Dr Eleanor Janega investigates one of the least recorded aspects of medieval life - working women. But dig deep and you can find the evidence - proving the medieval period is a fascinating window into the true history of women…and work!
Eleanor takes on the jobs and businesses of real medieval women, from Domina Agnes Ramsey, a highly skilled stonemason with a flourishing business making royal tombs, to Katherine of Bury, a blacksmith plying her trade inside the Tower of London during the Hundred Years' War.
And Eleanor gets hands on in the medieval kitchen with experiential archaeologist Caroline Nicolay to explore the jobs of country women, from dairymaids to cheese-sellers to bakers, uncovering some crooked practices along the way...
It all ties in with Eleanor's fascinating new book: 'The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society'
Up Next in Everyday Life
-
Crowning Glory: The History of the Co...
Coronations - pomp and pageantry or a vital link with the timeless traditions of taking the throne?
In our second coronation special, History Hit’s Matt Lewis digs deep into the past to investigate how centuries old aspects of Anglo-Saxon and Medieval coronations will be mirrored in Charles III...
-
Quicksilver: The Magnificent Mail Coach
Mike Loades climbs aboard a high-speed transport revolution. 250 years ago the Mail Coach was a sensation, the fastest vehicle on the road - carrying with it the promise of news from afar.
It was the symbol of a modern, more connected world - at the vanguard of a social revolution.
For the fi...
-
Edges of Empire - Life on the Wall
In this episode, Tristan Hughes visits two key sites along Hadrian’s Wall that can tell us more about everyday life on this far flung frontier, with a particular focus on hygiene and worship. First on the list is Chesters Roman Fort. Described as one of the most complete cavalry forts that surviv...
43 Comments