The next topic I have been asked to look at is Medieval towns and the role of guilds in trade, commerce and politics. Today I have begun by looking at what towns were like during medieval England, how they grew up and the role of charters.
To research for this topic I have used the following books: F. Renoldson and D. Taylor, Medieval Realms: foundation edition and R. Adams, Medieval Realms as well as this website: http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Townlife.htm
What were towns like in Medieval England?
Compared to today's towns, towns in Medieval England were small and crowded. In the fifteenth century London had a population of between 40,000 and 50,000 but most other country towns had no more than 500 people living in them.
Saniation was often a constant concern in Medieval England. Towns were smelly and dirty places and often rubbish was dumped in the streets and in the rivers. People also used outside toilets which added to the horrific smell of Medieval towns. There was also no real drainage system in place and therefore open drain channels ran either along the sides or down the centres of streets. Furthermore many stables opened onto the streets and therefore muck heaps enroached on the passage. People also threw out dirty water from their windows in the direction of the drains. Each townsperson was suppose to keep the space in front of their house relatively clean, however in reality this wasn't often a real incentive to do this unless there was an outbreak of the plague or the king was making a visit to your town.
Most people also kept their own livestock but because houses were small and gardens even smaller, often people would allow their livestock to wander around the streets. However often livestock which did this would be liable to be killed and their owner would be charged for the return of the dead animal.
Curfews were also imposed on towns during the Medieval period and a curfew bell would be rung every night at 8 or 9 o'clock and anyone who was out after this time had to have a very good reason to be doing so.
Bells were the main medium of telling time and making announcements. A common bell was rung to summon civic meetings, courts and as an alarm in case of fire or attack. The town crier rang a hand bell when he walked throughout the town proclaiming news and proclamations. The town criers were the main source of news for town dwellers. They also had the task of ringing their bells to solicit prayers in memory of people who had paid for this privilege.
Law and order in towns was enforced by the beadle or constables, who could call on citizens to form a night watch. If a 'hue and cry' was raised to chase a criminal, all citizens had to join in or risk being fined.
How did towns grow up?
All towns grew up in different ways.
For instance some villages grew up gradually to become small towns as more and more people went to live in them looking for jobs and opportunities to make money.
Other towns grew up outside castles that the Normans had built to help them keep control or the country or by monasteries.
Other towns were started up along routes used by travellers such as pilgrims. People built their houses where it was easier to cross a river or at a point where two routes joined up.
These places (towns) usually had a number of things in common- they were easy to get to, they were meeting places or place lived nearby.
As more people came to the markets in the towns, shops were built for traders and workshops for craftsmen. Inns were built for travelling merchants who needed food and drink and a place to stay. Houses were built for people in the town to live in. And therefore towns grew up in this way.
The role of charters
Towns grew up on land held by a lord. The townspeople had to work the lord's land just like the villagers. They also had to pay taxes on goods sold in the market. As the towns grew, the traders and craftsmen wanted to spend more time making and selling goods. They made agreements with their lords to pay rent for their land rather than doing work service for him. These agreements were known as charters.
Once the charter had been made the townspeople were free to make their own rules and were able to choose the people they wanted to run the town. Furthermore the local traders were free from the taxes that traders from outside the town had to pay to sell their goods in the market and the people of the town became freemen.
Towns with charters were known as boroughs and the people that lived in them were burgesses.
This research on Medieval towns in England is to be continued next time when I will look at the role of guilds in trade, commerce and politics and then I will devise some teaching resources and explain how I would teach this topic.
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