John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham

At the table

Ale quality was strictly regulated

In cities, burgh officials known as ale-tasters were appointed to inspect ale quality and enforce prices to ensure fair trade. These officials took an oath to appraise batches without showing favor or fear to any brewer.

What people wore

Saffron-Dyed Shirts and Waterproof Coatings

Highlanders commonly wore a long linen shirt dyed with saffron as their primary garment, sometimes coating the fabric with wax, tallow, or even tar to make it damp-proof.

Getting around

Horse litters and ferry travel utilized

When travel by land was impractical due to illness or pregnancy, people of rank sometimes used horse litters, though these were unsuitable for long journeys. Water travel was essential, with ferries routinely carrying people, livestock, and goods across firths and rivers.

What it cost

High Cost of Subsistence Goods

Rising costs of basic goods hit the poor harder than the rich because subsistence households relied heavily on expensive domestic agricultural products like grain and ale.

Music

Home entertainment and musical skills

At home, people gathered during long winters to listen to traditional stories, sing songs, and dance to the fiddle. Wealthier households also expected noble men and women to be accomplished in playing instruments like the lute.

Daily life

Small, One-Room Homes with Open Fires

Ordinary people lived in small, one-room houses with an open central fire for cooking and warmth, where smoke escaped through gaps in the roof.