It's a phrase that has long been in the vocabulary traditionalists: 'A woman's place in the home'.
You might think that such a view was especially prevalent in 17th century Britain.
But new research suggests otherwise. Experts have found that women workers played a key role in Britain's economy before 1700.
Far from being just unpaid homemakers and housewives, women contributed to all the most important areas of the economy, such as agriculture, commerce, and care, according to a new book.
The research, led by historians at the University of Exeter, involved an extensive search of thousands of court reports and witness statements that describe the activities being undertaken by everyday folk between the 16th and 18th centuries.
