Tudor society took the form of a hierarchical system with the King at the top. Those at the top were rich and powerful while those at the bottom were poor and…
Category: Lifestyle
Tudor Money and Finance
Coinage Tudor money was in the form of coins and there were no paper notes. At the beginning of the Tudor period, the coins in existence were: a silver penny, a…
Tudor Sports
Tudor sports were not a regular feature of life for the ordinary people. They worked long hours, often from sun up to sun down, and went to bed when it got…
The First Lottery in Elizabethan England
History Although raffles had been held previously this was the first official lottery chartered by Queen Elizabeth I. The lottery was being held to raise money for the improvement and defence…
The Cloth Trade in Tudor England
The cloth trade was extremely important in Tudor England. Merchants dealt in the import and export of raw materials and finished products. Cloth merchants were generally very wealthy men. Although linen…
The Stews in Tudor England
The Stews was the name given to the most notorious brothels in London. The Tudor ‘red light’ district was situated south of the river Thames in Southwark. Located between Maid Lane…
The Practice of Keeping Retainers
Definition of Retainers In the Middle Ages the Feudal System established a link between the different classes. Under the system, land was provided in return for a fee or service. By…
What was England like in 1500?
Population In 1500 the population of England was about 3 million. Due to yearly outbreaks of plague and sickness the population stayed at about this number. There was a general shortage…