The Diary of a Country Parson


Read by John Greenman

(4.8 stars; 4 reviews)

The Revd. James Woodforde was an English clergyman, best known for his vivid account of parish life in the 18th century. His diary, edited by John Beresford, remained unpublished until the 20th century. The diary provides a wonderfully full account of the small community in which the diarist lived — of the births and deaths, comings and goings, illnesses, and annual celebrations, along with many other details of daily life.
As a churchman, Woodforde himself was conscientious by the standards of his time, charitable and pious without being sanctimonious and again typical of his day, deeply suspicious of enthusiasm.
The value of the diary to the historian lies in the wealth of primary source material it provides, while the general reader can bring from it the authentic flavor of 18th-century English country life. - Summary by Wikipedia and John Greenman (11 hr 41 min)

Chapters

PREFARATORY NOTE & INTRODUCTION 29:00 Read by John Greenman
THE DIARY-PART ONE - OXFORD AND SOMERSET CURASIES, (1758-1776) - 1758-1759 6:13 Read by John Greenman
1760 3:55 Read by John Greenman
1761 8:05 Read by John Greenman
1762 9:02 Read by John Greenman
1763 22:32 Read by John Greenman
1764 16:49 Read by John Greenman
1765 22:16 Read by John Greenman
1766 16:30 Read by John Greenman
1767 14:07 Read by John Greenman
1768 29:26 Read by John Greenman
1769 24:03 Read by John Greenman
1770 15:05 Read by John Greenman
1771 19:29 Read by John Greenman
1772 8:07 Read by John Greenman
1773 11:18 Read by John Greenman
1774 40:45 Read by John Greenman
1775 59:30 Read by John Greenman
1776 14:30 Read by John Greenman
THE DIARY - PART TWO - WESTON LONGVILLE, NORFOLK (1776 - 1803) - 1776 (continue… 30:57 Read by John Greenman
1777 41:27 Read by John Greenman
1778 55:43 Read by John Greenman
1779 59:27 Read by John Greenman
1780 58:03 Read by John Greenman
1781 - Part One (January-July) 34:40 Read by John Greenman
1781 - Part Two (August-December) 50:21 Read by John Greenman

Reviews

This was fascinating to me. I had to look up Parson Woodforde so I could learn …


(5 stars)

Insight into 18th C. life


(4 stars)

A strange record of daily expenses!