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NOTES

l. Master and Schoolboy

PICTURENOTES
schoolboysitson a hard,wooden benchunderthe stern
"fhe
eye of histutor and reads,asclearlyashe can,the letters of
the alphabet.The text is pinnedto a wooden bat and
coveredwith a thin layerof transparentcow's horn to
protect it. lt is calleda horn book and he will soon be
progressingto a printed Latinbook. The masterwearsa ruff
period.SinceHenry Vlll's
collar,popularin the Elizabethan
the schoolshavelay teachersbut
closureof the monasteries,
the emphasisis still on Latin;and prayer is of great
importance.The horn book hasa coPyof the Lord'sPrayer
beneaththe alphabet.
The grammarschoolstandscloseto the churchand over
the door is a badgethat shows,in its design,a book and a
b u n d l eo f b i r c ht w i g s- l e a r n i n ga n dd i s c i p l i n eS. o m eo f t h e
boysfrom outsidethe town are boardersin the master's

house.The boys,takenfrom wealthyfamilieswho canafford

an education,are taught mainlyLatingrammar.lt is a
summer'sday andschoolstartedat six o'clock.In Tudor
Englandit is importantto useas muchof the daylightas
possible.Why is that so; andwhat happenseveryyear today
to makegreater useof daylight?
Somevillageshavea Dame'sschoolwhere young
children learn their letters, but many more childrenget
no schoolingat all. Children of poorer familieswill start
work at the age of six. lf the family can afford to give up
the income,a son might join a tradesmanas an apprentice
but he will earn nothingfor sevenyearsand may even
haveto pay for his education.Poor girls worked; rich
girls, who might receivesome educationat home, would
exPect to marry well.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
The Tudor alphabetactuallyconsistedof twenty-four
letters;i andj were written the same,so, often, were u and
v. How manyletters canyou see in this picture of a horn
book?Why are there more than twenty-four?Find
examplesof letters or documentswritten at this time and
seehow manyletters you can identify.

lmagineyou find a pagefrom the diary of a Tudor

schoolboy.What doesit sby?What subjectsare taughttoday
which are differentfrom thosethat the Tudor schoolboy
would havelearnt?
The alternativeto grammarschoolswere Dame
Schools,but still it was only boyswho were educated.Find

but
country,mainlyattachedto cathedralsand monasteries,
somewere independent.Their purposewasto give a good
educationto the more intelligentboysin the locality.The

out what sort of thingsgirls did insteadof learningto read

andwrite. They neededmanyother sortsof skillsto cope
with everydaylife.
Only the most importantgirls receivedan academlc
education.Queen Elizabethcould speaksix languages
fluentlyand read Latinand Greek.Why did her role make

boyswere taught:Englishgrammarand Latin;to write

compositionsin proseand verse;ancienthistory;geography;
andsimplearithmetic.They usuallychargedfor tuition but a
numberof free placeswere kept for the sonsof the poor.To

this important?
Comparea Tudor badgedesignwith your own school's
badge.Try designinga badgefor a localDameSchool.
Makeyour own quill pen.Ask at your localbutchersif

get in they hadto passan entranceexam.Manyof these

was educatedat
grammarschoolsstill exist. Shakespeare
Are
King EdwardVl GrammarSchool,Stratford-upon-Avon.

they would be kind enoughto savesomegooseor other

'Blackletter'
or
largefeathersfor you. Practisewriting in
Gothic script like the examplesin the horn book.

At the beginningof the Tudor ageEnglandbenefitted

from the educationalsystemset up by the Church in the
middleages.There were trammar schoolsall over the

there anygrammarschoolsin your area?lf so find out when

they were founded.
P h o t o g r a p h ya n d P i c t u r e N o t e s : M a r t y n F C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a nC o m p a n i e

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NOTES

2. Childhood
PICTURENOTES
A Tudor childhoodwas short and enjoyedmainlyby children
of wealthyfamilies.For most childrena life of work started
at the ageof six or seven.The merchant'stwo childrenare
showingoff their latesttoys - toys that reflectthe world
aroundthem. The countrysideechoesto the creak and
r u m b l eo f w i n d m i l l sg: r i n d i n gc o r n ,p u m p i n gw a t e r o r
; n dt h e b o y i s p l a y i n gw i t h a s t r i n gd r i v e n
d r i v i n gh u g es a w s a
mill. The string is wound arounda spindleon which are four
blades.When the string is pulledthe bladesturn andthe
string is rewound by the momentum,to be pulledagain.
His sister hasa BartholomewBaby.lt may look more like
girls were dressed
a woman,but rememberthat Elizabethan
asadultsfrom a very early age.The doll is madeof a single
pieceof wood that was turned on a pole latheand the wood
rurner who madeit carvedin the detailslater.Originally,it
may havehad leatherarmsand it was probablydressedup by

its proud owner. Tudor toys suchasthesewould havebeen

quite expensivebut poor childrenwould haveplayedwith
c r u d e rv e r s i o n s .
The whip is held by the son of a familyservant.The boy
is only five and is wearint a cap,calleda coif, to keep out the
cold. His father madethe whip andspinningtop with sticks
from the hedgerow.Somewhips hadthree lashesor more
to keep the top spinningmore easily.
Very few childrenin the Tudor period survivedinto
adulthood.The childrenthat appearin paintingsand tombs
are dressedlike miniaturesof their parentswho were not,
reputedly,very affectionatetowards them. Perhaps
wishingthem older and not becomingtoo emotionally
attachedwas a parent'sway of coping with the high infant
mortality of the time.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Only the rich could afford doctors,thoughat this time their
skillswere limited comparedwith today.From birth
onwardspoor childrenwere luckyto survive.Girls often
marriedbetweenthe agesof fourteenand sixteenand boys
betweeneighteenandtwenty-one.Familieswere large
becauseso manychildrendied in infancy.Thosechildrenthat
survivedhadto work from the ageof six or seven.Compare
this with how you expect to spendyour first sixteenor
eighteenyears.Only one personin ten livedto be
forty-years-old.How long doesthe averagepersonusually
live nowadays?
What kindsof jobs did poor childrenhaveto do?Were
they paid?In the countrysidethey hadto work on farms,
plantingandtendingcrops;in the towns they worked as
servants.They hadto fetch and carry for their parentsand
mastersleavingvery little time for play.What evidencecan
you find about the sorts of jobs thesechildrenhadto do?
How long did they last
Findout about apprenticeships.
andwhat sort of craftswere learnt?Apprenticeships
were

