The Luttrell Village

[bunnyjadwiga]

On my mad dash to the Madison NJ library to get books on Hanukah, I also stumbled over this:

The Luttrell village : country life in the Middle Ages by Sheila Sancha. (Crowell, 1982)

The conceit of this picture book is a depiction of life in one of Geoffrey Luttrell's manor villages during the time the Luttrell Psalter, with its images of daily life, was painted. The author/illustrator says that she constructed a scale model of the village, based on archeological finds and the 18th-century map, in order to be as accurate as possible. Admittedly, her knowledge of the status of villeins vs. freemen is outdated (see Gies and Gies, Life in a Medieval Village) but the depictions of various activities and of village life are true to history and to the illustrations in the Psalter.

For a high quality, high-broadband look at the Psalter itself, see:
http://www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/luttrell/luttrell_broadband.htm

This children's book is an excellent resource not only for children and those doing Medieval school units, but as a basic introduction to medieval life in the 14th century.

I complain bitterly that people don't know even the basic facts of medieval country life, and that many of them won't take the trouble to look at secondary or tertiary sources to get some background. This volume, with its simple but charming illustrations and diagrams, may be a stepping-stone, especially if we can get adults to read it to children (thus painlessly exposing the adults).

Comments

[strawberrykaren.livejournal.com]

Psst! Check this out. (Have you seen Medieval Rural Life in the Luttrell Psalter?)

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

*snuffle*

It seems to be out of print. Sigh.