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"Exploring Medieval Towns" sent in by
Arthur and Elisabeth Jordan
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Elisabeth's part:
I took early retirement from teaching some years ago and got myself deeply
involved in researching the history of our village. Arthur had also taken
early retirement from computers. He had been a part-time tutor for the
Workers' Educational Association and for the University of Leicester for
many years.
We both developed an interest in the 'New Towns of the Middle Ages' as
Maurice Beresford described them. As we toured England, Wales, Ireland
and France in our caravan we were pleasantly surprised at how many reminders
of Medieval times can still be found. 'Medieval Towns' became a new subject
for Arthur's evening courses, illustrated by the thousands of slides we
have made on our travels. Our interests, and Arthur's courses, have widened
to include 'Life in Tudor Times' and 'Life in Victorian Times'
It was not long before the students (mostly early retired like ourselves)
were wanting to go on day trips to see for themselves. Not satisfied with
places within day trip distance they were then wanting week-end visits!
Always eager to please, we managed to find suitable accommodation at an
affordable price in Ludlow, one of our favourite Medieval towns. Twenty
people enjoyed two nights and days exploring the castle, the black & white
buildings, the misericords in the Parish Church, the fortified manor at
Stokesay, and other features too numerous to mention.
Relaxing in the garden during a private visit to a medieval
manor House in Gloucestershire
We now take different groups to nine or ten different venues each summer,
many of them for 5 days, and as word spreads so we attract people from all
over the country. We have even had visitors from the United States and France
joining us! If you wanted to join in you could get in touch for details
of where we will be in 2001. Otherwise, just read on as Arthur takes over
to give you some pointers for exploring Medieval England by yourself.
Arthur's part:
Exploring Shrewsbury should begin by taking morning coffee on the terrace
of the Bear Steps restaurant reading the guides you have obtained from Tourist
Information. Medievalism is all around you here for the Bear Steps Hall
is 14th century with a wonderful Crown Post roof and an enthusiastic curator!
At your table you are overlooking St Alkmund's churchyard where the market
was held from Saxon times until 1261.
You can spend hours exploring the town's many 'shuts' and 'passages' including
'Seventy Steps Shut' and 'Grope Lane' (naughty!) but synonymous with Shrewsbury
is Brother Cadfael, Ellis Peters' monk-sleuth and you may visit the remains
of his Abbey and follow '...in the footsteps of Brother Cadfael'.
Another town with lots of 'black and white' buildings is Chester, famous
for its Rows, a unique system of continuous, covered walkways built into
the fronts of buildings at first-floor level. In most Medieval towns the
merchants' houses had a vaulted undercroft (cellar) for storing goods, with
a shop/workshop at street level and living hall in an upper storey. At Chester
the shallow bedrock kept these undercrofts at street level thus lifting
the shops and hall, with a walkway in front, to first floor level. Not all
'black and white' buildings are Medieval, St Michael's Arcade dates only
from 1910, being built for the Duke of Westminster. Don't be alarmed if
you hear a bell ringing and a man shouting, it's only the Town Crier announcing
What's On, an old Medieval custom.
A sunny afternoon in the grounds of St. Augustine's
Abbey, Canterbury
Chester has a well-preserved run of town wall and one wall walk will take
you along the 'Roodee', the racecourse, so if there is racing you can watch
it - free. Here underneath the wall you may find a section of the Roman
waterfront with Medieval wall above it. The 'Dewa Roman Experience' shouldn't
be missed.
Talking of undercrofts, try coffee or lunch in the Crypt Coffee Shop of
the Blackfriars' Hall in Norwich where there is an outstanding example of
brick vaulting dating from the 13th century. Of course, Norwich Cathedral
is the focal point for most visitors but few study the wonderful 13th century
stone-ribbed vaulting of the nave roof with its decorative stone roof bosses
depicting scenes from bible stories. There is Noah building the Ark, followed
by the Ark afloat with Noah and his wife and two of each animal peering
out of the poop-deck of a 13th century English cog-type ship. The cloisters
too have a fascinating series of bosses, among them St Denis carrying his
bleeding, severed head to church!
There was an Anglo-Saxon market in Norwich's Tombland long before the Normans,
soon after 1066, established theirs which thrives every weekday. Many Medieval
merchants' houses faced the Cathedral gates across Tombland and one, built
by Augustine Steward, one-time mayor and MP, survives with the carpenters'
marks clearly visible on the timber studding. Timber-framed houses were
pre-assembled at the carpenter's yard and the joints numbered so that, after
dismantling for transport, the frames could be correctly re-assembled. So,
if you see people peering at the timbers of black and white houses, you
will know what they may be looking for.
Once, in Ludlow, we were tape-measuring the frontage of The Bull and passers-by
stared in wonderment, whilst some shopkeepers glared, thinking we were from
the Council! In most Medieval towns the burgage plots for building on were
to standard dimensions based on a module of a perch (about 161/2 feet) and
The Bull measures exactly 2 perches.
The wooden corner-post with carved human figures seen in a shop window in
Bury St Edmunds is not for sale! Recent restoration has revealed it as an
essential structural part of this timber-framed building dating from 1541,
which was plastered over in the 19th century. It is well worth going inside
to look at the wooden roof structure even if you don't buy any of the attractive
gifts on display. Street names are a reminder of some of the trades of Medieval
'St Edmund's Bury' - Hatter St, Skinner St, Baxter St (bakers), Whiting
St (tinsmiths) and the Rows - Cooks (fast food!), Spicers and Barbours.
Our group enjoying a private lunch in the Bishop's Throne
Room at Auckland Castle, County Durham
Where would you find a milkmaid and a dun cow carved in stone on a cathedral?
Answer - Durham. You can't move far in that city without being reminded
of the legend of its origin. Visit the cathedral by all means but don't
miss the many less obvious reminders of the city's Medieval past such as
the 'vennels' (alleyways). Try Moatside Lane, once trodden by pilgrims to
the shrine of St Cuthbert but start from the top in Saddler St - it is easier
going down, and you end up at Framwellgate Bridge for a stunning view of
Durham Castle, home of the Prince Bishops until the mid-19th century when
they took up residence at their 'holiday retreat' - Auckland Castle. It
is really a palace situated in 800 acres of parkland with an arcaded, cloister-like
shelter for the deer which their Graces once enjoyed chasing.
In 1327 Edward III granted a licence to the Bishop of Salisbury to build
an 'embattled' wall around the Cathedral Close to protect the clergy from
the townspeople and the High Street gate is still locked at 11pm by the
'Constable'. In a room above the St Anne gate, built with stone from the
abandoned town of Old Sarum, Handel is reputed to have given his first concert
in England, not far from Culver Street where, in 1452, occupants of the
brothels were evicted for failing to wear the striped hoods of their profession.
(No distinguishing marks for their clients!).
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Where would you find a 15th
century merchant's banquetting hall in the foyer of a cinema? In Salisbury.
Discussing the medieval garden at the Prebendal Manor
in Nassington, Northants after lunch in the Tithe barn
Plane-loads of tourists arrive from America and Japan to lap up our Medieval
heritage but we have it on our doorstep - enjoy it!
You can contact us at 13 Arnhill Road, Gretton, Northants NN17 3DN, telephone
01536 770478 or e-mail: medieval@leisurelearning.co.uk
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