Tudor Norwich - Norfolk Museums Service

Tudor Norwich
In Tudor times Norwich was a major walled city almost as big as London and
nearly as populous. In 1570 it had a population of about 14,000. The layout of
the streets was very similar to that of today but there was no development
outside the city walls. Streets were usually identified by the inn on the nearest
corner. There were no shops in the modern sense, only small shuttered
counters facing the street where the shopkeeper displayed the goods that
were made inside.
Plague and fire were major hazards affecting the city. In 1507 a disastrous fire
destroyed many of the medieval timber and thatch buildings. When rebuilding
began afterwards much more brick, tile and glass was used. Most of Elm Hill
was built at this time. Plague was endemic and broke out often. There was a
major outbreak in 1579 which killed 6,000 people. Many blamed its
appearance on the visit of Queen Elizabeth and her court in the previous year.
The closing of the monasteries in 1539 meant that hospitals run by monks or
nuns had ceased to exist.
In 1570 the city authorities conducted a census of the poor, the first of its kind
ever to be recorded. It revealed that 80% of the population was poor and 20%
destitute. The corporation was keen to distinguish between the ‘idle poor’and
the ‘unfortunate poor’. The City Bridewell (now the Bridewell Museum) was set
up to give idle people useful work. Children as young as six were expected to
knit or spin. A mere handful of people were rich and owned goods worth £100
or more. Amongst these were the mayor and aldermen of the city, all of whom
were merchants, either grocers, drapers, mercers or textile merchants.
The textile trade employed a majority of the population. Smooth woollen cloth
of a kind called ‘worstead’, made from combed, long-staple wool, was
exported all over Europe. In times of economic decline many people were put
out of work. During a slump in 1565, the city mayor, Thomas Sotherton,
invited 30 Flemish and Dutch weavers to settle in Norwich. The idea was to
invigorate the ailing Norwich textile trade with new techniques from Holland
which was already producing lighter fabrics made by combining wool with
linen or silk. These Flemish weavers became known in the city as the
‘Strangers’. They were protestant refugees escaping religious persecution
resulting from their country’s occupation by Spanish troops. Thomas
Sotherton made the initial contact and Strangers’Hall is believed to have
been a base for the incoming weavers, hence its name.
The experiment was a success. By 1579 there were about 6,000 ‘Strangers’
resident in the city. They laid the foundation of ‘Norwich Stuffs’, smooth
flowing fabrics woven in bright colours (often madder red) and finished by hot
pressing to give a glossy surface. Over the next two centuries these fabrics
went on to gain worldwide popularity.
TRAIL WOR KSHEET
STRANGERS’ HALL
Welcome to the Great Hall at Strangers’ Hall.
During the Tudor period, Strangers’ Hall was the
home of the Sotherton family, wealthy merchants
and Mayors of Norwich.
DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION
The room you are now standing in was once used
for eating, entertaining and sleeping! The front
door, entrance porch, and the stairs you have just
climbed were built during the reign of Henry VIII.
When did Henry VIII begin his rule? (Circle one)
1305
1505
2005
Find the screen which separates the Great Hall
from the front entrance. Can you see the four
carvings along the top of it? One of them, which
looks like a shield, is Nicholas Sotherton’s
Merchant Mark (like a coat of arms). Which do
you think it is?
Draw Sotherton’s Merchant Mark!
What is the screen made of?
Solid carved oak.
Sotherton made other additions to the Great Hall,
such as the large bay window that looks onto the
garden. This window is typical of the Tudor period.
How is it different from the windows in your home?
Many possible answers such as... Panes are
much smaller. It’s not double glazed. It’s
probably far larger and more elaborate. It’s a
curved ‘bay’ shape (although this is still popular) its frame is wooden not plastic…..
Glass was very expensive in Tudor England. Why do you think the panes of glass are so small?
Small panes meant that if a pane was broken, only a small area needed to be
replaced. Glass was very expensive, and this way costs were kept down.
Continued on next page…
The floor in many poorer Tudor homes would
have been made of beaten earth and straw.
What is the floor here made of?
Ceramic tiles—typical of a wealthier
home.
Which type of floor would you prefer and why?
Answers can take into account
warmth, practicality, cost and personal
preference!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
LIFE IN A TUDOR TOWNHOUSE
Tudor houses were poorly insulated and could
be very draughty. Sotherton’s household
would have had a charcoal brazier in the
middle of the room to keep it warm.
The two doors you see behind
the reception desk are for the
pantry and the buttery. The pantry was for
storing solid food and the buttery for liquid
food. The kitchen was probably outside to
reduce risk of fire!
Because of the brazier, it is a good job the ceiling is so high! Can you think why?
The brazier will give off smoke. Smoke rises, so will gather in the height of the
ceiling, away from occupants, preventing them from breathing in the smoke etc.
Only the wealthier homeowners had rugs or carpets
in Tudor England. But they did not use them to cover
the floor. Instead, rugs were used to cover tables
and tapestries were hung on the walls.
What sort of things do you hang on your walls at home?