still commonup to the 1960's.Findout how they differed

from those in Tudor times.
For authenticevidenceof the sorts of gameschildren
playedhere and in the Netherlandsfind a copy of a painting
by Pieter BruegelcalledChildren's
6omes.lt showsover
seventygames.Try to identifyas manyasyou can.Which
onesare still playedtodayl
Compareyour own clotheswith the onesthesechildren
are wearing,which are madefrom wool and linen,spunand
woven at home and madewithout the aid of sewing
machines.
How were the raw materialsgrown, woven and
then sewntogether?What fastenings
were used?How many
you
setsof clothesdo
think eachchild would havehadand
how long would they havebeenexpectedto last?How
manysorts of clothesdo you have?
What jobs might thesechildrendo? Do you do this type
of work? What sort of job do you want to do?What does
your future hold?

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n o m p a n i e& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

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P83i3

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TUDORS

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NOTES

3. Toys
PICTURENOTES
Jhe childrenof just three generationsbackwould have
easilyrecognisedall theseTudor toys.Todayevenancient
gameslike marblesmay be unfamiliar.
The spinningtop hasbeena populartoy for centuries
in many countriesand cultures.Thesewooden tops need a
lot of skill to keep spinningby lashingwith a whip. Tops
vary considerablyin shapeand there are local namesto
describethem.
The windmill,too, camein manyforms.Somedepended
on the child runningto turn the bladeswhile otherswere
driven by string.This one looksvery much like a post
w i n d m i l l ,a f a m i l i a rs i g h ti n T u d o rE n g l a n d .
Fivethousandyearsago,Egyptianparentsplaceddolls in
their children'stombs for them to playwith in the afterlife.
TheseTudor dolls are calledBartholomewBabies,from the
ancientLondonfair of the samename,andthe dressis in the

fashionof Elizabethan
ladies.They may havebeenpainted
andclothedoriginallybecausea Bartholomewdoll was once
slangfor a gaudy,overdressedwoman.
Clay marbleswould havebeenvery easyfor childrento
makeand there are manygameswhere marblescanbe used.
Againthis is a toy with a very ancienthistory.
knucklebones
or fivestonesare all the same
Jackstones,
game;playedby Romansoldiersin the shelterof Hadrian's
Wall and enjoyedby childrenbeforeand after the Tudors,
but seeminglylesspopulartoday.They havebeenmadeof
sheep'sknuckles,stones;metal or wood.
Bearsand bear baitingwere commonsightsin the towns
andthis bear on a stick is a versionof a toy that sometimes
might be in the shapeof a monkeyor a clown. Another stick
or a string shouldbe addedto animatethe figure.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
CompareTudor toys andchildhoodwith those of today.
Rememberthey had no plastics,no massproduction,no
advertisingor television.Which toys in our picture were for
boysand which oneswould girls haveplayedwith? The first
screwswere inventedin the early 1500's.They were like
nailswith a thread and were hammeredin. But it took
anotherhundredyearsto inventa screwdriver!How
importantwas this invention?
Makea list of populartoys, both then and now. Look at
the way our toys move:by friction, by battery,electricityor
solarpower. How do you think the toys in the picture were
madeto movel
There is real evidenceof the sorts of toys that were
popularin paintingsof the time. Look at Bruegel'sChildren's
Gomesand identifythe differentsorts of toys childrenare
playingwith. There are hoops,spinningtops, a hobbyhorse,
marblesand manymore. Look carefullyand makea list of all
the onesyou canfind.
The toy in the centre is the forerunnerof manywe are
familiarwith nowpdays.The commerciallyproducedones
we have now are made from plastics.How might this affect

their performance?
Use somdowel rod, stiff card and a nail
'windmills'.
a n dm a k ey o u r o w n
Dolls havebeenmadefor manythousandsof years.Do
some researchand makea time line showinghow dolls have
changed,at one hundredyear intervals,from 1500to the
Presentday.
Acceptingthat thesetoys representa particulartime in
history,what toys could we collect that would reflect our
time if they were to be found in anotherfive hundredyears
time?All thesetoys still work now; will ours in the future?
How manyof theseTudor toys could we make
ourselves?How many of our own toys could we
actuallymake?
The dancingbearwas modelledon the real bearsthat
were usedfor sport and entertainment.This cruel 'sport'
was eventuallybannedin 1835.Are there still any partsof
the world where bearsare kept for entertainment?What
do you feel aboutthis?lf it was acceptablein Tudor times
why might it not be now?

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o C y r i l H o b b i n st,o y m a k e ro f K e n i l w o r t h

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NOTES

5. WashingClothes
PICTURENOTES
As recentlyas forty yearsago,thousandsof women in
Europedid their laundryin streams,just as in Tudor times.
Garmentsare rubbedand slappedagainstcleanrocks in the
runningwater to removethe dirt, andthen hungto dry on
bushesand branches.A mixture of water and wood ash
makesan alkalineliquid calledlye that is usedto breakdown
the greasethat keepsthe dirt in the fabric.By addinganimal
fat or oil to the lye a soapcould be made.Soapmakingwas
beginningto becomean important industryin late Tudor

appliedto preventwater leakingout. Shipsand boatswere

built in a very similarway except that they were designedto
"staveoff" and "stave
stop water leakingin. The expressions
i n " h a v et h e i r o r i g i n si n b a r r e lm a k i n ga n ds h i pb u i l d i n g .
While rich peoplecould payto havetheir clothes
washedfor them, poorer folk probablydid not washtheir
clothes,or themselves,
too often. The Tudors,not
renownedfor their personalhygiene,often slept in their
underclothes.

usuallymadetheir own.
times but country households
tubs
and
The buckets,
barrelsare madefrom wooden
stripscalledstaves.Theseare cut to fit tightly together
when boundwith a hoop of saplingor iron. The dry wood

There is a well known illustrationof cloth washingfrom

the Tudor period that showsthe washingasa very organised

swellswhen it is soakedin water and this makesthe vessel

almostleak proof. A thin layerof tar or pitch could alsobe

appearsto be in stripsand the picture probablyshowsthe

finishingprocessfor woven cloth.

