Medieval London
the Tudors.
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- Start Date: 23 Sep 2025End Date: 25 Nov 2025Tue (Daytime): 10:15 - 12:15In PersonFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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What is the course about?
Medieval London was a complex city, by turns beautiful, violent, pious and dangerous. This course explores the
growth of London as the capital city of feudal kingdom on the edge of Medieval Christendom, linked through
conquest, trade and migration with the great kingdoms and Empires of Europe. It was a city that endured plagues,
fires, conquest, civil wars, rebellions and riots and emerged as a city of piety and learning, of guilds and parish
churches. This course explores the forces that shaped London between the coming of the Normans and the age of
the Tudors.
What will we cover?
London and the Norman Conquest
• The Tower, Old London Bridge and Old St. Pauls
• London wall and the gates of London
• The monastic foundations, hospitals, schools and alms-houses
• London and the civil wars
• The Livery companies and guilds
• The role of women in medieval London
• The medieval Jewry
• The impact of the Black Death
• The alien communities of Later Medieval London
• From manuscript to print: London in the age of Chaucer
• Pageants, royal entries, festivals and feasts and other past times
• Crime and punishment in Medieval London
• London and the Wars of the Roses.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Understand the social, cultural and economic forces that shaped London in the medieval period, especially its built
environment
• Appreciate the role of religion and the church in everyday life in medieval London.
• Understand the changing role of women in relation to the economy and society of medieval London
• Appreciate the relationship between London and the kingdom in the medieval period.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Introductory; no previous knowledge required.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Classes will be taught online through a mixture of illustrated lectures and discussion.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No, however, please bring a pen and paper for any notes you would like to take. Books and resources will be
recommended throughout the course.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HLW251 Tudor London.
Mike is an experienced historian and educator with a deep passion for London’s rich and varied past. For many years at the City Lit he has taught a highly popular London history cycle. The cycle spans the city's journey from the Norman Conquest to the 21st century. In addition to his teaching at City Lit, Mike serves as a senior lecturer at Birkbeck College, University of London, specializing in the social history of early modern London. His extensive research has led to numerous publications, particularly on the history of London's guilds. Before joining Birkbeck, Mike worked as a research officer at the Centre for Metropolitan History at the Institute of Historical Research. Recently, his focus has shifted to 20th-century social history, including an in-depth study of the RMT transport union. Currently, he is delving into the history of the British New Left.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.