Until this edition was published in 1957, historians had generally ignored the great magnates that occupied a central position in the political and social history of England in the fourteenth century. Magnates such as Roger Mortimer, Thomas of Lancaster, and John of Gaunt were scarcely less important than their kings. Professor G. A. Holmes has here attempted to rectify this by limiting his study to a few of the estates of the very great men. He examines how the noble estate was built and what influences affected its growth and survival. The legal aspects of the magnate's tenure and devices used to enforce his will after his death are also considered. Although well documented, Professor Holmes also addresses the importance of 'bastard feudalism' in the fourteenth century and its relation to the magnate's estate. He reviews the estate as an economic organisation, focusing on how properties of different types were affected by the demographic and economic movements following the Black Death.