Output details

John Denton's History of Cumberland

Winchester’s work in preparing this edition involved transcribing two previously unpublished 17th-century manuscripts, checking the transcripts in detail; tracing and assessing a further 18 manuscript copies of Denton’s ‘History’ and attempting to reconstruct the text of the lost original. His editorial work on the text required not only a detailed analysis and comparison of the manuscripts but also extensive research in primary and secondary sources, in order to prepare full editorial apparatus which identified Denton’s sources and explained the text. He also wrote a substantial introduction, contextualising Denton’s History and comparing manuscripts, and prepared a full name and subject index.

The research for this volume (conducted 2003 – 2009) traced and assessed 20 manuscript copies of Denton’s ‘History’, held in seven repositories and in private hands, with a view to reconstructing the text of the lost original. It thus involved the collection and analysis of a considerable and complex body of archive material. The editorial work on the text was also complex, requiring not only a detailed analysis and comparison of the manuscripts but also extensive research in archives, printed primary sources and secondary literature, in order to prepare full editorial apparatus which identified Denton’s sources and explained the text.