Description: This case study of two rural parishes in County Durham, England, provides an alternate view on the economic development involved in the transition from medieval to modern, partly explaining England's rise to global economic dominance in the seventeenth century.
Review Quotes: "Larson is particularly inventive, meticulous and thorough in his methodology. The work is highly statistical, supported by a number of carefully constructed data bases, which underpin the discussions of tenure and landholding, early modern demography, and standards of living" -- A.J. Pollard, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group
"Larson has produced an outstanding local study of a "peripheral" area of England, which consequently generates nuance and complexity for our understanding of one of the biggest questions in economic and social history." -- Mark Bailey, Speculum