This book is an overview of British sporting development covering the whole history , from the Middle Ages to the present day. Due to his work over many years on sport in pre-industrial society, author Dennis Brailsford is perhaps the only specialist in this field who could tackle this sort of survey. 'British Sport: A Social History is the best available introductory history on this topic from the Middle Ages to the early 1800s. It is an invaluable text for undergraduate and post graduate students as well as those interested in the links between what we call modern sport and those sporting forms that preceded it.' - John Nauright, 'Sporting Taditions'