Variety of answers; wallpaper, posters,
stencilling etc. Encourage children to understand how technology and skills have changed
from weaving carpets to computer design etc.
Find the Tudor carpet on the landing upstairs. It was
made during the reign of Elizabeth I.
How do we know when the carpet was made?
The date is contained within the pattern.
Can you find the aumbry?
TUDOR FURNITURE
Most Tudor homes were furnished very simply, with items
made of very solid oak. The oldest piece of furniture in
Strangers’ Hall is this cupboard called an ‘aumbry’ or
‘armoire’. It was made in the reign of Henry VII, the first
Tudor king.
Which of the following words could you use to describe it?
light
burned STRONG
thin
delicate
lockable shelved
panelled
carved
cracked HEAVY
painted
What clues tell you that it was used to store valuable items?
Heavy locks can be seen attached to the front of the
aumbry. It is also likely that at another time it was
used for storing food; hence the vents which have
been carved out of the front.
What other furniture can you find in the Great Hall that is made of oak? Draw some below.
The furniture in the Great Hall often changes, but a variety of pieces
are likely to be seen such as the long table and stalls and the chest
by the screen near the front door.
Tudor people used chests, like those in the
Great Hall, for storing their clothes and
household items.
Where do you keep your clothing at home?
Wardrobes, chest or drawers etc.
The chests used for storage in
Tudor times doubled up as seats.
Do you think oak furniture would be comfortable to sit on?
Encourage children to make comparisons between sitting comfortably on a sofa,
and perching on an oak chest or stall.
Continued on reverse…
Well done for reaching the end of the Strangers’ Hall trail! Just one more task to complete.
Find this Tudor portrait of Elizabeth Buxton. Can you dress her in modern clothes?
This portrait should be found on the wall opposite the
window in the Great Hall.
TRAIL WOR KSHEET
STRANGERS’ HALL
Welcome to the Great Hall at Strangers’ Hall.
During the Tudor period, Strangers’ Hall was the
home of the Sotherton family, wealthy merchants
and Mayors of Norwich.
DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION
The room you are now standing in was once used
for eating, entertaining and sleeping! The front
door, entrance porch, and the stairs you have just
climbed were built during the reign of Henry VIII.
When did Henry VIII begin his rule? (Circle one)
1305
1509
2005
Find the screen which separates the Great Hall
from the front entrance. Can you see the four
carvings along the top of it? One of them, which
looks like a shield, is Nicholas Sotherton’s
Merchant Mark (like a coat of arms). Which do
you think it is?
Draw Sotherton’s Merchant Mark!
What is the screen made of?
Sotherton made other additions to the Great Hall,
such as the large bay window that looks onto the
garden. This window is typical of the Tudor period.
How is it different from the windows in your home?
Glass was very expensive in Tudor England. Why do you think the panes of glass are so small?
Continued on next page…
The floor in many poorer Tudor homes would
have been made of beaten earth and straw.
What is the floor here made of?
Which type of floor would you prefer and why?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
LIFE IN A TUDOR TOWNHOUSE
Tudor houses were poorly insulated and could
be very draughty. Sotherton’s household
would have had a charcoal brazier in the
middle of the room to keep it warm.
The two doors you see behind
the reception desk are for the
pantry and the buttery. The pantry was for
storing solid food and the buttery for liquid
food. The kitchen was probably outside to
reduce risk of fire!
Because of the brazier, it is a good job the ceiling is so high! Can you think why?
Only the wealthier homeowners had rugs or carpets
in Tudor England. But they did not use them to cover
the floor. Instead, rugs were used to cover tables
and tapestries were hung on the walls.
What sort of things do you hang on your walls at home?
Find the Tudor carpet on the landing upstairs. It was
made during the reign of Elizabeth I.
How do we know when the carpet was made?
Can you find the aumbry?
TUDOR FURNITURE
Most Tudor homes were furnished very simply, with items
made of very solid oak. The oldest piece of furniture in
Strangers’ Hall is this cupboard called an ‘aumbry’ or
‘armoire’. It was made in the reign of Henry VII, the first
Tudor king.
Which of the following words could you use to describe it?
light
burned STRONG
thin
delicate
lockable shelved
panelled
carved
cracked HEAVY
painted
What clues tell you that it was used to store valuable items?
What other furniture can you find in the Great Hall that is made of oak? Draw some below.
Tudor people used chests, like those in the
Great Hall, for storing their clothes and
household items.
Where do you keep your clothing at home?
Do you think oak furniture would be comfortable to sit on?
Continued on reverse…
Well done for reaching the end of the Strangers’ Hall trail! Just one more task to complete.
Find this Tudor portrait of Elizabeth Buxton. Can you dress her in modern clothes?
Tudor Dining
Contrary to popular opinion, the
Tudors had an elaborate code of
table manners; so much so that the
most popular books of the period
were those on etiquette.
For the wealthy, dining was a very
formal occasion governed by a
fierce social hierarchy. The most
important diners sat at the top table
and guests were ranked out at the
adjoining tables in strict order of
precedence.
