of Medieval History at the University of East Anglia.

Sheila Sweetinburgh, The role of the hospital in medieval England: gift-giving and the spiritual economy, Dublin, Four Courts Press, 2004, pp. 286, illus., £55.00, €65.00 (hardback 1-85182-794-3).

Sheila Sweetinburgh, The role of the hospital in medieval England: gift-giving and the spiritual economy, Dublin, Four Courts Press, 2004, pp. 286, illus., £55.00, €65.00 (hardback 1-85182-794-3).

Christopher Harper-Bill, Carole Rawcliffe, and Richard G. Wilson, eds., East Anglia's History: Studies in Honour of Norman Scarfe. Woodbridge, Eng., and Rochester, N. Y.: Boydell and Brewer, for the Centre of East Anglian Studies, University of East Anglia, 2002. Pp. xiv, 358; black-and-white frontispiece portrait, black-and-white plates, black-and-white figures, tables, and maps. $85.

Christopher Harper-Bill, Carole Rawcliffe, and Richard G. Wilson, eds., East Anglia's History: Studies in Honour of Norman Scarfe. Woodbridge, Eng., and Rochester, N. Y.: Boydell and Brewer, for the Centre of East Anglian Studies, University of East Anglia, 2002. Pp. xiv, 358; black-and-white frontispiece portrait, black-and-white plates, black-and-white figures, tables, and maps. $85.

:Daily Life in the Late Middle Ages

Dress and fashions c. 1470, Anne Sutton townswomen and their households, Jennifer Ward hospital nurses and their work, Carole Rawcliffe religion and the Paston family, Gillian Pritchard peasants in Arden, Andrew Watkins a priory and its tenants, Richard Lomas artisans, guilds and government in London, Matthew Davies London parishes - development in context, Clive Burgess York under the Yorkists, Richard Britnell.

Sources for the History of Medicine in Late Medieval England. Carole Rawcliffe

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsSources for the History of Medicine in Late Medieval England. Carole Rawcliffe Roger FrenchRoger French Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Isis Volume 88, Number 2Jun., 1997 Publication of the History of Science Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/383714 Views: 2Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1996 History of Science Society, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article: John Neu Current Bibliography of the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences, 1997, Isis 88 (Oct 2015): 1–308.https://doi.org/10.1086/383918

Early Gothic Saint-Denis: restorations and survivals (review)

Reviews 229 with the subsequent legend of 'The maid of Week' is one example, as is also Anne F. Sutton's retracing of the many roles of Lady Joan Bradbury. Sutton's investigation of the silkwoman Alice Claver, while sketchy concerning her life before widowhood, offers insights into the functioning of female business and social networks. The interest of other chapters lies in their ability to demonstrate the variety of economic and legal activites undertaken by women, such as the essays by Elspeth Veale and Caroline Barron which show widows working in crafts dominated by men. Similarly, those by Stephen O'Connor and Jenny Stratford offer examples of the extensive legal and business responsibilities shouldered by medieval women. Significandy, in some cases the widows studied appear to be overshadowed by their husbands and families, as in Kay Lacey's study of Margaret Croke. However, the essays by Jennifer C. Ward, Helen Bradley, and Carole Rawcliffe offer intimations of how these women perceived their identities. While the life of Margaret Stodeye is presented largely in relation to those of her father and husbands, Rawcliffe's chapter shows clearly how civic politics and marital strategies could intertwine. Readers may suffer from 'will fatigue' reading this volume and disagree with the more optimistic assumptions about the lives of medieval women. For instance, should the expectation that widows' would continue their husbands' businesses after their death be interpreted as an 'opportunity', or as an indicator of women's relative status and freedom? Nonetheless, this collection of essays represents a valuable contribution to our knowledge about medieval women's lives, taking women as historical subjects and showing their range of activity and agency. Stephanie Tarbin Department of History University of Western Australia Blum, Pamela Z., Early Gothic Saint-Denis: restorations and survivals, Berkeley/Los Angeles/London, University of California Press, 1994; paper; pp. xii, 187; 23 monochrome plates, 35 monochrome figures; R.R.P. US$25.00. This is a fascinating book for students or scholars who know generally of the pivotal role of the church of Saint-Denis in the development of the style known as 'Gothic' and want to know more. The title is, however, a misnomer, since Blum is concerned exclusively with the sculpture of the 230 Reviews central western portal of the church. This limited focus is actually a strength, since general discussions of Saint-Denis' architectural innovations are common, whereas precise details of ornamentation are rare. Blum's analysis is refreshingly enthusiastic and easy to follow. Chapter One, 'Saint-Denis in history', reviews the history of the church and the development of the cult of St Denis in France, concentrating on Suger's rebuilding which was dedicated on 9 June 1140. The subsequent damage to the structure due to the Hundred Years' War and the later Wars of Religion is briefly alluded to, and the chapter concludes with the work of eighteenth century antiquarians and the devastation of the church during the French Revolution. The result of this damage was pitiable: 'the church, stripped of its golden altar frontals, costiy altar furnishings, royal regalia, and centuries of accumulated treasure, servedfirstas a temple for the Cult of Reason and subsequendy as a granary. By April 1794 the building had become uninhabitable' (p. 9). Blum's opinion in Chapter Two, 'Nineteenth-century restorations', of the attempts made during the nineteenth century to 'restore' Saint-Denis is highly critical and the chapter reads as a catalogue of complaints. In Chapter Three, 'The great tympanum of the central portal', the book hits its stride and its real value becomes apparent. The writing treads comfortably between highly technical descriptions of details of carving and accessible general comments. The fine illustrations which are at the back of the volume assist the reader in identifying not only which figures are being discussed but also which sections of the figures have been restored and by what techniques. The 'A' plates give the figures and die 'B' plates have the restored areas marked by the author. Sections of the detailed analysis are fascinating. W h o , even amongst those of us who have seen the portal ourselves, has noticed the artist's striving to depict 'individual types' in the...

