Life in medieval England: peasants, women and towns

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The lady of the manor lived in the manor,the big house and land.The lady would not been considered equal to the lord.Her main functions were to be an obedient wife and a good mother.she was taught as a girl to weave and sew,to learn music and nurse with herbal remedies.Her marriage would have been arranged,by her father,likely to an older lord.marriage was for life,there was no divorce.

Most women led very different lives to the lady of the manor.They too had to be obedient wives and good mothers,but they were very poor.They cooked,cleaned and cared for their children,They made their own clothes and cared for their animals.Many women died in childbirth

Most peasants survived by farming the small areas of land that they rented from their lord.They were two types of peasants-serfs and freemen.

FREEMEN=Paid rent and had no duties

VILLEINS=Most common type of peasants legally tied to their lord.

Serf=Lowest form.Belonged to their lord.needed permission to marry.paid the lord with crops and animals.could become a freeman if he escaped for a year and a day.peasants were in constant danger of famine if their crops failed

Many towns developed beside castles for protection.Other towns grew beside crossroads or rivers.Towns were surrounded by walls and taxes were charged at the gate for people entering to sell their goods.Market squares were in the middle of the towns.streets were narrow,dark and filthy.fairs were held and mayors were elected.The risk of fires was always a threat due to the timber houses and thatched roofs.Disease and plagus were common.the black death,caused by fleas on rats,killed one-third of europes population

Lady of the manor

Peasant women

Peasants

MEDIEVAL towns