activity.Water is boilingover a fire, washtubs are on trestle

tablesandcloth hangsover specialpoles.But the fabric

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Why do we needto washand iron clothes?Think about how
they look if they are not ironed;andwhat effectwearingbut
not washingthem would have.
Makea time line to illustratethe changesin the way

comparewith the problemsof washingclothestoday?How

importantwould you rate havinga washingmachineor living

that the washing,drying and ironingof clotheshaschanged

over the last hundredyears.Comparethe time andeffort it
takesus to washand iron with that taken in Tudor times.
How havefabricschangedsinceTudor times?Now we
havesyntheticfibreswhich washand dry more quickly.Do

sixteenthcenturypeopleuseda herb calledsoapwort,a

w i l d h e r bw h i c hc l o s e l yr e s e m b l etsh e g a r d e nf l o w e r S w e e t
William. lt hasfragrantrose-pinkflowers andgrows in our

an experimentto find out how long differentfibrestake to

dry. Use wool, cotton, linenandother naturalfibresand
comparethem with artificialoneslike nylonand polyester.
Soakeachone in water and hangit to dry in the air, with no
form of heat:Makea table to record the results.Write
about the difficultiesof washingclothesin Tudor times
d u r i n gt h e w i n t e r o r a l o n g r a i n ys p e l l .
Richpeoplecould payto havetheir clotheswashedif
they wanted.lf you were poor how importantdo you think
it would be to live neara river or lake?How doesrr

neara launderette?
Beforethe inventionof a type of soapin the late

hedgerows.lts leavesand roots containa latheringagent

which was usedfor washingclothes.lt still grows in many
country areas.Collect all the differenttypesof washing
atents you canfind from soapwortand sodato detertents
and biologicalpowders.Ask your grandmotherwhat she
used!Choosethree or four differentfabrics;makethem
dirty andtest how well your choiceof powderscomparefor
t h e i r c l e a n i n gp o w e r .

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n ompanie

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6. Woman Carrying Water

PICTURENOTES
',Thepeasantwoman lifts the heavybucketswith the yoke
and returnsto her cottage.The well is the only localsource
of fresh water and she must visit it severaltimes a day.
Without the help of the yoke, her fingers,stiff with
rheumatism,could not bearthe weight. Hard manuallabour
is the lot of most people,while, by contrast,the paintingsof
the period show only a life of leisureand plenty.
the Tudor period had brought little
For the peasantry,
changefor the better.When times were hard,the staple
food of the poor - bread- remainedthe sameprice, a penny
a loaf,but the loaf becamemuchsmaller!Insteadof wheat
flour - barley,rye, Peasand evenacornswere sometimes
usedto makebread.But livingin the country hadsome
benefits:wool could be gleanedwhere it hadsnaggedon
branches;wood could be collectedfor the fire; a hareor
rabbit could be snaredfor the pot; and wild fruits could be

foragedin season.Most peoplelived in smallcommunities,

so the countrysidewas closeat hand.
Under the centuries-oldsystemof feudalism,peasants
held strips of landwhich they farmedfor their own benefit
and alsoworked for their feudallord. Whole villagesshared
their resourcesand worked the hugeopen fieldsand
commonstogether.Tudor landlordsstartedto enclosethe
fieldsin their greed for sheeppastures,and turned the
peasants
off their land.Whole familieswere unemployed,
victimisedas vagabonds,
and often treated with appalling
cruelty.England,like manydevelopingcountriestoday,
devotedso much landto a cashcrop, wool, that poor grain
harvestsin someyearscausedfaminesat the end of the
l6th century.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Livingneara well, river or lakewas important because,
though often not pure enoughfor drinking,water was
Make listsof purposesfor
neededfor so manyProcesses.
people
Tudor
needed
which
water and then anotherset

work then; andcanyou find out where in the world animals

are still usedin this way?

showinghow important water is today.Your listscould

come under headingssuchas usesin the home,in industry
and in growing crops andfarming.
and manufacturing

A book by the LimbourgBrotherscalledLeslris Riches

Heuresdu Duc de Berri,andother booksof hoursano
illuminatedmanuscripts,
show picturesof farmingandother

Experimentwith carryinga bucketof water in your

right hand,then in your left hand.Then usetwo buckets,

animalsthat were usedin additionto horses.

What effect might poor or dirty water haveon our
health?How muchmore seriouswould the consequences
of
drinkingbadwater havebeen in the sixteenrhcentury?Can
you find out when water beganto be pipedto houses?

one in eachhand.Which is easiest?How muchdoesthe

bucket itselfcontribute?The Tudorsusedwood and leather
for liquids.How do they comparewith the bucketswe
have?We still very occasionally
haveto carry water in a dry
reservoirs
when
begin
to
dry up. lf your water was
summer
turned off and you hadto fetch it from a standpipesome
distanceaway- first, would you uselesswater and second,

construction.Yokeswere alsousedto help animalsto pull

cartsandploughs.Which animalswere usedfor farming

Where was it first introducedand how expensivewas it?

Comparethis with the cost of the water that comesto our
homestoday.

what sort of bucket or containerwould you use?

When andwhere do you think the first yoke was
invented?Makea storyboardshowingits inventionand
P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n ompanie
& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

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NOTES

7. The Tudor Kitchen

PICTURENOTES
In the kitchenof a wealthy printer,a mealis beingprepared
for the evening.A smallpig is beingroastedon a spit and,if
i t i s t o b e p r o p e r l yc o o k e d ,i t w i l l t a k e s e v e r ahl o u r s .W h i l e
the turnspit,a kitchen boy, hasbeensent for more logs,the
cook hashadto put down her spindleso that shecan baste
the pig andturn it, to prevent it burning.The seven-yearold girl, employedto do simpletasks,will gaina practical
educationin the waysof the kitchen.Shemust learnto roast
and boil meat,preparepoultry and fishand understandthe
usesof herbsand spices.The cook may soon allow her to
makea pottageof oatmealand herbssimmeredin the juices
from boiled meat.
Cooked vegetableswill alsobe servedwith the roastpig
but potatoesare just a noveltyfor the rich. There is a
widespreadbeliefthat greensaladsandfreshfruit cause

illness(althoughred applesare recommendedin dietary

booksof the time) and there was a banon the saleof fruits
d u r i n go n e p l a g u ei n 1 5 6 9 .
T h e d i n i n gt a b l ei s l a i dw i t h p e w t e r p l a t e ss, i m i l a rt o
onesdiscoveredon the Mary Rose.The food will be eaten
with knives,spoonsand fingers.Forkswere usedby the
aristocracyto eat sweetmeatsbut were not commonfor
anothercentury.As this is a specialoccasion,somedrinking
glasses
will be providedfor the Frenchwine, althoughthe
masterprefershissilvercup.
By contrast,in the cook'sfamilyhome,a wooden
trencher is usedto eat from. lt is a crude plate,a square
boardwith a round depressionin it and a smalldip for salt.
Home-madebeer and buttermilk is drunk from wooden
cuDsor horn beakers.

