Towns in the Middle Ages were much smaller than towns today. Most had only about 1,000 people and the largest had only about 5,000 people. Most were built on rivers or on the coast so that the people could make money from trade. Sometimes they were built near castles for protection and to cater to the needs of the castle. A town needed a charter from the king. This was a contract where the town was granted freedom to run its own affairs but had to pay taxes to the king.
topic, you will learn about:
The parts of a medieval town
Craftsmen and guilds
A corporation and a mayor ran a town. They kept the walls in good repair, tried to deal with dirt and sewage, paid town guards and enforced the curfew and the other laws of the town.
market square strong gates church or cathedral fair green
main street
Medieval town
narrow streets
Every town was different, but they all shared common features: • Towns had high walls to protect them against attack
• Strong gates were the only way in and out of the town. The gates were opened at dawn and closed at sundown. Anyone who wanted to come into the town to conduct business (especially to sell goods) had to pay a toll (a tax for entry) at the gates.
• The main or high street ran from the main gates to the market square in the middle of the town. This was the only street that was wide and paved with stones or wooden planks and was where the richest people had their houses.
• Narrow streets ran off the main street and these contained houses and shops for the townspeople.
