Living in a medieval villagePart II

The peasants’ year

Men and women worked hard in medieval villages. Most of the time they worked side by side, although they also had separate jobs to do. Many of the jobs shown in Source 3 were done by both men and women.

In addition to these jobs there was other work that continued all year round – collecting firewood, digging drainage ditches, looking after animals, repairing houses and so on. Remember that as well as working on their own land villeins had to do their services for the lord. This could take up three to five days a week, or more at busy times like harvesting and hay-making.

Source 3

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Source 4

Source 5

Source 6

Source 7

Source 8

ActivityStudy sources 1, 2 and 4-7. match each one with a month of the year explaining your choices. Make up a board game about the peasants’ year. If you are stuck your teacher can give you a model to follow. Include all the jobs and the services they might have to do. You can also invent some good and bad things that might happen, for example: You fall illYour house catches fireA relative gives you a pig

Lord insists that you do two extra days week-work for all of March to mend his fences. Go back two spaces.

A great harvest. All the food is gathered in. The lord of the manor is very pleased and puts on a big feast. Go forward five spaces.