ENQUTRYAND ACT|VIT|ES
How is the kitchenin the picture differentfrom ours today?
In what ways havekitchenschanged?
When did they alter?
Havethe changesmadelife better or worsel Are some
changesmore significantthan others?
We sharesomefoodsthat were in the Tudor diet;
others were very different. The rich ate more interesting
foods: plenty of meat and fish with lots of birds like
swan and peacock.Pies,tarts and sauceswere made:
look at an Elizabethancookery book to find out what
methods they used.
Merchantsate a similardiet but with lessvariety.lt
was the poor againwho got the least.They ate when and
where they could.Servantsate what was left after their
mastershad finished.The poor lived mainlyon breadand
vegetablestews.
During this centuryexplorersand sailorsbrought back
new and exotic foodsfrom all over the world. Somewere
plantson which fruits like apricots,melons,raspberriesand
red and blackcurrantscould be grown in gardensor heated
houses.Orangesand lemonscontinuedto be imported,as
were dried fruits and nuts.From the new world came
potatoes,tomatoesandturkeys.Findout where someof
thesefoods camefrom and comparethem with the range
and variety we have now

Saladswere consideredunhealthy.
Can you find out
why? (Think about water quality.)What diseases
and health
problemsoccur if we don't eat freshfoodsl How did this
affectthe sailorsandexplorersof the time?
Mealtimes were differentfrom our own. Peoole
mostly rose at 5am in summer,6am in winter. They
sometimesattendedprayersor did some work before
breakfast(or'break-fast')and after this set about their
work again.At | | am they ate their main mealof the day,
'dinner',
their
a w o r d w h i c h ,u n t i l t h e e n d o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h
century,alwaysmeantthe middaymeal.They worked again
until 5 or 6pm, though artisansand labourersworked until
7pm. Most went to bed at 9pm. What words do we useto
describeour meals?Does this vary with where we live or
for any other reasons?
The wealthysat at richly furnishedtables.ln humbler
homes,only mother andfather sat on stoolsandthe children
stood. Findpicturesof mealsbeingeaten in eachcentury
since 1500,beginningwith fhe PoorKitchenand fhe Rich
Kitchenby Pieter Bruegel,1563.

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s : M a r t y n F C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a nC o m p a n i e

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NOTES

8. Market Placewith Pillory

PICTURENOTES
The boyspick up dung in the streetsand throw it at the
vagabondin the pillory.He was caughtbeggingfor food
w h i l e p r e t e n d i n gt o b e d e a fa n dd u m b .H e w i l l b e p i l l o r i e d
for two more daysandthen sent backto hisvillageafter a
publicwhipping.A localconstablestandsby to makesure
that the fun does not get too rough,nor the prisoner
escape.His weapon is an ltalianBill that he once usedasa
soldierin lreland.Unlike manyof his comrades,who now
roam the country in beggarbands,he hasfound employment
from the army.
after beingdismissed
is mentallyill. The
The old woman,laughinghysterically,
not
understood
in
Tudor
England
and shemay
conditionis
well be accusedof witchcraft.The penaltyfor that, andfor
manyother crimes,is death.Humiliationin the stocksand
pillory,or publicfloggings,are the punishmentfor lesser
offences,while imprisonmentfor long periodsis not
commonand usuallyreservedfor debtors.

Althoughcleaners,calledscavengers,
are supposedto
keepthe town clearof filth, the streetsare often like open
sewers.Town houses,manyno better than slums,are built
closetogether andupper storiesare built out, so that they
nearlymeet over the narrower streets.The poor stateof
the wallsallowsneighboursto see into eachother's rooms
This eavesdropping
and overhearconversations.
often ends
of lewd
up in the recordsof the churchcourt. Accusations
and adulteryare rife.
behaviour,foul language
The RiverThamesand its streamsrun with sewage,
while the effluentof tanners,slaughterhouses
andother
stinkingindustriesencouraSerats anddisease.Queen
Elizabethand her court leavethe city to avoidthe stench
and plagues.Shespendsher summeron a RoyalProgress
visitingthe country housesof her noble courtiers.

ENOUIRYAND ACTIVITIES

What doesthis picture tell us about law andorder in Tudor

seem
times?The numberand rangeof punishments
extremely brutal to us today.In additionto the pillory,
stockswere usedwhich could hold more than one manat a
time. Somevillagesand towns actuallystill havethese in
their churchyardor town hall.Beneatheventhe poorest
labourersthere was a group of peoplecalledvagabonds.
Thesemen were seenas sinnersandfrequentlypunished.
They could be whipped,brandedand madeslavesandwere
not allowedto leavetheir own parish.How do we treat the
poorest membersof our own society?Are we any more
humaneand how do we try to help them?
There was no r id ooliceforce so law enforcementwas
carriedout by the peoplethemselvesthrougha systemof
officials.Localgovernmentwas administeredby the sheriff
of the county,bythe mayor in citiesandtowns, byJPsin the
shiresand by parishbailiffs,constablesand officersof the
for arresting
watch. lt was the sheriffwho was responsible
holding
them
for
The
general
publicwere
trial.
criminalsand

'hue
requiredto help in catchingfugitives.Findout what a
and cry' was. How many of the officesand law enforcersare
still in operationtoday?For example,do countiesstill havea
sheriff?lf so what are hisdutiesnowadays?
for punishingthese
lmaginethat you are responsible
wrong-doers.What punishments
would you haveconsidered
appropriatefor stealingand begging?
would
How effectivedo you think thesepunishments
havebeencomparedwith the way we treat offenderstoday?
Peoplenow are generallywealthierand better fed than the
Tudors.What effect hasthis hadon crime figures?Do we
l i v ei n a m o r e l a w a b i d i n gs o c i e t y ?
What are all the dangersto health,life andwell-beingin
this picture?Studysome presentday advertisingsignsand
warningstoday;then designyour own warningnoticesto
hangin a Tudor market.

