Medieval villages consisted of a population comprised mostly of farmers.Peasant farmers were the backbone of medieval society. They worked land leased to them by wealthier land holders in the nobility. The farmers produced all of the food, and paid most of the taxes.
Life wasn't all hard work though. The Catholic Church had many holidays that were observed. On these holidays, peasants had feasts, sometimes provided by the lord of the nearby manor, and socialized with their neighbors. They danced, sang songs, and generally had a good time. Peasants also celebrated the birth and baptism of a new child, marriages of family members, and other important events.
Houses, barns,sheds, and animal pens clustered around the center of the village, which was surrounded by plowed fields and pastures. Medieval society depended on the village for protection, and a majority of people during these centuries called a village home. Most were born, toiled, married, had children and later died within the village, rarely, if ever, venturing beyond its boundaries.
The average peasant lived in a two room cottage that was constructed of mud plastered branches and straw or of stone and wood with a roof of thatch. The rooms had dirt floors and a few furnishings such as stools, a table, and maybe a chest to hold clothes in the common room. In the other room, sacks of straw served as beds for the entire family.In the winter, the common room was shared with the livestock, who helped provide warmth. An open kitchen hearth was also located in the common room.
Life wasn't all hard work though. The Catholic Church had many holidays that were observed. On these holidays, peasants had feasts, sometimes provided by the lord of the nearby manor, and socialized with their neighbors. They danced, sang songs, and generally had a good time. Peasants also celebrated the birth and baptism of a new child, marriages of family members, and other important events.
Houses, barns,sheds, and animal pens clustered around the center of the village, which was surrounded by plowed fields and pastures. Medieval society depended on the village for protection, and a majority of people during these centuries called a village home. Most were born, toiled, married, had children and later died within the village, rarely, if ever, venturing beyond its boundaries.
The average peasant lived in a two room cottage that was constructed of mud plastered branches and straw or of stone and wood with a roof of thatch. The rooms had dirt floors and a few furnishings such as stools, a table, and maybe a chest to hold clothes in the common room. In the other room, sacks of straw served as beds for the entire family.In the winter, the common room was shared with the livestock, who helped provide warmth. An open kitchen hearth was also located in the common room.
Medieval society indulged in a number of games and recreation, when the often harsh daily life permitted a break. Chess was widely popular and often a source of gambling entertainment; both in the traditional format and in a simpler version played with dice. Dice were easy to carry and were played in all ranks of society, even among the clergy. Fathers and older siblings might make a smaller child a wooden spinning top, a doll, or a set of blocks. Most of the time though, children played with what was available and used their imaginations.
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