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Lords and Villeins
Background
Anglo-Norman society in Ireland was organised according to the feudal system, a legal and hierarchical structure which the Normans had successfully brought to England from France. This meant that the king owned all of the land, some of which he granted to his most important lords, bishops and knights. In return, these nobles would be obliged to provide able-bodied men to fight for the king when required. They did not farm the land themselves; instead, villeins (peasants) worked on the land for them in return for protection, a small house and a small strip of farmland for themselves.The castle, church, village or town and surrounding farmland formed a feudal manor. The manor house — the biggest house in the settlement — was the home of the Norman lord. Itinerant peddlers moved from town to town trading. They were required to pay a tax at the town wall (tolsend gate) before they could bring their carts of goods (such as wool or timber) into the town marketplace.Along the filthy narrow streets could be found cramped homes and workplaces: bakers, butchers, and craftsmen such as blacksmiths, masons and tanners. Town houses were cold, damp and dark wooden thatched buildings, and disease was rife. Living conditions in a castle were comparatively easier than in the towns, though often still very basic. Hygiene presented great problems everywhere.Descendents of Anglo-Norman traders still live in Ulster towns today.
Religion played an important part in daily life. Ordinary people attended services in the Norman-built parish churches, but a castle could have its own chapel. It was the Normans who first divided the country into dioceses and parishes.
Games and Pastimes
During winter evenings, Normans passed the time by playing indoor board games, including forms of chess, draughts and backgammon.
Chess
Often they would tell stories, watch jesters, or listen to minstrels or harpists. Women and girls would spin and weave cloth, and embroider, often choosing religious subjects for their work.
Embroidery
Hunting wild boar and deer with dogs, or rabbits with trained hunting falcons, were popular daytime sports. Men and boys continually practised their archery skills.
Hunting
Food
The Irish ate a plain but healthy diet of dairy products, oatmeal porridge, green vegetables and, occasionally, meat.The Normans liked meat such as rabbit, richly spiced. They introduced pears, peas and sweet chestnuts. Honey was used as a sweetener on almost everything they ate. The Normans used to ferment honey to produce mead.
A Norman Banquet
Medieval banquets were great occasions, sometimes continuing for days. There might be as many as a dozen courses. The setting for a banquet was the great hall of the castle.There were many rules about how to behave at the table. For example, it was forbidden to blow your nose on the tablecloth. It was considered a sin to be a glutton (to eat so much that you were unable to rise from the table).At the table, guests were seated according to their importance. The most important people were seated at the high table. This was the only table that had a salter: an extravagantly shaped container for salt, which was expensive. The saying ‘to be worth one’s salt’ comes from this period.
A salter
Everyone ate food from trenchers. These were large flat pieces of stale bread, like pizza bases.
A trencher
The most noble people, at the top table, were given the upper crust from the round of bread, delicately spiced and beautifully coloured. The term ‘upper crust’ today signifies people of wealth and social importance.They ate with knives, spoons and fingers. Liver and kidneys flavoured with blood, vinegar and pepper might be followed by duck, pheasant or chicken stuffed with egg yolks, currants and cinnamon. A third course might comprise rabbit, hare or woodcock, pork and cheese pie. Those at the high table washed everything down with cups of wine.During the banquet, musicians, jugglers, acrobats and storytellers entertained the guests. Sometimes there was dancing afterwards.
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