This book rejuvenates not only the historical study of law but also the role of Law Schools by asking which stories we tell and which stories we forget. It argues that a historical approach to law should be at the beating heart of the Law School curriculum.

This book expands on established doctrine in legal history and sets out a challenge for legal philosophers. The English medieval village community offers a historical and philosophical lens on the concept of custom, which challenges accepted notions of what law is. The book traces the study of the medieval village community from early historical works in the nineteenth century through to current research. It demonstrates that some law-making can and has been ‘bottom-up’ in English law, with community-led decision-making having a particularly important role in the early common law. The...