Medieval Villages: Medieval Villages: Agriculture and WorkAgriculture and Work

Classic Three Field System/Open Fields ManorClassic Three Field System/Open Fields Manor

Artist’s rendition of an English village (East Meon in Artist’s rendition of an English village (East Meon in Hampshire) c. 1086Hampshire) c. 1086

Weald and Down Open-Air Museum Weald and Down Open-Air Museum (Wales)(Wales)

Eleventh-Century Manor Eleventh-Century Manor HouseHouse

Manor house (Leicestershire, England)Manor house (Leicestershire, England)

Madron Church, Cornwall (14Madron Church, Cornwall (14thth century) century)

Wharram PercyWharram Percy: Deserted medieval village in Yorkshire : Deserted medieval village in Yorkshire (village plan c. 1400)(village plan c. 1400)

• Each peasant house at Wharram Percy Each peasant house at Wharram Percy had a small "yard" surrounding it called a had a small "yard" surrounding it called a toft (red on the map) and a (red on the map) and a croft (green (green on the map) which served as a small on the map) which served as a small "garden" to supply the family with root "garden" to supply the family with root crops, legumes and, perhaps, grain. The crops, legumes and, perhaps, grain. The houses were spread out on the western houses were spread out on the western edge of the valley from south to north edge of the valley from south to north interrupted by the two manor house interrupted by the two manor house enclosures (blue on the map). In the floor enclosures (blue on the map). In the floor of the valley -- north of the church -- of the valley -- north of the church -- there is a row of smaller tofts/crofts. there is a row of smaller tofts/crofts. There is also a group of house sites There is also a group of house sites across the "head" of the village; these across the "head" of the village; these houses run east and west. At its largest houses run east and west. At its largest the village was made up of about 37 the village was made up of about 37 houses. Using an arbitrarily chosen houses. Using an arbitrarily chosen number of 5 persons per house, the number of 5 persons per house, the population could never have been much population could never have been much over 185 souls. over 185 souls.

• This arrangement -- houses on both sides This arrangement -- houses on both sides of the central street with a group of the central street with a group heading the village -- is not unlike many heading the village -- is not unlike many other English villages with a central other English villages with a central grassy common. grassy common.

• The map shows the village at its largest The map shows the village at its largest about 1400. about 1400.

• Prof. Ken Tompkins.Prof. Ken Tompkins.

http://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/wharram/hhttp://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/wharram/houses.htmouses.htm

English Village: Cowley Bewley (surviving English Village: Cowley Bewley (surviving medieval layout)medieval layout)

Medieval farmstead and fieldsMedieval farmstead and fields

Wharram Percy: Peasant’s House (interior)Wharram Percy: Peasant’s House (interior)

• The basic peasant house in the The basic peasant house in the 13th century was about 15 feet 13th century was about 15 feet wide and might be twice the wide and might be twice the length; houses of the 14th length; houses of the 14th century were about 20 feet century were about 20 feet wide and 80 feet in length. wide and 80 feet in length. This latter type -- the long This latter type -- the long house -- had an attached house -- had an attached "byre" or barn which might "byre" or barn which might have housed farm animals or have housed farm animals or could have been used for could have been used for storage. The central room was storage. The central room was long and open with no long and open with no partitions. There would have partitions. There would have been an open fire pit with a been an open fire pit with a smokehole in the roof above. smokehole in the roof above. At the end, farthest from the At the end, farthest from the byre, there frequently was a byre, there frequently was a separate half-height room separate half-height room used, probably, for sleeping. used, probably, for sleeping. An artists conception is shown An artists conception is shown below. below.

• Ken Tompkins Ken Tompkins http://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/whttp://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/wharram/peasant.htmharram/peasant.htm

Peasant’s House: constructionPeasant’s House: construction• Peasant houses had low Peasant houses had low

foundations of chalk blocks; foundations of chalk blocks; indeed, at House Site 6 the indeed, at House Site 6 the chalk had been quarried in chalk had been quarried in the croft of the house site the croft of the house site itself -- out of the peasant's itself -- out of the peasant's front yard, so to speak. The front yard, so to speak. The crucks rested on large crucks rested on large padstones built into the padstones built into the foundations. Between the foundations. Between the crucks, the walls were crucks, the walls were generally "wattle and generally "wattle and daub"; daub was a mizture daub"; daub was a mizture of mud and straw. Another of mud and straw. Another possible wall covering was possible wall covering was called "cob" which was 3 called "cob" which was 3 parts chalk and 1 part clay parts chalk and 1 part clay mixed with straw. Basically, mixed with straw. Basically, the wall was a frame with the wall was a frame with small vertical posts woven small vertical posts woven with smaller, flexible sticks with smaller, flexible sticks to form a base for the to form a base for the daub. This woven frame is daub. This woven frame is the wattle. The daub was the wattle. The daub was then plastered on the then plastered on the wattle, inside and out. wattle, inside and out.

• Ken Tompkins Ken Tompkins http://loki.stockton.edu/~kehttp://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/wharram/peasant.htmn/wharram/peasant.htm

Carolingian calendar: images of workCarolingian calendar: images of work

Heavy plow (Anglo-Saxon calendar, ca. Heavy plow (Anglo-Saxon calendar, ca. 1030)1030)Plowing of fallow field would begin in late Plowing of fallow field would begin in late March or early AprilMarch or early April

Plowing from the Luttrell Plowing from the Luttrell Psalter 1320sPsalter 1320s

Broadcast sowing: Broadcast sowing: Duc de Berry’s Belles Heures c. Duc de Berry’s Belles Heures c. 1400)1400)Spring crops (barley, oats, beans, vetches) were typically Spring crops (barley, oats, beans, vetches) were typically sown in Aprilsown in AprilWinter crops (wheat and rye) sown in the fallWinter crops (wheat and rye) sown in the fall

Harrowing from Luttrell Psalter Harrowing from Luttrell Psalter 1320s1320s

Shepherds with flock: Anglo-Saxon Shepherds with flock: Anglo-Saxon calendar (May), Wincester c. 1030scalendar (May), Wincester c. 1030s

Cutting and loading wood: Anglo-Saxon Cutting and loading wood: Anglo-Saxon calendar (July), Wincester c. 1030scalendar (July), Wincester c. 1030s

Anglo-Saxon calendar (Sept): men feeding Anglo-Saxon calendar (Sept): men feeding hogs; huntsman with dogs (Winchester, c. hogs; huntsman with dogs (Winchester, c. 1030s)1030s)

Pruning vines from an Anglo-Saxon Pruning vines from an Anglo-Saxon calendar from Winchester, c.1030scalendar from Winchester, c.1030s

Harvesting from an Anglo-Saxon Harvesting from an Anglo-Saxon calendar (August) from Winchester, c. calendar (August) from Winchester, c. 1030s1030s

Harvesting from St. Mary’s Book of Harvesting from St. Mary’s Book of Hours (August) 1310-1320 Hours (August) 1310-1320

Stacking Barley from Luttrell Stacking Barley from Luttrell Psalter 1320sPsalter 1320s

Threshing with flails (September): Threshing with flails (September): separating individual grains from the earseparating individual grains from the ear

Medieval Water Mill c. 1230Medieval Water Mill c. 1230

1818thth-century watermill (Lugashall)-century watermill (Lugashall)

Windmill from Luttrell Psalter Windmill from Luttrell Psalter 1320s1320s

November: stacking fire November: stacking fire woodwood

Belles Heures of Duc de Berry (c. 1400): Belles Heures of Duc de Berry (c. 1400): winter (February)winter (February)