An Over View of Medieval Towns-
Medieval towns were mainly built around areas where rivers or man-made roads were so people could easily meet and get water easily, as any water in the towns or villages would be too dirty to drink.
Towns needed more water than villages, so being close rivers or lakes was essential, rivers and lakes, unlike now as we have taps and showers, would provide water used for washing; drinking or used for the disposal of waste.
Towns were dirty places to live in; there was no sewage system as we would know it today, many people threw toilet waste into the street, or as I said above in rivers and lakes. Rats were very common in villages, towns and cities which lead to the Black Death of 1348-1349.
Towns needed more water than villages, so being close rivers or lakes was essential, rivers and lakes, unlike now as we have taps and showers, would provide water used for washing; drinking or used for the disposal of waste.
Towns were dirty places to live in; there was no sewage system as we would know it today, many people threw toilet waste into the street, or as I said above in rivers and lakes. Rats were very common in villages, towns and cities which lead to the Black Death of 1348-1349.
Quick Facts!
Medieval house
- Homes were made of wood, fire was another danger in a town or city.
- Walking in a town at night was very dangerous; though towns or villages had a curfew no town or village had a police force to deal with those who broke the law, it was only large cities that had police.
- No town or village had street lights - their only choice was candles but in a wooden city, village or town, the ‘street light candles’ could prove easily devastating.
Often towns were owned by a lord or someone of a high status, it was his job to ensure the town or village were popular with the traders as they paid tax; consequently the more trades in the town or village, the more tax the lord could collect. Taxes were collected by a sheriff, the lord’s right hand man. As many people couldn't read or write; the system was open to misuse and fraud. This is the reason many people wanted to get a charter.