Parliament and the Settlement of Disputes by Arbitration in the later Middle Ages*

Parliamentary HistoryVolume 9, Issue 2 p. 316-342 Parliament and the Settlement of Disputes by Arbitration in the later Middle Ages* CAROLE RAWCLIFFE, CAROLE RAWCLIFFE History of ParliamentSearch for more papers by this author CAROLE RAWCLIFFE, CAROLE RAWCLIFFE History of ParliamentSearch for more papers by this author First published: October 1990 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-0206.1990.tb00566.x † *Many of the ideas set out in this paper have been developed as a result of the biographical research on individual M.P.s which I have undertaken during my years with the History of Parliament Trust; and I am most grateful to the Trust for the opportunity to investigate so many different careers in such detail. I would also like to thank my colleague, Dr Linda Clark, and Mr Peter Martin for their invaluable assistance. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume9, Issue2October 1990Pages 316-342 RelatedInformation

The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham 1394-1521, by Carole Rawcliffe

<i>The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham 1394-1521</i>, by Carole Rawcliffe

Reviews of Books

Reviews of Books Get access The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394–1521. By CAROLE RAWCLIFFE (Cambridge: University Press, 1978. £10.50). G. L. HARRISS G. L. HARRISS Magdalen CollegeOxford Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The English Historical Review, Volume XCV, Issue CCCLXXIV, January 1980, Pages 137–139, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/XCV.CCCLXXIV.137 Published: 01 January 1980

The Staffords: Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394-1521. Carole Rawcliffe

<i>The Staffords: Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394-1521</i>. Carole Rawcliffe

Carole Rawcliffe. &lt;italic&gt;The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394–1521&lt;/italic&gt;. (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought. 3d ser., number 11.) New York: Cambridge University Press. 1978. Pp. xiii, 279. $22.50

Journal Article Carole Rawcliffe. The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394–1521. (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought. 3d ser., number 11.) New York: Cambridge University Press. 1978. Pp. xiii, 279. $22.50 Get access Rawcliffe Carole. The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham, 1394–1521. (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought. 3d ser., number 11.) New York: Cambridge University Press. 1978. Pp. xiii, 279. $22.50. Barbara J. Harris Barbara J. Harris Pace University and Institute for Research in History Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The American Historical Review, Volume 83, Issue 5, December 1978, Pages 1239–1240, https://doi.org/10.1086/ahr/83.5.1239 Published: 01 December 1978

Discovery and Teaching a Body of Knowledge

Review of Patrizia Bettella, The Ugly Woman: Transgressive Aesthetic Models in Italian Poetry from the Middle Ages to the Baroque (Univ. of Toronto Press, 2005); Nicola McDonald, ed., Medieval Obscenities (Boydell Press, 2006); Katharine Park, Secrets of Women: Gender, Generation, and the Origins of Human Dissection (Zone Books, 2006); and Carole Rawcliffe, Leprosy in Medieval England (Boydell Press, 2006).