Edward I stayed in Carlisle for over three months in 1307, which proved to be the last year in the life of one of medieval England's greatest kings. The rich variety of sources used in this book illuminate his visit from several directions. They show Edward as a ruler, holding his parliament in the castle and directing military operations against Robert Bruce. They shed light on his piety, through his regular distributions of alms and the remarkable collection of relics which accompanied him, and also on his relations with members of his family. They reveal that he was surrounded by all the trappings of great wealth, and suggest that the conclusions which some historians have reached about his financial problems at the end of his reign have been over-stated. And they also demonstrate the impact made on the citizens of Carlisle by the presence of the royal court, and its members' demands f or food and drink, transport and housing.

Heny Summerson's two volume Medieval Carlisle appeared in 1993. His other publications include substantial contributions to histories of Carlisle Castle (1990), Brougham Castle (1998), and Lanercost Priory (2000), and a history of the Aglionby family (2007). He worked for many years on the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, published in 2004.

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