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O r , r rt h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n ompanie
& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

rc
ac
N
c.l

rc

'e.

f,

CA

:c

P83t9

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TUDORS

TEACHERS
NOTES

9. Pedlar
PICTURENOTES
The pedlartravelsfrom villageto town, hiswoven baskets
(br peds)full of cloth, ribbons,laces,toys andtrinkets. His
arrivalcausesexcitementfor he carriesbargainsand rarities
publicthat is becomingmore fashion
to an Elizabethan
conscious.But there is alsoa prejudiceagainstpedlars,who
are outsiderswith a differentway of speaking.A book, at
'Pedlars'
the time, describedthe vagabondlanguageas
French',which impliesthat pedlarswere consideredwith
the wanderingunemployed,including
suspicion.Vagabonds,
harshly
treated,althoughtheir
gypsies,were very
unemploymentwas often causedby landownerswho fenced
the common landand turned the villagersout of their
homes.Localshopkeepersand stall holdersprobablylooked
on the travellingpedlaras a threat to their own businesses
'to
w h e n t i m e sw e r e h a r d .T h e e x p r e s s i o n s p e d d l el i e s ' o r
'drug peddling',like other usesof the term, show a lackof
respectfor the trade.

Sincemedievaltimes,marketshavebeencontrolledby
lawsto protect the guildsfrom infringementof their
specialities;
to protect the purchaserfrom roguetraders;
andto ensurelaw andorder. Somefairswere seasonal
in
origin,to sell off surplusesof produce,andthere may be a
market,like a 'GooseFair''or 'Honey Fair',in your areathat
datesbackcenturies.
O n c e p e o p l ec o m m i tt h e m s e l v etso l i v i n gi n l a r g e
communitiesthey becomedependenton raw materials
beingbrought in from the countrysidearound.Animals,
driven into marketto be slaughteredfor meat,alsoprovide
bone,hide,horn and hair.Theseby-productsare usedby
industries(for example,tanners,shoemakers,
gloversand
saddlers)that developin centresof population.The carts,
that bring in produce,return with wasteproductsto be
usedin the countrysideasfertiliser,thus strengtheningthe
interdependence
of townsmanandcountry dweller.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Peoplein villageswove their own cloth and madetheir own
clothesbut they neededspecialistitems like lacesand
What other
ribbonsthat they couldn't makethemselves.
thingscanyou seeon the pedlarstray?What is the girl
holdingand what do you think she is hopingto buy?
Pedlarsbrought not only goodsbut newsabout what
was happeningin the next town. How accuratedo you think
that news might havebeen?You cantest this for yourselves.
Dividethe class
Ask two childrento agreeon a messaSe.
into two lines.Then askthem to whisperthe message,
down
the line to eachother and see how much it changesby the
time it gets to the other end of eachline.
'rumour
Alternatively,haveyour own
clinic'.Sendthree
childrenout of the classroom.Show the picture to the rest
of the classfor one minute.Bring the other childrenback,
one at a time. andaskthe classto describeto them what
they saw in the picture.Notice the differencesthat occur in
the re-tellingdescriptions;and think how rumourscould
start. Then discusshow muchwe can believeof what is
today.
printed in our newspapers
'trade'?
Considersimilarand differentmethods
What is
oftrade today.Hasanythingchanged?

For example:door to door selling,car boot sales,

telephoneselling,smallshopsand big supermarkets.
Collect goodsto sell to classmembersthrough
bartering.Prepareyour basket.You could write a ballador
songfor the pedlar.
In a time when there were noneof the meansof
communicationthat we havetoday the pedlar'scontribution
was very important.Beginningwith the pedlar,trace how
the carryingof newshaschanged.Startingfrom 1500find
out when newspapers
were introduced,then the other
methodsof masscommunicationthat we havetoday. Make a
time line showingwhat was introducedwhen andalsonote
the effect that changesin the meansof transporthadon
theirdistribution.
In Tudor times,when this pedlarwas travellingthrough
the countryside,people'sliveswere regulatedby the hours
of daylightwhich vary throughoutthe year andaccordingto
which part of the countryyou live in. Nowadayswe all work
on the sametime which is set by radio signal.Findout about
'Greenwich
MeanTime' and the effectthis hashadon trade
and industryand our lives.

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n ompanie
& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

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NOTES

10.Shepherd
PICTURENOTES
The shepherdfollows hisflock acrossthe pasturesand hills
near the farm. He is responsiblefor keepingthe sheepsafe
from wild beastsand thieves,attendingto their illnesses
and
injuries,shearingtheir wool and helpingthe ewesto lamb.
Thesesheepare Cotswolds,a breed introducedby the
Romans,but often the breedswere only a locallydeveloped
type. Apart from his crook, the shepherdwould alsohavea
flute, with which to amusehimself,a pair of shearsand a tar
box. Tar was usedto treat woundsandto prevent infections
in the feet. lt was saidto be "a pity to losea good sheep
'ship')for
(pronounced
a ha'pennyworthof tar."
Shepherdinghad beena secureoccupationin Englandfor
'Shepherd's
centuriesand in the popularElizabethan
'Queen
Calendar'the Queen is hailedas
of Shepherds
All'.
From its beginningsin the l2th century,the woollen
industrywas the basisof England's
wealth and,in placeslike

