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 A medieval town

In this lesson you will be learning:• Why medieval towns grew up• What medieval towns were like

• What medieval townspeople were like• What jobs medieval townspeople did• How medieval towns were different to

modern towns

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How did towns form?

There were very few large towns in medieval Europe. ostwere no bigger than a modern village with a population ofbetween !""" and #"$""". %n the #&th 'entury$ the largest'ities ()lemish 'ities and in northern %taly* had populationsof as many as +"$""" inhabitants.

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How did towns form?

,ne of the biggest edieval 'ities was -ruges

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How did towns form?

,ne of the biggest edieval 'ities was -ruges

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How did towns form?

Towns grew up for different reasons and had different

fun'tions as a 'onseuen'e.

/ome had religious functions. The 'hur'h or 'athedralwas usually the most important building.

,ther towns had political functions. Towns were freedfrom the 'ontrol of feudal lords and gained liberty. Thetown hall was in 'harge of the government of ea'h 'ityand its surrounding territory.

Towns also had economic functions. 0raft produ'tionand 'ommer'e was 'on'entrated in 'ities. The marketsuare was the main point for e1'hanges.

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How did towns form?

Towns had to be safe. er'hants would not 'ome unlessthey felt sure their goods were safe. /o the lords built

wooden fen'es or walls around$ them. At night$ the gateswere lo'ked to stop foreigners (outsiders* from getting in

.

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How did towns form?

 As towns grew in si2e and be'ame prosperous theywere able to buy a charter $ a do'ument whi'h gavethem freedom from the lord of the manor on whose land

the town had grown up.-y the #!th 'entury$ many lords ofthe manor were short of moneyand were glad to sell the rights ofthe town to pay off their debts.

The town 'harter allowed the townsfolk to have a mayor $whom they ele'ted$ and a law 'ourt of their own.

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 A typi'al town street

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en of the same 'raft or trade lived in the same street$

and often gave their name to the street.

3ook at the plan of the town. What sort of

o''upations 'ould you find there?

What jobs did people have in the towns?

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 A medieval town?

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 A medieval town