Medieval Guilds & Crafts Trail 4

Medieval Guilds & Crafts Trail 3

Medieval Guilds & Crafts Trail 2

Medieval Guilds & Crafts Trail 1

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  1. 1 SADDLERS Saddles were vital when riding. Horses were an important form of transport and every rider had to have a saddle. They are still made to this day – but not in Beverley. Did somebody leave one behind?
  2. 2 WEAVERS Medieval weavers came from Flanders and Holland and were known as ‘Flemings’. Beverley had a huge wool trade and exports were shipped to Flanders from the Beck. Has a Fleming dropped a piece of cloth?
  3. 3 ROPE MAKERS Ropes were made and used in Beverley – especially on the ships and boats that used the Beck. Until recently, ropes were made near Flemingate – did one get left behind?
  4. 4 CREELERS Creelers and porters loaded and unloaded the ships that came to the Beck. They carried goods to and from the town centre. The stone used to build the Minster and St. Mary’s came to Beverley that way.
  5. 5 WILDFOWLERS Wildfowling is the hunting of ducks and geese for food, feathers and fat. The wildfowlers hunted near the Beck. Make sure you don’t let the greylag goose get away!
  6. 6 POTTERS Pottery was a thriving trade in medieval Beverley. Potters worked all over the town, including at Potter Hill. Can you find the jug?
  7. 7 WATER MILLERS Three water mills were recorded in Beverley in the Domesday Book. They were situated in this part of the town and later competed with the wind millers on the Westwood. Can you spot the water mill?
  8. 8 COOKS Most cooks were men, often cooking for Civic functions. By the 18th century, regularly the Town’s Cook was a woman, sometimes it was the Mayor’s wife.
  9. 9 TANNERS From medieval times until the late 20th century tanning was a major Beverley industry, situated where the Flemingate Centre now stands. Spot the stretched hide!
  10. 10 COOPERS Excavations in Beverley have found wooden buckets, wheels and ale barrels – all made by local Coopers. Hunt for the medieval barrel outside the Lord Nelson!
  1. 1 PRINTERS Hugo Goes, one of the earliest printers in England, set up his press in Highgate in around 1500. He printed the earliest-known wallpaper surviving in England – can you spot the goose in his wallpaper design?
  2. 2 MASONS Masons built the Minster and St.Mary’s. They built in good weather, but when it was bad, they carved stones. Each mason had his own mark, which he engraved into each stone he carved. Can you find any of them?
  3. 3 BREWERS Beverley’s brewers brewed beer and people loved to sing whilst drinking. Don’t trip over the song lyrics about John Barleycorn!
  4. 4 CARPENTERS The Sun Inn, one of Beverley’s last remaining half-timbered buildings, was made by medieval carpenters - the only guild allowed to build houses. Can you find the mortise joint and tenon?
  5. 5 SCRIVENERS Scriveners wrote letters and charters using sharpened feathers called quills. Also, the Dominican Friars were nicknamed ‘ravens’ because of their black coats. Can you see the hidden black feathers that lead to the Friary?
  6. 6 LOCKSMITHS Locksmiths made locks for churches, houses, chests and boxes, throughout the Middle Ages. A padlock of the viking era was found on this site. Shakespeare mentioned locksmiths - find the reference!
  7. 7 CANDLE MAKERS Candles were used to light homes, churches and taverns. Fancy candles were made out of beeswax, however everyday candles were made from tallow (animal fat). Can you find any bronze candles?
  8. 8 FISHMONGERS Fishmongers were strictly regulated. Two scrutineers examined the fish, set the prices and fined for irregularities, such as selling stinking fish. Try not to step on the fish!
  1. 1 BUTCHERS Many medieval butchers traded in Beverley – some in Butcher Row, others at the North end of Saturday Market and at the Beck. Can you spot the ox carcass?
  2. 2 WALKERS Walkers were part of the wool industry. They walked on woollen cloth to shrink and thicken it around the ‘Walker Beck’, which now runs beneath Walkergate. How many footprints can you find?
