Medieval Social Activities

The early towns in the medieval days were only small settlements outside the walls of a castle or Church. As the towns grew larger, walls were built around the towns. Soldiers on the walls kept lookout for attackers. For serfs and ordinary farmers, most of their day was spent working hard. There were occasions when the serfs and their lords used to rest and enjoy the social activities. In the Middle ages social activities had their own importance to each member of society, everyone was expected to attend them. Local serfs and farmers attended fairs and watched acrobatic games.

During times of peace members of the nobility were not as busy. This gave time for the practice of tournaments. Nobles and knights from nearby areas and far away were

A peasant family worked hard to farm both the lord’s fields and their own. Peasants had to do whatever the lord told them to do. Peasants lived in crude huts, which were often cold, damp, and dark. The peasants usually slept on bags of straw. For security purposes, windows when they were present, were very small openings with wooden shutters. The Peasants ate black bread, eggs, poultry, and vegetables. Rarely could they ever afford meat. Many peasant families ate, slept, and spent time in their small quarters. The homes of the rich were more elaborate then the peasants’ homes. Their floors were paved and decorated with tiles. The houses had panes of glass in them. Only the rich and the churches and royal residents had them. Life in the Middle ages centered around the ownership of land. Land was ruled by a powerful lord, defended by his knights, and farmed by his peasants. The lords home was a mighty stone castle built for defense, provided protection for peasants. In the great hall of the castle the lord and his guests ate, drank, and gambled by the fireside. They also played dice and chess. The lord’s wife, called a lady, was trained to sew, spin, weave, and rule the household servants, they had few rights. If she did not have at least one son, the lord could end their marriage. Neither the lords nor ladies thought education was necessary, and few could read or