Where there is wine there is a way: lessons from ‘Brexit-like’ events in the medieval and early modern period

he decision in 2016 by the UK to leave the EU sent shockwaves throughout Europe, raising questions about Britain’s future trading relationship and the potential impact on the domestic economy. The debate is polarised, with ‘remainers’ claiming that Brexit will have a continuing negative impact on the UK’s long-term future while ‘leavers’ argue that the UK will quickly develop new trading, economic, and financial opportunities that will more than compensate for any short-term disruption. Although this question will not be answered for many years, we may be able to learn some lessons from history by examining the impact of earlier Brexit-like events on England’s economic and social history. The medieval and early modern English economy was closely integrated into wider European networks of trade and finance. Therefore, breaks with this network (for example during the Hundred Years War or Reformation) were ‘Brexit-like’ as they interrupted pre-existing overseas financial and trading networks, which then had to be either re-forged or replaced once that crisis had passed. The following case study will explore the some of the economic impacts of the Anglo-French war of 1512-1514 on the port of Plymouth