Meals were served in a number of
courses or ‘removes’. Each course
consisted of both sweet and savoury
dishes which came to the table in
large communal dishes from which
the diners helped themselves. There
might be, for example, joints of
meat, roast fowl, pottage, spiced fruits, jellies and pies both sweet and
savoury. The wealthier the household, the greater variety of dishes, and the
more courses, were served.
Diners ate with a knife or a spoon. Forks did not come into common use until
about 1700. Guests would bring their own knives but the host would supply
the spoons. Each place was set with a plate or ‘trencher’and guests ate with
their fingers or the spoon. It was very bad manners to eat from the knife.
Before and after the meal, and sometimes between courses, diners washed
their hands. This was done in a small basin at the table into which a servant
poured warm water from a jug or ‘ewer’. Ewers and basins were status
symbols and might be made of pewter or silver. Another servant offered a
towel to dry the hands.
Each diner had a large napkin, usually worn by men over the left shoulder and
by women, the left forearm. This was used to protect the clothes from grease
spots and to wipe fingers and mouths before drinking from the communal cup.
In a wealthy household the napkins and tablecloths, known collectively as
‘napiery’, would be of fine linen and another occasion to show off wealth and
status. Plates were of pewter or turned wood and there were pottery bowls for
stew or sweet sauces. The wealthy drank from cups of pewter or silver or,
better still, from drinking glasses which were becoming more affordable by
1600. The poor drank from wooden ‘mazers’or horn beakers.
For all classes, the diet was heavy on protein and consisted largely of meat,
fish and bread. Vegetables, known collectively as ‘herbs’, were regarded as
little more than a garnish. The poor subsisted largely on fat pork and ‘pease
porridge’. Everyone was obliged to refrain from eating meat on Fridays and
during Lent. These were traditionally ‘fish fast days’on which large quantities
of herrings, both fresh and smoked, were eaten. This was particularly the case
in East Anglia which had the largest herring port in England at Great
Yarmouth. White bread made from wheat and known as ‘manchet’was only
eaten by the wealthy. The poor made do with barley or rye bread. Imported
luxury goods became more common as the century progressed and included
citrus fruits from the Mediterranean, spices from the East Indies, and potatoes
and sugar from the Americas.
Tudor clothes
Tudor clothes were governed partly by fashion, as clothes are today, and
partly by the ‘Laws of Apparel’, also known as Sumptuary Laws, which were
designed to maintain the social hierarchy. These laid down the rules of who
could wear which fabrics, colours and styles. Consequently, the social status
of Tudor men and women was immediately recognisable by their garments.
For example, apprentices and schoolchildren generally wore blue, and
servants dressed in the livery of their masters. Furs, lace, luxury fabrics and
the colour purple were reserved by law for the aristocracy. The commonest
fabrics were linen and wool. Cotton was a little-used import. Silks and velvets
commanded the highest prices and were mostly imported from Europe.
Everyone wore linen next to the
skin. Women wore a long shift or
smock and men a long-tailed shirt.
Drawers or underpants were almost
unknown. Linen underwear had the
advantage of being washable; outer
garments were brushed but not
laundered. Small boys and girls
were dressed in skirts until the age
of about 6 when boys were
‘breeched’. After that they wore
clothes very similar to those of
adults with a few concessions to
comfort and ease of movement. Everyone wore hose or
stockings which generally came over the knee and were
secured by garters.
Over their linen shirts men wore a doublet and breeches. In Elizabeth’s reign,
short padded trunks became fashionable. The doublet was so named
because the fabric was doubled, stiffened and sometimes quilted. The poor
wore a simpler version. Sleeves were separate items that were pulled on and
secured by laces or pins. For warmth, a cloak might be worn over the top.
Women wore a corset or ‘body’over the shift to give them a fashionable
shape. If they were wealthy they might wear a ‘farthingale’stiffened by hoops
of cane or rope to give a bell shape to their skirts. Over this came the petticoat
and then the ’kirtle’which consisted of a skirt and laced-up bodice. Poor
women had laces at the front that they could fasten themselves; the wealthy
had back-lacing that a servant would fasten. Modesty demanded a
neckerchief called a ‘partlet’to cover the throat. Sleeves were put on last,
sometimes with decorative cuffs. The wealthy might add
embroidered panels and rich trimmings and a loose
coat or gown over the whole outfit. Working women and
servants generally wore an apron during the day to give
some protection to their clothes.
The fashionable collar was the ruff which was of
elaborately pleated linen that was stiffened with starch
or even wired into shape. Everyone wore a hat. Women
wore a linen cap or coif over which they pinned a
headdress; men wore a flat felted cap called a bonnet.
Hooks and eyes, buttons and laces were the commonest fastenings but
quantities of pins were also used, especially in women’s dress. All cloth was
hand-spun and hand-woven and consequently expensive. It was never thrown
away. Worn garments were taken apart and re-fashioned and clothes were
often bequeathed in wills to other members of the family.
The line drawings and images
are all of authentic Tudor
clothing that is in the collection at
the Carrow House Costume and
Textile Centre. It is very rare for
original Tudor items to survive.
Carrow House offers a unique
facility for studying costume and
textiles. For more information
about the centre, please look on
the website:
www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk