{"title":"Iain Soden","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"first-english-hero-book-iain-soden-9781398106741","title":"The First English Hero","description":"Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, was, by his own declaration, a Norman. Possessing, at one time or another, a Dukedom, numerous Earldoms and Viscounties on both sides of the Channel, he owned and controlled about a third of both England and Normandy.Skilled in siegecraft and loyal to a fault, Ranulf spent a lifetime at war alongside the impetuous King Richard the Lionheart and then his reviled brother King John, ably commanding their armies and earning a reputation for his offensive spirit and his tenacity in defence. Loyal to a fault, in 1215 he refused to sign Magna Carta and spent the next two years as England's main defence against a French-backed rebel army. Offered the regency of all England, he graciously refused. His military might tipped the balance in support of the child king Henry III.Ranulf's reputation grew further when he went on crusade, covering himself with glory and winning the admiration of Rome. He went on to use his experience of war to build spectacular castles, and his diplomacy secured economic prosperity for much of the Midlands. When he died at the height of his fame in 1232, it was said in France that the devil himself had thrown his soul out of hell - even in death he was simply too hot to handle!By Ranulf's own declaration, his body was that of a foreigner; but surely his heart and soul belong to England. This is the story not just of one man, but of the birth pangs of the English nation.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49540878893329,"sku":"GOR013738715","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49546516398353,"sku":"GOR012023117","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49739414110481,"sku":"NGR9781398106741","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1398106747.jpg?v=1764065053"},{"product_id":"ranulf-de-blondeville-book-iain-soden-9781848686939","title":"Ranulf de Blondeville","description":"A full, lavishly illustrated study of a nobleman whose exploits became the stuff of medieval romance, once recounted in the same breath as Robin Hood.  Ranulf de Blondeville was fabulously rich and powerful. He served six kings, endured difficult regime-change, fought his way across half of France and back and more than once turned wrested victory from defeat. He never forgot that his roots were Norman although his efforts were for England, where he made his home. Loyal to a fault, as a youth he was disastrously married to the Duchess of Brittany, firebrand of contemporary politics, who tried to destroy him.  His second wife brought happiness but not children. He was a fiercely independent spirit with a renowned temper. Unafraid of anyone, he besieged castles aggressively, constructed and defended them stoutly and built an Earldom of unparalleled power at England's heart. Kings lavished titles on him and the Pope sought out his support, noting his exceptional leadership.  On his death-bed he bequeathed to Henry III the only piece of Normandy ever recovered from the French. It was rumoured that when he died the devil himself kicked him out of hell, he was so much trouble.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49543188414737,"sku":"GOR002551292","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1848686935.jpg?v=1761213436"},{"product_id":"coventry-the-hidden-history-book-iain-soden-9780752433455","title":"Coventry The Hidden History","description":"Based on 40 years of excavation, this is a comprehensive history of Coventry, which looks in particular at its economic growth from Saxon times to become, by the fourteenth century, one of the foremost cities of medieval England, surrounded by a wall with 20 towers and 12 gates.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49578049831185,"sku":"GOR002430824","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53216767934737,"sku":"GOR004418748","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0752433458.jpg?v=1751442860"},{"product_id":"excavation-of-the-late-saxon-and-medieval-churchyard-of-st-martin-s-wallingford-book-iain-soden-9781784917661","title":"Excavation of the Late Saxon and Medieval Churchyard of St Martin's, Wallingford, Oxfordshire","description":"MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) undertook excavations over 2003-4 at the former St Martin's churchyard, Wallingford, Oxfordshire. St Martin's, one of perhaps eight churches of late Saxon Wallingford, was located in a prominent position in the centre of the burh. No middle Saxon activity was found and the earliest remains consisted of a layer sealing the natural subsoil which contained a probable late Saxon lead cross. Earliest use of the churchyard has been dated to the late 10th to early 11th century by radiocarbon dating, and burials continued until the end of the 14th century, serving a dwindling parish population, before the cemetery rapidly fell out of use thereafter. No burials post-date 1412. Part of the cemetery has not been disturbed by the present development. The unexcavated areas and previous post-medieval and modern disturbances has meant the original size of the cemetery remains unknown. A late Saxon mortar mixer found on the site has added to a growing number of this distinctive early constructional feature. While its presence indicates the vicinity of the late Saxon church, no foundations of St Martin's church appear to have survived cellar digging and quarrying for gravel that occurred in the early 18th century. Osteological analysis of 187 of the 211 excavated skeletons of the cemetery has depicted a lay population which was almost equally split between males and females, with only a slight bias towards males. Their distribution showed no observable cluster within the churchyard by age or gender. A high proportion of children is notable but newborns and very young children were comparatively rare. The significance of this is unclear since so many disarticulated remains were also present due to later disturbance. Both degenerative pathologies and inherited conditions affecting bone were noted, as were a high frequency of trauma, some of it violent. Generally the population could be shown to have led healthy early lives compared to other urban assemblages, although evidence of tuberculosis and iron deficiency suggest that living conditions and diet at the heart of medieval Wallingford were far from ideal. Within the excavated area of the cemetery, a number of the burials demonstrated known pre-Conquest burial rites and there are some aspects which may be peculiar to the area, suggesting local variations to common rites. Eight pre-Conquest burials had their heads supported mostly by stones, but one had his head supported by two disarticulated skulls. One 30-40 year old male was buried wearing a pierce scallop-shell, presumably a pilgrim badge from Santiago de Compostella. Four burials were interred in stone-built cists and these ranged from a c1 year old to adults of both sexes. A further six burials lay in stone-built cists without a cover. All post-Conquest burials were earth-cut examples.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51521518534929,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51521519550737,"sku":"NGR9781784917661","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1784917664.jpg?v=1751410994"},{"product_id":"seas-of-plenty-book-iain-soden-9781398122895","title":"Seas of Plenty","description":"Explore the fascinating story of England's emergence as a major maritime trading power, from 1400 to 1540.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51629586579729,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51629586809105,"sku":"NGR9781398122895","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51739322220817,"sku":"GOR014386144","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52391089668369,"sku":"GOR014513727","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1398122890.jpg?v=1753687860"},{"product_id":"eaa-133-life-and-death-on-a-norwich-backstreet-ad-900-1600-book-iain-soden-9780955506215","title":"EAA 133: Life and Death on a Norwich Backstreet AD 900-1600","description":"Excavations and a watching brief at St Faith's Lane uncovered part of a 10th- to 12th-century street frontage comprising incomplete remains of timber structures, pits and ditches. 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