Economics and the Cult of Death in Late Medieval England: The Guild of St. George in Nottingham, 1459-1546

Goddard, Richard; Smalley, George

Abstract

This paper examines the decline of the fraternity of St. George in Nottingham between 1459 and 1546. It uses the guild’s accounts in conjunction with Nottingham’s rich surviving documentary materials to investigate the financial management of the fraternity by its officers. It argues that the officers were adept at negotiating shifting economic conditions by switching between various revenue streams. However, this adroit management did not stem the tide of membership decline. It discusses the role of religious reform in the guild’s ultimate demise. It investigates why the decline in membership started long before any moves towards state-sponsored religious reform in the 1540s. It examines the impact of key individuals upon the guild’s history. It argues that, for a more nuanced view of the decline of fraternal organizations in this period, a recognition of individuals’ impact upon institutions needs to be incorporated into our understanding of institutions’ influences upon the economy.

Citation

Goddard, R., & Smalley, G. (2024). Economics and the Cult of Death in Late Medieval England: The Guild of St. George in Nottingham, 1459-1546. Midland History, https://doi.org/10.1080/0047729x.2023.2299035

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 11, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jan 11, 2024
• Publication Date: Jan 11, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 15, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2024
• Journal: Midland History
• Print ISSN: 0047-729X
• Electronic ISSN: 1756-381X
• Publisher: Maney Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0047729x.2023.2299035
• Keywords: Medieval; guilds; fraternities; business; Reformation; decline
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/28433240
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0047729X.2023.2299035
• Additional Information: Received: 2023-03-10; Accepted: 2023-09-11; Published: 2024-01-11