LibGuides: Middle Ages: Food and Feasts

Resource key

Resource Key

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LEVEL 1

Brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)

LEVEL 2

Provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.

LEVEL 3

Lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)

Food and Feasts

How to drink like a Norman
“The English are noted among foreigners for their persistent drinking.” observed John of Salisbury, Bishop of Chartres from 1176-80.
Life in a Medieval Household
The people of Goodrich castle.
Medieval castles weren’t just fortifications. They were places where people lived, worked and played. Goodrich Castle was a thriving medieval household, where sometimes hundreds of people were living at any one time.
Food in an English Medieval Castle
This article examines food supply, the Great Hall, the kitchen, medieval feast and entertainment.
Changes to foods throughout the Medieval Period
Read how foods changed as a result of the Crusades.

Many insights into daily life. In this episode go back to medieval England to live the life of a lord and lady in their country manor. The hosts spend a week living like a Norman knight and Anglo-Saxon damsel.

Focus Questions

What are the key features of your chosen aspect of Medieval life?
How does your aspect demonstrate the beliefs and ideas of Medieval society?
What does it reveal to us about what people thought at the time?
What are some of the ways that your aspect reflected and re-enforced medieval social structures?
Explain with reference to at least two different historians’ opinions.
How and why did your aspect change over time?
In your opinion does your topic demonstrate similarities between the medieval period and today? Explain

Middle Ages: Food and Feasts