The author wishes to express his thanks to the many friends who have assisted him in the preparation of this book. In particular he is indebted to Dr Martin Millett of the University of Durham for his critical reading of the first three chapters; to Mrs E. L. Wetton for much sound advice, and to Mrs Christine North, Cornwall County Archivist, for her help with documentary sources. But errors and prejudices are all his own.

The colophons at the head of each of the twelve substantive chapters represent the ‘labours of the months’, in order, beginning with January at the head of chapter 1. They have been drawn from the late Anglo-Saxon manuscript British Library Cott. Jul. A. vi.