the CotswoldsandSuffolk,you canstill visit the lavish

churchesand largehousesbuilt in the MiddleAges with
wool money.Wool could only be exported from certain
placescalled'staples'and
in Elizabeth'sreign a duty of
f | | 3s 6d (whichwould be about { 184today)was leviedon
eachsack( 165kilos)of wool. At times,to boostthe
manufactureof cloth in England,
the export of raw wool was
totally forbidden.This encouragedsmugglers,
called
'owlers',
to shipwool to the continent.
However,exports declinedin the mid l6th centuryand
statuteswere passedto boost home consumption.A 'Caps
Act'forced men to wear an Englishwoollen cap on Sundays
and holidays,while anotherbill madeit mandatoryfor
burialshroudsto be madeof wool. lmprovementsin
weavingfine worsted cloth graduallybrought about a
recoveryin the market.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
D i d t h i s s h e p h e r dr e a l l yl i v e ?W h e r e d i d h e w o r k ?W a st h i s
an importantjob?
Makea list of all the jobs this shepherdwould haveto
do through the year.
Do we still haveshepherdstoday?In what wayshave
their jobs changedsinceTudor times?Sheepare still
important in our economyto provide us with wool and
meat. Findout more about the wayswe dye,spin,weave
and knit wool into clothes.Try out someof the processes.
Shepherdsusedogsto help to control andguideflocks
of sheep.They havea whole languageand setsof whistled
instructionswhich tell the dogswhat to do. You cansee
sheepdogtrials on television.Shepherfsalsohavetheir own
waysof countingsheep.In Cumbria,for example,the
numbersare: yan,tyan, tethera,nethera,pimp, sethera,
lethera,hovera,dovera,dick. Try to find out what numbers
might be usedin Walesor Scotland.
During the Tudor period life in the countrysidechanged
Peoplehadfarmedby dividingthe landinto
dramatically.
strips.The stripswere farmed by differentpeople.This
meantthat everyonegot somegood landalongwith the
bad.By ElizabethI's time they had begunto join the strips
'enclosure'.
together to makefields.This was called
Sheep

were raisedin larger numbersand wool becameEngland's

most profitableexport. Fewerpeoplewere neededto look
after them so manypeoplebecameunemployed.Also
becausethe fieldswere givenover to rearingsheepless
corn was grown and,by the end of the century,people
beganto starve.Findout more about thesechangesin
agricultureandthe effectsthey hadon the people.
Look at somemanuscripts.
Try to find picturesof
farmingin Tudor times.Most, if not all, will containsheep
becausethey were so importantto the economy.Look in
particularat tapestrieslike the onescalledfhe Seosons
at
HatfieldHousein Hertfordshire.
How manyother nameslike 'Shepherd'whichwe use
today originallycamefrom people'soccupations?
Makea list
of all the onesyou canthink of. Then find somemore
obscureonesin referencebookslike Debrett'sor Who'sWho
which list all the namesof important peopleandthose who
havebeenhonouredfor their work.
What doesthe wool trademarklook like?Why is it
helpful?What doesit tell us about the compositionand
qualityof the fabric?

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
Our thanksto CotswoldsFarmPark

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NOTES

ll. Archer
PICTURENOTES
The archer pullsthe string ofthe great yew bow until the
arrow tip toucheshis hand.The goose-featherflight brushes
hischeekas he releasesthe arrow, which flieswith deadly
accuracyinto its target. Englishyeomenhad,for centuries,
with the longbow.Their skill in war was
beenassociated
legendaryand balladswere sungabout famousbowmen.
Specialistcraftsmenjoinedtheir skillsto makethe
equipmentfor the archer.The bowyer carvedthe bow from
speciallycut stavesof yew hazel,ashor elm. Strandsof
hemp were spuninto stringscapableof bendingthe bow
with its 100poundpull. The arrow-headerforged the sharp
steeltips that the fletcher fitted to the arrow shaftbefore
gluingon the flights.The archeralsoneededa guardto
for his
protect hisarm from the bowstring,a shooting-glove
right handand a leatherquiver in which to carry his arrows.

Archersplayedan important,though not crucial,part in

the battle that set Henry Tudor on the throne. Everyvillage
had its targetsor butts where, b), law all men were
and holidays.
supposedto practiseon Sundays
Justas in the
legendof RobinHood, competitionswere heldto discover
the best archerand prizeswere awarded.Among his many
Henry Vlll was an excellentarcher.
accomplishments,
The bow hadfor thousandsof yearsbeenboth a weapon
of war and huntingbut its serioususewas comingto an end.
By the closeof the Tudor dynastythe fierce argumentsin
favourof musketswere beingwon all over Europe.Ten
thousandEnglishtroops, equippedwith firearms,were set
Armada.Their success
againstthe bowmenof the Spanish
persuadedthe militaryto phaseout the bow.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Archery datesbackthousandsof years.Picturesof archers
occur throughout history andacrossthe world. Look at the
BayeuxTapestry,for example,particularlythat section
where Harold'sarmy is defeated,to seewhat war was like
at that time. Findother examplesof archersin picturesand
tapestriesof Tudor times.
Contact your localarcherygroup andasksomeoneto
come to talk about and demonstratethe sport. The soundof
an arrow flyingthrough the air is unforgettable.lt will help
you to imaginethe soundof thousandson a battlefield.Ask
them to explainthe rulesof competitivearcheryand how
scoresare kept.
Archery was important in Tudor times.Men enjoyed
shootingfor pleasureand huntingwas part of their leisure
activity.They shot deer,wild boar,haresand birdsfor sport
'warreners'
for
andfood. (Rabbitsweren't shot but kept by
the table.) lt was differentfor poor peoplewho needed
by finesor
food. Poachingduringthe daywas punishable
imprisonmentbut for anyonewho disguisedthemselvesand
poachedat night the penaltywas death.Do you think this
would havedeterred them? Do peoplestill go poaching
now?What are the penaltiesand do you think they are
severeenough?

The longbow playeda crucialpart in all of the wars

from 1400to 1600.OriginallyWelsh,longbowswere about
1 . 8m e t r e sl o n ga n dc o u l df i r e a l l 0 c e n t i m e t r ea r r o w ,
capableof piercingchainmail at 180metres,every l0
seconds.Use thesemeasurements
to draw a bow and arrow,
f u l l s i z e ,i n c h a l ko n t h e g r o u n d ;t h e n m e a s u r eo u t 1 8 0
metres in the playgroundl
The Englisharmieshadwon their great victoriesin the
past usinglongbows,includingthe crowning glory of
. u t s i n c et h e r e w a s n o p e r m a n e nat r m y
A g i n c o u r ti n 1 4 1 5B
it was important that all those who might be calledon to
fight were well skilledand practisedin the art. Because
Parliamentwas worried that men were not practising
enough,all gameslike tennis,bowls, skittles,cards,
m a r b l e sa n d d i c e w e r e b a n n e da n d o n l y a l l o w e do n
Christmasday.Would it help us to spendmore time at
work or to learn more if all gamesand pastimeswere
banned?In the sixteenthcentury crossbowswere already
being usedfor hunting.By the end of the centurygunsof
varioussorts were taking over. Make a time line, with
illustrations,showingthe changesin weaponsfrom 1500to
the presentday.

