The Guide to Surviving Yesteryear

As much as homework can be a pain and the occasional curfew is

unheralded, we should still be grateful that we aren’t waking up in the 12th Century, as Robin Hood did!

It is very hard to imagine what it would have been like 900 years ago but we will do our best to paint you a picture.

Let your imagination fill in the rest but try not to imagine the smells as they will probably make you sick – and see it all in the new film out on 12th May!

Clothing.

The 12th century experienced, according to records, a mini ice age. It was a cold place. To survive this perma frost, wool was the material of choice as it was both flexible and good at retaining heat.  Men wore undergarments of linen called tunics and had hose or chausses that were trouser like in appearance.  These were often made with separate pieces of cloth for each leg. A shirt came next and then a double buttoned jacket called a doublet to further help keep out the cold. For the women the innermost layer of clothing was a linen or woolen chemise or smock.  Over the chemise women wore a loose or fitted gown called a cotte or kirtle and a sleeveless overgown or tabards. Outside a cloak or mantle was a must.

Food.

Wasn’t as bad as you may imagine but variety was lacking and food was not as easy to come by as it is today.  There were no such things as diets and the five-a-day was meaningless. Just getting food meant everything and your survival depended on it. Meat and fish were eaten along with a variety of vegetables, including wild peas and beans, onions and leeks.  Fruit (lemons and oranges) were available but not to the common folk. Wheat for bread, barley for brewing and oats for animal fodder were and porridge were used. Stew, soup or pottage was the end result of the food stuffs that were available and cooked in a cauldron over the central hearth of the house

Health.

Common illnesses would almost certainly have been life threatening back in the 12th century. Surviving was an everyday concern and common ailments today, such as the flu, would have been fatal – maybe not directly but the chances of making a full recovery were slim.

Housing.

Living conditions have come a long way since the 12th century. The populous lived in simple wooden huts. They had wooden frames filled in with wattle and daub (strips of wood woven together and covered in a 'plaster' of animal hair and clay). However in some parts of the country huts were made of stone. Peasant’s huts were either whitewashed or painted in bright colours. For the higher ranking members of society stone houses and of course castles were preferred.

Teaching.

Although not having a direct impact on your chances of survival there was some basic schooling in the 12th Century. There were no real schools available to the common folk. This may sound like a good thing but you were lucky if you could join in with some of the teaching that was undertaken by priests. Most children were taught their ABCs in a similar way as they are today i.e. A is for Archer, H is for Hood and R is for Robin.