Bread and Ale for the Brethren The Provisioning of Norwich Cathedral Priory, 1260–1536

Despite increased commercialization and an efficient network of local markets in 1300s Europeas well as significant costs and risks associated with the production, transportation, and storage of foodsome landed lords, monasteries, and convents continued to rely on the produce of their own estates. This detailed study sets out to account for the puzzling situation, covering the period between 1260 and 1536, with an in-depth analysis of the changing patterns and fortunes of the provisioning of Norwich Cathedral Priory. As it examines the entire process of food delivery from field to table, the record explores the question of food security within the context of the crisis in the fourteenth century, and also illustrates the aftereffects of the Black Death. Although providing unparalleled insight into the Priory, the book serves as an important resource on understanding the Late Middle Ages economy of England and society during a time of upheaval.

Philip Slavin is a Mellon Fellow and a lecturer in the department of economics at McGill University. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.