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a C
n ompanie
& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

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TUDORS

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NOTES

12.Falconer
PICTURENOTES
The falconerstandswith the bird on his fist. The hood has
been removedand the bird is readyto fly after its quarry.
There was no clearerindicationof a person'spositionin
Tudor societythan the speciesof bird that he or sheflew.

it. The falconerhasto wear a heavyleatherglove to protect

his handfrom the claws.lt is with the clawedfeet that the

Henry Vlll was entitledto fly a Gyr falcon,importedfrom

This big falcon,biggerthan
the lsle of Manor Scandinavia.
the bird in the picture,inhabitsthe arctic tundra where it

when the bird wasyoung,havebuilt a bond of trust between

humanand bird andthis trust, andthe rewardsof meat,

huntsgrouse.They were often givento rulersasvaluable

gifts. In England,terrible penaltiesexistedto protect the
birdsof prey that were popularin falconry,andfalconers
were very knowledgeableabout the birdsthey flew
T o c a l mt h e a n i m a ul n t i l i t i s i n p l a c et o h u n t ,t h e b i r d ' s
headis coveredby a leatherhood that preventsit from
seeing.On the legsare short leatherstringscalledjessesby

bird capturesand,sometimes,kills its prey.

Why doesthe bird not fly away?Monthsof training,

ensurethat the free flyinghawk returns.The buildings

where hawksare housedare calledmews.In historictowns,
like London,there are placesand streetscalled'Mews'
where centuriesago hawkswere kept.
The bird in this photographis calleda buzzard.lt is
capableof catchinga rabbit or hare but often eatscarrionso
it would not havebeen usedin Tudor times as it is not a
Sreathunter.

which it can be held and bellsso that the falconercanfollow

ENQUTRYAND ACTtVtTtES
Birdsand animalscan be dividedinto groupsin all sorts of
is whether they are
waysbut one method of classification
predators
or those who are eaten.Look
huntersor hunted,
at the buzzardin this picture and talk about all the features
which make it especiallywell adaptedfor catchingits prey,
both in terms of its physicalcharacteristics
and its actions.
Contact or visit the nearestfalconrycentre for
informationand find out more about how the birdsare
trained.lf you are not closeto a centre there are often

Birdsmay not be taken from the wild now, so are bred

in captivity.What are your feelingsabout keepingwild birds
and animalscaptive?Do thesesameviews extend to
e n d a n g e r esdp e c i e s ?
Falconsandother hawkswere trainedfor sport and
Parliamentpassedlawsto punishany poacherwho stole
the eggs.But there was one exceptionto the legislation
w h i c h p r o h i b i t e dt h e k i l l i n go f g a m eo r t h e s t e a l i n go f

falconrydisplaysat county shows.You could alsoaskyour

localnewspaperofficefor picturesand reports of falconryat

birds' eggs.Rooksand crows were causinglots of damage

in the countrysideto crops and thatch so an Act was
passedin 1533that every parishmust keep nets for

localevents.
Falconrywas first practisedin Asiafrom the eighth
century BCand was very popularin Europefrom late

capturingthem and anyonewas entitled to crossprivate

land in order to destroy rooks and their eggs.Do we have
any pestsin towns, woodlandsor the countrysidewhich

medievaltimes to the seventeenthcentury.Like anyancient

of its own. Traditionally
sport it hasdevelopeda language
'eyasses'
birdsare taken from their nestsasfledgling
or
'passagers'one-year-old
andfully mature birds
caughtas
'haggards'.
Ask the childrento makea list of all
are called
the other falconrynamesand terms they canfind.

are causingdamagenowadays?
lf so how do we go about
d e a l i n gw i t h t h e m ?

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o B i l l s& B o w s

:f,

;
f,

:=
=
l

:,:
=
=
:

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:a'.
J'

P83/| 3

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TUDORS

TEACHERS
NOTES

13.The LeisuredClasses
PICTURENOTES
The Baronand hisfamilyenjoy somequiet pursuitsbefore
goingto bed.Their home,a fortified manorhouse,was built
in the uncertaintimes before Henry Tudor fought hisway to
p o w e r .T h e ya r e p r o s p e r i n gu n d e rh i ss o n ,H e n r yV l l l ,
whose Dissolutionof the Monasterieshasgiventhem the
opportunity to buy churchlandandgreatlyexpandtheir
sheepflocks.The Baroncan affordto drink importedwine
and dresshis servantswell. He is readingfrom Mallory's
KingArthurenlivenedwith woodcut pictures.Bookswere
first printed in Englandby Willlam Caxton nineyearsbefore
the Tudor Periodbegan.The printing presstook the power
of publishingawayfrom the churchwho hadbeenthe main
creator of books.The resultwas a massiveoutput of
and news,aswell asentertainment.
knowledge,propaganda
The Baron'ssonsare playingthe boardgame
one of the oldestgamesin recordedhistory.
backgammon,

A set was found amongthe artefactsof the Mary Rose,that

sankin 1545.The cardson the table were alsoa popular
pastimeand the Kingsand Queensof a modernstandard
packare still dressedasearlyTudor royalty.The clothes
reflectthe fashionof the period. But look how much
clothingthey are wearing!Severallayersare worn to keep
out the cold, includingtwo andsometimesthree pairsof
long sockscalledhose.Wearinga hat or hood indoorsis a
practicalway of stayingwarm.
Houses,eventhe housesof the wealthy,are cold by
today'sstandards.
No centralheating,no doubleglazing,just
draughtydoors andwindows,highceilingsand log fires that
barelywarm the cornersof the room. The four-posterbed
hascurtainsaroundit which can be drawn at night.This
makesit a sort of room within a room. for increased
warmth and privacy.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
Comparethis picture with the tavern scene.How do the
clothes,games,food and furnishingscompare?Talk about
lifestylesand identifysimilaritiesanddifferenceswith our
own. Havethingschanged?Havethey improved?lf so in
meantyou had
what ways?Beingone of the leisuredclasses
the best of everything.For example,on New YearsDay
, u e e nE l i z a b e t h ' s ' s i l k e - w o m a n '
1 5 6 0M
, r s M o n t a g u eQ
Her
Majesty
with a pair of silk stockingsshe had
presented
k n i t t e da n dt h e Q u e e n ' sr e p l yi s r e c o r d e da s . " l i k e s i l k e
s t o c k i n g s o w e l l . . . h e n c e f o r t hI, w i l l w e a r n o m o r e c l o a t h e
stockings."Would they havebeenwarmer,more
clothes
comfortable,or both? Findpicturesof Elizabethan
to see how differentthey looked.
Outdoor pursuitsincludedhunting,falconry,bowls and
tournaments.Findout more about tournamentsand how
they were fought. King Henry Vlll was an expert. Discover
what sort of armour he wore andwhat the ruleswere.
lndoors,in additionto the games,there was musicand
dancing.The most populardancesin Tudor times were
and the volta. Findout which one of
galliards,allemandes
thesethey liked best and why.
A forerunnerof the theatre in the middleageshad been
the miracleand mysteryplayswhich were performedon

