Smiffys Medieval Maid Costume, Green with Dress & Headband, Historical Fancy Dress, Medieval Dress Up Costumes

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On top of that, our maid wears the blouse “Birga” as well as a little bit. Here, too, you can enhance the look with a variety of accessories. However, a belt is recommended. We have attached a leather bag and cutlery to these. Our dear Björn threw himself into character with this combination of authentic Viking garments. On top he wears a combination of the subtunic “Gunther” and the tunic “Ailrik”. This layered look not only looks casual, but is also suitable for many weather conditions.

Cummins, John (2001). The Hound and the Hawk: The Art of Medieval Hunting. London: Phoenix. ISBN 1-84212-097-2.

In some periods of history, the human obsession with classification by rank was applied even to servants themselves. They were often arranged into their own social hierarchies and assigned to tasks based on how closely they were allowed to work with the masters of the household. These stations were usually set in stone, and there was little opportunity for a maid to move up in the ranks once she was assigned a set of tasks. Maid in Middle English meant an unmarried woman, especially a young one, or specifically a virgin. These meanings lived on in English until recent times (and are still familiar from literature and folk music), alongside the sense of the word as a type of servant. [2] [3] This is by far the hardest blog I’ve had to write. Why? Because I simply haven’t been able to find as much information as I would have liked to. However, I will present to you what I’ve learned and hopefully it will enlighten you. If you have any additional information, please feel free to post it! Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the functions and composition of households started to change. This was due primarily to two factors. First of all, the introduction of gunpowder to the field of warfare rendered the castle a less effective defence, and did away with the military function of the household. [48] The result was a household more focused on comfort and luxury, and with a significantly larger proportion of women. [49] Sometimes the housemaid would even scrub the floors and walls with water and lye soap. (Lye soap is made from using the ashes of trees and shrubs, mixed with lard.) However this was only if they were made of stone or wood. If the wood happened to be covered over with plaster, she’d want to steer clear of using a water based cleaning method. Same goes for dirt floors.

This book offers a broad survey of medieval literature, including works that provide insight into the experiences of medieval servants and other members of the lower classes. The Library's buildings remain fully open but some services are limited, including access to collection items. We're The scullery maid provided hot water for the scullery, kitchen tasks, and household. In addition to her other tasks, the scullery maid had to keep the scullery clean by clearing away meat and vegetable garbage, scrubbing work tables, and swilling the floors. The water was carried through a drain outside the house. [6] Scullery maids would rarely have handled fine china, stemware, crystal or plate silver; these are cleaned by housemaids and footmen. Before the advent of central heating systems, scullery maids were required to light the fires on the kitchen stove and supply hot water for tea and washing. She performed these tasks in the morning before the cook came down to the kitchens. [7] This idea is made clear in Robert Grosseteste’s Rules. The Rules were written for Margaret de Lacy, the countess of Lincoln, in the 1240s. It is a treatise written in French describing how Margaret should manage her estate and household. The sixteenth rule in the section on household management reads as follows:The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century” by Ian Mortimer All upcoming public events are going ahead as planned and you can find more information on our events blog The duties and responsibilities of medieval castle staff varied depending on the size of the castle and the inhabitants. During medieval times, the castles were large and sometimes housed hundreds of inhabitants. Herlihy, David (1985). Medieval Households. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-56375-1.