Village Life

• What changed for peasant life after the Norman Conquest

  They lived under a new Lord
• How much land did peasants own?

  35% - although had to pay taxes to their Lord
• How much taxes did peasants pay to the Church?

  10% - called a tithe
• What did peasants do in the Spring?

  Sowed the fields
• What were the different responsibilities and roles in a village?

  • Reeve - Chosen by the Lord or peasant vote, had a lot more power under the Saxons, but after 1066 was made to do day to day jobs at the Manor
  • Bailiff - Collected taxes, made sure debts were repaid and made sure the quota for crops was met
  • Priest - Responsible for marriages and wills, running the local church and conducting Masses
  • Miller - Produced grain to make bread for the whole village
• What did peasants do in the Summer?

  Harvested the crops
• What did peasants do in the Autumn?

  Ploughed the fields using oxen, ready for next years crop
• What did peasants do in the Winter?


  Lived off food harvested earlier in the year