Medieval Towns/Markets and Town Fairs

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Version vom 17. Dezember 2020, 08:28 Uhr von Matthias Scharwies (Diskussion | Beiträge) (→‎Town fairs)
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Most towns had daily markets where you could buy food and products from the surrounding villages. Street names like Market Square, Beast Market or Hay Market still show what was going on hundreds of years ago.

Town fairs

The word “fair" is derived from the Latin word “Feria" meaning “festival". The history of the fair goes back to the Roman Empire when fairs were mostly held on holy days and people were provided a break from their normal activities.

A Medieval town fair was a huge open air meeting held each year, mostly on a holiday or on a religious anniversary[1]. It was the greatest event in the economic life of a medieval town. Merchants[2] from all over Europe gathered in the town to buy or sell products.

Different stalls[3] were established with all kinds of things for sale, from spices to rugs[4]. Stalls were also established for selling snacks and small pies which people ate when they got hungry. Items for sale were expensive and out of reach for ordinary people[5] and were mostly bought by Nobles, Knights and, their ladies.

Nottingham Goose Fair

Complete the sentences.

800 years ago people went to Nottingham to the Goose Fair once a year!
In that time the villagers had geese and other animals. In autumn they drove (hier =treiben) the geese to Nottingham and sold them on the market. With the money they got they bought tools and cloth.

Today Nottingham Goose Fair takes always place on the first week in October. There are many rides and attractions. If you like fast rides you can take 'The Spider'. Even faster than that is the rollercoaster with two loopings. Parents with small hildren can go to the 'Carousel'. This roundabout turns more slowly but is great fun.

  1. Development
  2. Markets and Town Fairs
  3. Craftsmen and Guilds
  4. The Black Death

Glossary

  1. anniversary = an annual celebration, that meand it takes place once a year like a birthday; a Patron's day or easter
  2. merchant = businesspeople who bought their goods (merchandise) somewhere and brought it to the market to sell it there
  3. stall = a small hut where you present your goods, with a protection against rain
  4. rug = piece of cloth you can put on the floor
  5. ordinary = in English it just means "normal"