King Alfred has a special place in the history of English because he was the first to make it a ‘learned’ language and to give it a form which became standard across the land. It gained a status and cultural presence in society which was unprecedented and formed a key part of Alfred’s drive to promote learning and the acquisition of ‘wisdom’ as an important activity.
Meet Harry Bailey, medieval tavern keeper, born and bred in London:
‘I am the Host of the Tabard Inn here in Southwark. You might have heard of me from a mate of mine, Geoffrey Chaucer. Like him, I have some stories to tell.’