What was life like in medieval towns?

1
? starter activity
Recognise this place? If you were going to
improve things here, what changes would you make
to the town? Think about things like security,
shopping, transport, tourism etc.
2
Planning the ideal medieval town
? Aims

• To understand the reasons why towns become more
  important in the Middle Ages
• To plan an ideal medieval town

3
Towns

• When William, Duke of Normandy conquered England
  in 1066 there were less than 10 towns
• Norwich Winchester had 2,500 people (smaller
  than Bearsted!)
• Most people lived in villages of no more than 50
  people
• By 1400, 300 towns existed. London had a
  population of 40,000

4
Trade

• Trade focus of town life
• Guilds protected people involved in trades
• Provided training
• Regulated behaviour, e.g. curfews on smiths
• Foreign traders often banished

What services do you think the carpenters guild
provided?
5
Streets

• Streets were narrow
• Litter problems!
• Tolls
• Buildings crowded together
• Animals ran wild!
• Town planning

6
Old Romney
What do you notice about the difference between
Old New Romney?
New Romney
7
Law order

• Beadles constables
• Hue cry
• Penalties amputation execution
• Sanctuary at local church
• Bells angelus curfew
• Watchmen
• Carrying of weapons restricted
• Wearing of masks limited

8
Safety

• What was so dangerous about medieval town
  buildings?

9
Safety

• 1213, tile roofs compulsory in London
• Brick stone expensive, but encouraged
• Controls for bakers brewers
• Jars of water
• Fire hooks

How did fire hooks help?
10
Charter

• Granted rights, e.g. to hold weekly markets,
  appoint mayor aldermen
• Pay taxes to king provide soldiers

Dovers seal
11
? Your task

• You are going to role play what it must have been
  like to be part of a medieval town council. You
  will need to get into groups of six. Quickly
  choose a mayor and distribute the role cards. The
  aim of the task is to produce a town charter
  which fellow councillors (aldermen) will vote on.
  The safest and best organised town (judging from
  its charter) will win merits!