Books by Antonia Gransden

Definitive history of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds during a crucial period in its history.St Edmund's Abbey was one of the most highly privileged and wealthiest religious houses in medieval England, one closely involved with the central government; its history is an integral part of English history. This book (the first of two volumes) offers a magisterial and comprehensive account of the Abbey during the thirteenth century, based primarily on evidence in the abbey's records [over 40 registers survive]. The careers of the abbots, beginning withthe great Samson, provide the chronological structure; separate chapters study various aspects of their rule, such as their relations with the convent, the abbey's internal and external administration and its relations with itstenants and neighbours, with the king and the central government. Chapters are also devoted to the monks' religious, cultural and intellectual life, to their writings, book collection and archives. Appendices focus on the mid-thirteenth century accounts which give a unique and detailed picture of the organisation and economy of St Edmunds' estates in West Suffolk, and on the abbey's watermills and windmills. Dr ANTONIA GRANSDEN is former Reader atthe University of Nottingham.

The letter-book of William of Hoo is a hybrid between a formulary and letter-book with over 200 entries. It begins with fifty six entries which are pure forms, with initials instead of names or places and no dates, and ends with more or less complete copies of letters with full names and dates. William of Hoo was the sacrist of Bury St Edmunds from 1280-1294. As such he owned many manors and was virtually lord of the borough of Bury St Edmunds, he not onlydrew the rents, tolls and other profits of the borough but also presided over the borough court, held the view of frankpledge, was in charge of the song school and grammar school, and of the mint, and was responsible for enforcing of the assizes of weights and measures, and bread and ale. As the Abbot's deputy he also performed the functions of archdeacon. The letter-book illustrates his varied activities with entries concerning the probate of wills, matrimony and the enforcement of morality in the borough.

Using a variety of sources including chronicles, annals, secular and sacred biographies and monographs on local histories, this work offers a critical survey of historical writing in England.

Twenty papers examine the church, town, abbey and medieval manuscripts of Bury St Edmunds. From a British Archaeological Association conference in Bury in 1994. The authors include Oliver Rackham, Richard Gem, Pamela Z. Blum, T. A. Heslop, John Crook, Eric Fernie and Antonia Gransden.

Shows how Japan's banking system has maintained the continuity of development and avoided the occupiers' attempts at 'democratisation' and 'Americanisation'. This book explores why the American were committed to reform, and how important the maintenance of the financial status quo was to the development of Japan's economy.