A new book exploring the lives of medieval women has been written by a former Skipton Girls' High School student.

Dr Hetta Howes, a senior lecturer in medieval and early modern literature at City, University of London, delves into the lives of four women in Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women.

The women are Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic and anchoress; Christine de Pizan, a widow and court writer; and Margery Kempe, described as a "no-good wife."

Each of these women, in their own unique ways, challenged the misogyny of the medieval period and broke new ground in women's writing.

Dr Howes, who has spent her career uncovering the women's stories, emphasises in her new book how medieval women could earn money and live independent lives, and that - just as we do today - they thought, loved, fought, and suffered.

Dr Howes grew up in Skipton before attending Newnham College at the University of Cambridge.

She went on to complete a PhD in the relationship between medieval women and water at Queen Mary, University of London.

Dr Howes has appeared on BBC Radio 3 and writes for The Conversation, The Times Literary Supplement, and BBC History Extra.

Philippa Gregory, author of The Other Boleyn Girl and Normal Women, said of Dr Howes' book: "A welcome addition to medieval history, giving us a window into the lives of women that many people only know by name, if at all."

Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women will be released on October 24, and is now available for pre-order from Bloomsbury in hardback and ebook formats.