The Oxford History of England

The title- ‘The Oxford History of England‘ may seem somewhat odd, but it should be remembered that historical use of the word England actually embraced Wales, could mean Great Britain or the United Kingdom, even the British Empire. It is a history that relates to a state structure built around an English monarchy and the subsequent Crown Parliament. I don’t get hung up over it but I can imagine many a Scot or Irishman might.

These volumes have not been on my bookshelf for long but they more than adequately fill a gap that I had. Sadly, my lovely brother-in-law Peter passed and my sister gave me his set of The Oxford History of England. I was delighted to have these books as they are an excellent series of well-written histories, broken down into ‘chapter’ volumes.

The series was commissioned by Oxford University Press and the first volume appeared in 1934. The series has extended beyond its original remit and there have been a number of updates, edited versions and additions made over the years. In addition, a ‘New Oxford History of England‘ was commissioned in 1992. The new series is incomplete so far.

A handy, one volume ‘aide memoire’ is A Short History of England. Author Simon Jenkins brings his journalistic skills to distilling down centuries of convoluted, complicated and contentious history into just a few hundred pages. Light on social history, big on monarchy, this book still works well as a continual read in simple language

Books from my shelves:

Volume I: Roman Britain, Peter Salway. Oxford University Press, 1981. ISBN 0 19 8217172 X

Volume I B: The English Settlements, J.N.L. Myres. Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN 0 19 821719 6

Volume II: Anglo-Saxon England, Sir Frank Stenton. Oxford University Press, third edition 1971. ISBN 0 19 821716 1

Volume III: From Domesday Book to Magna Carta 1087-1216, A.L. Poole. Oxford University Press, second edition 1987. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 19 821707 2

Volume IV: The Thirteenth Century, 1216–1307, Sir Maurice Powicke. Oxford University Press, second edition, 1962. ISBN 0 19 821708 0

Volume V: The Fourteenth Century, May McKisack. Oxford University Press, 1992. ISBN 0 19 821712 9

Volume VI: The Fifteenth Century, 1399–1485, E.F. Jacob. Oxford University Press, 1988. ISBN 0 19 821714 5

Volume VII: The Earlier Tudors, 1485–1558, J.D. Mackie. Oxford University Press, 1991. ISBN 0 19 821706 4

Volume VIII: The Reign of Elizabeth 1558-1603, J.B. Black. Oxford University Press, second edition 1992. ISBN 0 19 821701 3

Volume IX: The Early Stuarts, 1603–1660, Godfrey Davies. Oxford University Press, second edition 1988. ISBN 0 19 821704 8

Volume X: The Later Stuarts, 1660–1714. Sir George Clark. Oxford University Press, second edition 1992. ISBN 0 19 821702 1

Volume XI: The Whig Supremacy, Basil Williams, revised by C.H. Stuart. Oxford University Press, second edition 1992. ISBN 0 19 821710 2

Volume XII: The Reign of George III, 1760–1815, J. Steven Watson. Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN 0 19 821713 7

Volume XIII: The Age of Reform, 1815–1870, Sir Llewellyn Woodward. Oxford University Press, second edition 1990. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 19 821711 0

Volume XIV: England, 1870–1914, Sir Robert Ensor. Oxford University Press, 1990. ISBN 0 19 821705 6

Volume XV: English History, 1914–1945. A.J.P. Taylor. Oxford University Press, 1990 ISBN 0 19 821715 3