We're sorry. An error has occurred
Please cancel or retry.
Letter writing in the Northumbrian Kingdom, 625–786
Regular price
$130.00
Regular price
$0.00
Sale price
$130.00
Unit price
/
per
Sold out
Re-stocking soon
Letter writing in the Northumbrian Kingdom offers a pioneering exploration of Northumbria’s epistolary culture, where letters enabled intellectual exchange, political diplomacy, and religious expre...
Read More
Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Couldn't load pickup availability
Ships within 2 business days
-
02 June 2026

Letter writing in the Northumbrian Kingdom offers the first comprehensive study of Northumbria’s vibrant epistolary culture in the seventh and eighth centuries. Through a close examination of more than fifty surviving Latin letters—many written by or to figures such as Bede, Acca of Hexham, Ælfflæd of Whitby, and Alcuin —this book uncovers the literary, political, and spiritual dimensions of early medieval correspondence. From royal diplomacy to theological debate, these letters reveal a world where communication was both a practical necessity and a refined art. Drawing on previously underexamined texts and placing Northumbria in its broader European context, this groundbreaking study sheds new light on the role of letter writing in shaping a Christian kingdom’s identity, influence, and intellectual legacy.
Price: $130.00
Pages: 372
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Publication Date:
02 June 2026
ISBN: 9781526187772
Format: Hardcover
BISACs:
HISTORY / Europe / Medieval, European history: medieval period, middle ages, LITERARY COLLECTIONS / Letters, LITERARY COLLECTIONS / Medieval, Literary studies: ancient, classical & medieval, Ancient, classical and medieval texts
Peter Darby is Associate Professor in History at the University of Nottingham
Introduction
Part I: Contextual chapters
1 The origins and development of letter writing in Northumbria
2 The foundations of Northumbria’s epistolary culture
3 Preservation and loss of early Northumbrian letters
4 Composition techniques in Northumbrian letter writing
5 Practicalities of letter exchange in early medieval Northumbria
Part II: Northumbrian letter handlists
Handlist A: Northumbrian letters sent
Handlist B: Northumbrian letters received
Afterword