Welcome to our Stage 1 of our Latin course.
This is a beginners' guide to the Latin used in England between 1086 and 1733, when it was the official language used in documents. Please note that this type of Latin can be quite different from classical Latin. Read more about these differences.
Knowing Latin will help you to read documents from this period. After 1733, official documents were written in English.
No previous knowledge of Latin is required. All of the grammar is fully explained. These lessons are suitable for everyone who wants to learn. You may
- be a beginner
- want to refresh your skills
- have studied classical Latin and want to find out about Latin from a different period
You can practise by translating sentences taken from real documents held at The National Archives. For example, some are from the Domesday Book, written in 1086. It is the earliest surviving public record.