Life and Work in Eleventh- Century Europe

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

Artist’s conception of an eleventh-century English manor house and timber castle

Eleventh-century English parish churches: Hangleton and Broughton Top: St. Helen’s Church, Hangleton (East Sussex in southeastern England). The enclosed area is 11 th century; the rectangular tower is 13 th century, and the chancel on the right end is 12 th century, but was rebuilt c.1300 Top: St. Helen’s Church, Hangleton (East Sussex in southeastern England). The enclosed area is 11 th century; the rectangular tower is 13 th century, and the chancel on the right end is 12 th century, but was rebuilt c.1300 Bottom: 11 th Century Church of St Mary’s, Broughton (round tower and the upper story of the square tower are later medieval additions) Bottom: 11 th Century Church of St Mary’s, Broughton (round tower and the upper story of the square tower are later medieval additions)

Rochester Castle (ordered built by William de Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1127)

Reconstructionx of early medieval houses from Yorkshire

Weald and Down Open-Air Museum (Wales)

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

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

Medieval farmstead and fields

Wharram Percy: Medieval Village Layout

Diagram of Medieval Manor with Three Field System (13 th century)

Carolingian calendar: images of work

Plowing from an Anglo-Saxon calendar from Winchester, c. 1030s (January) Plowing of fallow fields took place twice each year, in January and then again in late March. (British Library. Cotton Tiberius, B. v, c.

Pruning vines: Anglo-Saxon calendar (February)

Digging, raking, and sowing: Anglo-Saxon calendar (March)

Feasting: Anglo-Saxon calendar (April)

Shepherds with flock: Anglo-Saxon calendar (May)

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

Harvesting from an Anglo-Saxon calendar (August)

Threshing with flails and separating individual grains from the ear: Anglo-Saxon calendar (September)

Feeding hogs and man with hunting horn and dogs: Anglo-Saxon calendar (Sept)

Nobles hunting with falcons: Anglo-Saxon calendar (October), c.1030, top; Bayeux Tapestry (c.1075), bottom

Nobles feasting: Bayeux Tapestry, c.1075

Medieval York: the “Shambles” today and in viking times

Italy in the Eleventh Century

Left: San Marco piazza in Venice/ Right: San Gigmignano

Medieval Ship Types in the North Atlantic: longships and round ships (knarrs and cogs)

Medieval cogs (late 13 th century) “To illustrate the quickly increasing size of the ships we can look at the Hanseatic notes in the Lübecker Zollrolle of The ships were divided in three classes: “To illustrate the quickly increasing size of the ships we can look at the Hanseatic notes in the Lübecker Zollrolle of The ships were divided in three classes: Under 5 lasten (under 10 tons) Under 5 lasten (under 10 tons) 5-12 lasten (10-24 tons) 5-12 lasten (10-24 tons) More than 12 lasten (more than 24 tons) More than 12 lasten (more than 24 tons) In a similar document from 1358 there were two classes: In a similar document from 1358 there were two classes: Under 60 lasten (- 120 tons) Under 60 lasten (- 120 tons) More than 60 lasten (120 tons)” More than 60 lasten (120 tons)” From website by Per Åkesson, January 1999 From website by Per Åkesson, January Dudszus, Henriot, Krumley : Das grosse Buch der Schiffstypen, Transpress VEB Verlag, Berlin 1987, Dudszus, Henriot, Krumley : Das grosse Buch der Schiffstypen, Transpress VEB Verlag, Berlin 1987,

Medieval Galleys

Medieval Trade Routes in the Early and High Middle Ages

Viking Trade Routes

European Slave Trade, A.D