Towns, money and trade

Hand in hand with the growth of towns came the growth of a money economy. This is one of the reasons medieval lords encouraged the growth of towns on their land. Traders could be charged rent and tolls. Barter was often still used in villages, but with more trade taking place, people started using coins. Hereford, for example, had a mint. In fact according to the Domesday Book, seven men were allowed to coin money, including one working for the Bishop:

"There were seven moneyers there. One of these was the Bishop's moneyer. When the coinage was renewed, each of them gave 18s for acquiring the dies, and after the day on which they returned, within one month each of them gave 20s to the King, and the Bishop likewise had 20s from his moneyer."(Domesday Book 17, Herefordshire, C 9, Frank and Caroline Thorn (eds.), Phillimore, 1983)

The growing supply of money, especially of smaller denominations (halfpennies and farthings), aided the growth of towns. Between 1186 and 1330 the amount of money per person trebled.

Towns also gave some people new opportunities in a society that was very regulated and controlled. The saying "Town air makes free" arose from the practice whereby, if any unfree manorial tenant managed to stay in a town for a year and a day, he or she was set free. This freedom meant that the person could leave the town if they wished (in villages the villeins were tied to the manor), own or sell property and practise a trade.

The trades were organised into guilds (a kind of medieval trade union). Elected members of the guild controlled the quality and pricing of products of their particular trade in the town. Guild members also looked after each other in times of need. Learning and practising a trade could often lead to a better standard of living and a more respected social position in the town. In a period when there was very little social mobility, life in the new towns provided an opportunity to make money and be successful. Dick Whittington, for example, is a character based on the newly-found success of a country lad who as mayor achieves great things in London. Some people believe his name was actually Dick "Witthington" and that although he came from a Gloucestershire family he was born in Sollars Hope in Herefordshire.

[Original author: Toria Forsyth-Moser, 2002]