The Description of Britain: A Modern Rendering

A fascinating insight into Britain in the Middle Ages and a vivid account of Britain's history from the perspective of the later Middle Ages

William Caxton, perhaps best known as the man who brought the printing industry to England, was also an astute publisher: it was he who made The Description of Britain available to the British public in 1480. Basing his version on a fourteenth-century Middle English translation of the Latin Polychronicon - or universal history - Caxton decided to focus on the chapters describing Britain. He extracted and rearranged these sections, updating the language where necessary. The result is The Description of Britain, which became an immediate bestseller.

Now, for the first time ever, his text has been modernized and made available to a twentieth-century audience. It provides a fascinating insight into Britain in the Middle Ages and a vivid account of Britain's history from the perspective of the later Middle Ages. We learn of her many and various marvels and wonders, customs and traditions, ancient cities and towns, kingdoms and bishoprics, languages and manners. Gloriously illustrated, with woodcuts, engravings and illuminated manuscripts dating from Caxton's days and before, as well as recent photographs, and aerial views of contemporary Britain, this beautiful book will appeal to all those who love the British Isles and are intrigued by their history.