largewagonsin publicplaces.The first real theatreswere

built in Tudor times and men like Shakespeare,
Jonsonand
Marlowewrote playsandacted in them. Findout about the
theatres'trowth in popularityusingan encyclopedia.
Make
sketchesof theatreslike the Globe andthe Swan.Findout
more from the RoyalShakespeare
Company'stheatre in
Stratford-upon-Avon
andthe new Elizabethan
replica
theatre beingbuilt in London.
There are manyElizabethan
housesand somestill have
most of their originalfurniture.Findout about Hever Castle
in Kent, where Anne Boleynlived;BurghleyHousenear
Stamford,home of Queen Elizabeth's
Lord High Treasurer;
and HamptonCourt, Henry Vlll's palace.Contactthe
NationalTrust andsee if there are anysixteenthcentury
housesnearyou.
Another leisureactivitywas havingyour portrait
painted.The most famousartistsof the time were Holbein
a n dH i l l i a r d .F i n dp i c t u r e sb y b o t h o f t h e m a n do f o t h e r
artistsof the time. To get a good impressionof what Mary
or Elizabethactuallylooked like you needto find several
portraitsof them to get differentartists'pointsof view.

Photographyand PictureN o t e s :M a r t y nF C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o B i l l s& B o w s& E n g l i s hH e r i t a g e

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NOTES

15.Familyat Mass
PICTURENOTES
It is night and in the corner of a smallroom achapelhas
been improvisedfor a secretfamilymass.The Catholic
priest hastravelledincognitoto avoidarrest,asthere are
Protestants,calledPuritans,in the locality.
fundamentalist
- not only in
of
This is a time terrible religiousupheaval
Englandbut alsoacrossthe Continent.Like manyCatholics,
the familyhaveto pay a weekly fine because,by refusingto
attendthe Anglicanchurch,they breakthe law.The priest
saysprayersand readsthe Bible in Latin.Someyearsbefore,
Queen Elizabethhad decreedthat the churchusean English
prayer book while her father,Henry Vlll, had introducedan
E n g l i s hB i b l e .B e h i n dt h e a l t a ri s a s m a l l ,h i d d e nr e c e s s ,
'priest hole', that is just largeenoughto hide the
calleda
priest in if the houseis searched.
w a sa C a t h o l i cc o u n t r yt h a t
H e n r yV l l ' s E n g l a n d
recognisedthe Popeasthe highestreligiousauthority.His
heir,Henry Vlll, had no son to succeedhim after

twenty-threeyearsof marriage.When Henry failedto

obtainthe Pope'spermissionto divorce,he creatednew
lawsto makehimselfthe headof an Englishchurch,but his
Catholic-The threat of
beliefswere still fundamentally
Protestantismwas alsotakinghold acrossEurope,and
Englandwas lookedon asa possiblecentre for the new
took
movement.Under Edwardand Mary,persecutions
place,asfirst Protestantsandthen Catholicsgainedpower.
When Elizabethcameto the throne, Englandreturned
to the Protestantfaith but, determinedto end disputesin
approach.Despitethe
the church,shetook a non-sectarian
good
managed
to upsetthe
intentions,
she
Queen's
extremistson both sidesandsoon cameinto conflictwith
Catholicswho preferredher cousin,Mary Queen of Scots,
as monarch.Catholicfamilies,by the end of her reign,felt
quite oppressedandfearful.

ENQUIRYAND ACTIVITIES
The people in our picture are takingpart in a forbidden
service.They are preparedto risk finesand evenworse
p u n i s h m e n tisn o r d e r t o f o l l o w t h e r e l i g i o ni n w h i c ht h e y
believe.Talk about how stronglythey must havefelt.
Write, act, draw and saywhy you think the scenein the
photographis taking place.ldentifythe reasonsfor this
if found out. Discusswho you
event and the consequences
think is right or wrong.
Plana visit to a Tudor house,where you canperhapssee
' p r i e s th o l e ' .
a
What sort of life do you think Catholicpriestsled at
this time? They were forbiddento practisetheir faith and
to hold services.Write a diary of a RomanCatholicpriest
for a week which showswhat he had to do to survivein
Tudor England.
Why are candlesimportant?They are alwaysburnt
during religiousservicesin both Catholicand Protestant
churches.Can you find out what they standfor?
At the beginningof the sixteenthcenturythe Bibleand
prayer bookswere all in Latinandserviceswere held in
Latin.This meantthat only the few educatedpeopleknew

Priestswere importantboth to hold

what was happening.
the servicesand to explainthem to the ordinarypeople.
Manychurchesalsohadwall paintingsof scenesfrom the
bibleat which the priestscould point to explainthe stories.
Findout when and in whose reigns,duringthe Tudor period,
the Bibleand Book of Common Prayerwere translatedand
printed in Englishand usedin churches.Also askat your
localchurchto seeif there are anywall paintingsin
cathedralsor churchesin your areathat you can80 to see.
ln Englandtoday both the RomanCatholicChurchand
Churchof Englandcontinueto function.In both religions
peoplebelievein God,JesusChrist the Holy Spirit andthe
teachingsof the Bible.They are differentin terms of the
structureof the church,the organisationof priestsandthe
sort of servicesthey hold. Findout and makea simplechart
to show who is headof eachchurch,what the clergyand
priestsare calledand make noteson someof the differences
in their servicesandvariationsin belief.

P h o t o g r a p hayn d P i c t u r eN o t e s : M a r t y n F C h i l l m a i d
O u r t h a n k st o t h e G o d o l g h a nC o m p a n i e