Anne of Denmark

At the table

Fish for all social classes

Fish were a central part of the diet for both peasants and royalty, consumed fresh, salted, air-dried, or smoked.

What people wore

High value of textiles and fabrics

Textiles were so valuable that in 1550, a carpenter stole a piece of silk camlet worth 20 rigsdaler, an amount that could lead to a death sentence for the thief.

Getting around

Frequent carriage changes in winter

Travelers often had to change carriages every two to four miles in winter because coachmen were unwilling to travel far and horses tired quickly in the snow.

What it cost

Fixed prices caused smaller bread loaves

In the mid-16th century, a standard loaf of bread (white bread or sifted bread) was sold at a fixed price, and bakers were frequently criticized for making the loaves smaller to cope with rising grain prices.

Music

Popular Music and Instruments at Gatherings

Musicians, often called pipers, frequently played pipe and drum simultaneously at weddings and social gatherings, using instruments like the shawm, which was a popular domestic instrument.

Daily life

Daily access to water and light

Water for household use was retrieved from a village well, while poor water quality often led people to drink beer instead. Lighting inside the home was sparse, provided only by tallow candles and the glowing embers from the hearth.