A collection of facts and figures from the medieval period. Learn techniques such as making ink, cutting quills, preparing medieval dishes from old recipes and more.
 |  | | Armour |
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| Armour production |
The image of a lonely blacksmith hammering out a single helmet in his little country forge is far from reality
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| Mail |
Geoffrey the mail maker explains about mail, how it was made and its effectiveness
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| | | Food & drink |
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| A grete pie |
A recipe for the grete pie served at banquets
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| Fish management |
Fish was an important part of the medieval diet, as water and air-borne creatures were favoured for their purity, above terrestrial livestock
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| Leeks and sops in wine |
A recipe for a very simply made dish. Not for the ordinary medieval folk, this was a luxury dish
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| Mushroom pasties |
A recipe for a tasty mediaeval treat, easily adapted for vegetarians
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| Piment |
A recipe for this excellent sweetened and spiced wine
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| | | General interest |
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| Coins in medieval England |
Taking care of the pennies
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| Commission of array |
Commission of Array - your country needs you
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| Feeding a mediaeval army |
To feed a medieval army was a colossal undertaking, an army needed food in industrial quantities
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| Images of a medieval document |
Images of the original medieval document. The script and the seal revealed
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| Indenture of apprenticeship |
Apprenticeship was not only a way of learning a trade, it was sometimes the only way to gain citizenship of the large cities such as London.
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| Manners maketh man |
The common cinema and TV images of feasters revelling, gnawing bones and quaffing at the table are far from the facts exposed by contemporary writings
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| The patron demon of scribes |
I am a poure dyvel and my name ys Tytyvyllus
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| The story of a document - the translation |
Melles has met someone who owns a medieval document. It is the genuine article written in 1446. This page contains parts of the translation.
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| Timekeeping |
In the middle ages most "clocks" relied on gravity such as the fall of water or grains of sand to mark the passing of time
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| What's the difference between vellum & parchment? |
Both are made from animal skins and used for the same purpose so which is which?
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| Who designed the illuminated book? |
Many believe that the artist did the layout and design but it seems that this is not so
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| Writing numbers in mediaeval times |
Western scribes were introduced to arabic numerals in the tenth century when the Arabs defeated what to was to become Moorish Spain
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| | | Heraldry |
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| Heraldic abatements & augmentations of honour |
Abatements and augmentations of honor are certain special charges that were placed on a coat of arms to either reward or punish the bearer for good or bad deeds. An article by Craig Levin
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| Heraldic marks of cadency |
Referred to the difference in a blazon (a description of arms) these marks are placed on the shield to indicate the branches or cadets of a family, on the male line
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| Heraldic ordinaries |
The most commonly used charges in heraldry are called ordinaries
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| Heraldic partitions |
The shield can be split into many different partitions using specially formed lines in well defined ways
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| Heraldic tinctures |
The metals, colours and furs used in heraldry are known as tinctures
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| | | Techniques |
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| Cheese glue |
One of the ways to glue wooden panels together in mediaeval times was to use a glue made from, of all things, cheese
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| Defining mediaeval scripts |
Just what is cursive or textura? Find out why they have these classifications
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| Mediaeval ink |
As a scrivener I am often asked for the recipe which I use for my ink
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| Mediaeval red ink |
An excellent red ink from a medieval recipe
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| Quill preparation |
One of the most common questions asked when Melles is writing at an event is "how do you make a quill?"
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| | | Wars of the Roses |
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| Battles of the Wars of the Roses |
We are asked for assistance by students on quite a regular basis and many have asked about the actual battles which took place during the period known as the Wars of the Roses.
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