MEMBERS were entertained with an excellent talk by Mairi MacDonald, Deputy Archivist at the Shakespeare Centre, on the subject of mediaeval towns.

Towns were built to dispose of surplus produce sold in their markets to those that could not grow or make things for themselves. The first markets were often to be found in churchyards where people bartered their goods.

Towns grew up around castles such as Warwick, and religious communities as in Gloucester, at meeting places of roads and rivers as in Alcester and some towns were planted for the local lord as in Stratford where the Bishop of Worcester obtained a charter from Richard I in 1196. The Bishop appointed a steward to oversee the running of the town.

In 1350 there were 600 markets and towns were small. Only London compared with towns on the continent. No new market could obtain a charter for a market on the same day unless it was more than 13 miles away.

Stratford was laid out as a grid with 200 plots. The rent was one shilling per plot. Landlords of plots often subdivided them and then charged rent to those who took them.

Most towns had tanners, shoemakers, skinners, dyers, tailors, whitesmiths, locksmiths, carpenters, coopers, wheelwrights, cooks, bakers, butchers etc. Eventually Guilds were formed to assure quality control and to organise apprenticeships which could last for seven years.

Towns were badly affected by the Black Death at which time one-third of the population died.

Miss MacDonald was thanked by the chairman for a most comprehensive lecture.

The Friends next meet on Wednesday, September 19 in the restaurant at Coughton Court when The Musyk Makers (in costume) will entertain and explain about Tudor music. New members welcome.