Medieval Life

What was life like for the people of England in Medieval times?

The Black Death produced important

social changes. English society was based upon the principle that there

were three main classes of people, each with its own purpose to fulfil.

These were the clergy, the nobility and the

peasants – those who prayed, fought and

worked.

The peasants (free people who could move around) were the

largest group and it was accepted that they supported

the other two classes with their labours.

The church and nobility owned great estates to which the peasants were bound as serfs (could not leave the land of their lord) – by custom to plough the fields for

the masters – by law.

Serfdom was upheld by moral and religious reasons. Serfs were told to look upon their service as a calling from God. Serfdom would make them better people.

Landlords were supposed to look after their serfs but many did not. When one lord was rebuked for

taking a cow from a serf he said: “Let it suffice the boor that I have left him the calf and his own life.”

Medieval society was marred by a streak of cruelty and callousness. Death and

suffering were common and people often felt contempt for the law and would often

resort to violence.

Medicine was crude and often ineffectual. Medicine was mixed up with magic and ritual was common. Disease was often

regarded as God’s judgement for sin. Falling ill was a punishment for past misdeeds.

The Manor

A medieval manor was an estate granted to a

member of the aristocracy by the

king.

The lord of the manor employed knights and villeins who

fought for the lord and performed

feudal obligations.

The manor house was set apart from the village where the peasants lived

Not all manors were held by the nobility. 17% belonged to the king and 25% belonged

to the church.

Medieval manors varied in size but most were between 1200-1800 acres. Every noble had at

least one manor. Richer nobles had several. In the late 12th Century there were more than 9000

manorial estates in England.Another name for this land was Fief.

The lord’s portion of land was called a demesne. The rest of the land was divided

amongst his peasants who were his tenants

The land was divided equally into strips between the

peasants. There was also a section of ‘common’ area that all the villagers could use. Each villager had a

small house and was generally self sufficient

For everyone life revolved around the seasons

Rural seasonal work

KnightsKnights were sons of

nobles. When a boy was eight

he was sent to a neighbouring noble to be trained as a knight.

When he was 15 or 16 he would become a squire in the service

of a knight.When he was about 20

the squire would be dubbed a knight.

Occasionally a young man was knighted in

battle

Knights possessed land to the annual value of 200 marks and were forbidden to wear

clothing valued at more than 6 marks. They were not allowed to wear cloth of

gold.

Chivalry

Knights were supposed to follow a

code of chivalry:* defend the weak

* be courteous to all women

* loyal to the king* serve God

However the reality was often quite different. The ‘weak’ were defined as noble women and

children – not peasants.They were little more than mercenaries and

were brutal in war.

Armour and Weapons

Chain mail was made up of 200,000 small

rings.Plated armour weighed

around 23kg and the sword weighted 15kg.

Some knights protected their horses

with armour.

FoodThe most common foods were: • pottage (soup/stew) • Dark bread• Pork and mutton• Water, milk and ale• Vegetables• Cheese Most peasants were vitamin deficient

MedicineWomen were

discouraged from getting involved in

medicine of any kind.

Cures were crude and painful.

The church was often the only source of medical knowledge

and it was underpinned with

prayer.

FashionClothing was reflective of a person’s place in society. There were strict dress codes

which were severely punished if they were broken

Crime and Punishment

There were many, many crimes that could be severely punished.

Law courts used French but the

peasants all spoke English. Punishments

were carried out in public.

Religion

If you live anywhere in Europe and you were a Christian then you

were Catholic. Medieval people were

very preoccupied with the state of their

immortal soul.

EntertainmentEntertainment was important to Medieval people. Feasts were a part of entertainment for the rich. Tournaments were enjoyed by

everybody. Music was a source of entertainment and children had games –

some of which survive to this day.

Travel

Peasants rarely travelled more than 10 miles away

from their home. For those who did travel it

was slow, uncomfortable and dangerous.

Education

Education was usually the responsibility of the church. The core subjects were based on those of the Ancient Greeks and remain unchanged to this very day.

The End