Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox

At the table

Pottage was the staple daily dish

Pottage was the main daily dish for ordinary people, a thick soup made of cereals, pulses, vegetables, and occasionally meat that was cooked in a cauldron over an open fire.

What people wore

Limited wardrobes for the commoners

Many ordinary people owned only one set of clothes for daytime wear and lacked dedicated sleepwear, opting to sleep in their smocks and nightcaps.

Getting around

Walking was the primary way to travel

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, as walking was the standard mode of transport and carriages were exclusive to the elite. A trip to the local market town often required an entire day to walk there and back.

What it cost

Cost of Basic Food Items

A loaf of bread (24 oz) cost 1 penny, and 1 pound of cheese cost 1 1/2 pence. A skilled worker could buy a dozen eggs for 4d and a pound of cheese for 1 1/2d with their daily wage.

Music

Paying Minstrels for Parish Festivals

Parish records show that minstrel hire for Whitsuntide festivities was common, with payments reaching up to 8s 4d for a single minstrel in 1533.

Daily life

Schooling for children

Children often started school at age seven, with some wealthy children beginning as early as four using prayer books called primers. Middle-class children sometimes attended school for ten to twelve hours a day to train for trade or administrative careers.