The chapters are intended to be suggestive, not exhaustive, and may be expanded by the teacher in conversational or more formal lessons as his own predilection, taste, and judgment shall direct. Local and County Histories, Guide-books and Hand-books will be found of great service to the teacher in dealing with special districts. The general subject embraces a very wide range of literature, but amongst books readily accessible may be mentioned _English Towns_, by E. H. Freeman; _English Towns_ and _English Villages_, by Rev. P. H. Ditchfield; and the Rev. Dr. Jessopp's Essays in _The Coming of the Friars_ and _Studies of a Recluse_. In conclusion, the book is designed for older scholars who already know something of the dry bones of the history of England, and it is hoped that it may do something towards covering those dry bones with flesh, instinct with life and vigour. H. R. W. H. St. Alban's, _December, 1905_. CONTENTS Chapter Page I. Introduction 9 II. Men who lived in Caves and Pits 11 III. The Pit-Dwellers 14 IV. Earthworks, Mounds, Barrows, etc. 19 V. In Roman Times 22 VI. Early Saxon Times 26 VII. Early Saxon Villages 28 VIII. Anglo-Saxon Tuns and Vills 32 IX. Tythings and Hundreds--Shires 36 X. The Early English Town 41 XI. In Early Christian Times 44 XII. Monasteries 46 XIII. Towns and Villages in the Time of Cnut the Dane 51 XIV. Churches and Monasteries in Danish and Later Saxon Times 56 XV. Later Saxon Times 59 XVI. In Norman Times 62 XVII. In Norman Times (_continued_) 66 XVIII. In Norman Times: The Churches 68 XIX. Castles 71 XX. Castles and Towns 74 XXI. In Norman Times: The Monasteries 78 XXII. Early Houses 81 XXIII. Early Houses (_continued_) 85 XXIV. Early Town Houses 88 XXV. Life in the Towns of the Middle Ages 92 XXVI. The Growing Power of the Towns 98 XXVII. The Villages, Manors, Parishes, and Parks 102 XXVIII. Traces of Early Times in the Churches 106