  3. 3 CORDWAINERS A Cordwainer made footwear out of the finest leather. Beverley’s medieval shoe market was nearby. Find the shoe patterns, take a rubbing and make up a pair of shoes at home!
  4. 4 SPINNERS Spinners were mainly women. Spinning was a cottage industry, originally done by hand, using a spindle whorl. From the 14th century, spinning wheels speeded up production.
  5. 5 DYERS Beverley dyers used plants to create dyes. Woad made blue, madder and brazil - red, weld - orange and bog myrtle - yellow. Can you find one of these plants?
  6. 6 TAILORS Tailoring was an important medieval craft because all clothes were hand-made from scratch. There weren’t any ready-made clothes, like today! Hunt for six thimbles in Toll Gavel.
  7. 7 APOTHECARIES Apothecaries used old-fashioned plants, herbs and roots to treat illnesses and wounds. Can you find the four healing plants?
  8. 8 BARBER SURGEONS Medieval Barbers didn’t just cut hair – they were surgeons, pulled teeth and healed wounds. Their sign was the snake and it is still shown on most ambulances. Look up – make sure the snake doesn’t fall on you!
  9. 9 MERCHANTS The Merchants Guild was the largest in Beverley. The wool and cloth trade made the town very wealthy. Spot the old measurements used by merchants!
  10. 10 FISH TRADERS The medieval name for Well Lane was ‘Fishmarketmoorgate’ - the road between Westwood and the fish market. How many eels can you find wriggling along the kerb?
  1. 1 CARTMEN Can you find a horse and cart near the Market Cross? In the Middle Ages, carts provided the main form of transport to and from the market. This image from Beverley Minster shows the cart back to front because saying ‘putting the cart before the horse’ means doing things in the wrong order.
  2. 2 GLOVERS Glovers made gloves from leather tanned in the town and Beverley Grammar School pupils would give them to the officers of Beverley Minster when they left school with a bachelorhood. Check the seat at the end of Saturday Market - has anyone lost a glove?
  3. 3 JERKIN MAKERS Beverley’s Jerkin makers made leather tunics and traded between St. Mary’s Church and Saturday Market. Look up can you find a tunic hanging around?
  4. 4 MINSTRELS Beverley was once the headquarters of the Northern Guild of Minstrels between the rivers Tweed and Trent. The Minster and St. Mary’s contain many carvings of musical instruments. What instruments are the musicians near St. Mary’s playing?
  5. 5 ARMOURERS Armourers made armour and weapons for Beverley’s soldiers and their horses. Before leaving for battle, Beverley’s soldiers paraded at North Bar. Can you find the piece of chain mail? Imagine wearing a whole suit of it!
  6. 6 BRICKLAYERS The North Bar is the earliest brick-built town entrance in England. Look to the floor and read the North Bar accounts. How much did Agnes the Tiler and William Potter get paid?
  7. 7 FARRIERS & LORIMERS (BLACKSMITHS) Farriers and Lorimers traded along York Road, which used to be called ‘Lorimers Row’. Outside the Bar, horse fairs were held. Clippety clop – how many horse shoes can you spot?
  8. 8 WIND MILLERS The remains of several windmills can be found on the Westwood. They were used to grind grain that was locally grown. Can you see the post-mill on Pasture Terrace?
  9. 9 BAKERS Medieval bakers were punished for selling poor bread - they could be fined or ducked on the ducking stool, which was down Tiger Lane. Walk carefully! Don’t trip over the loaf of bread!
  10. 10 GOLDSMITHS Stephen the Goldsmith once worked for the Canons of Beverley Minster and made silver shields and plate for churches and rich merchants. Can you find him?
  11. 11 HATTERS In the Middle Ages, almost everyone wore hats including men, women and children. Noble people wore fancy hats and jesters wore a fool’s cap! Look up – can you spot one?
  12. 12 FLETCHERS A fletcher made arrows fitted with feathers (called flights). Watch out! There is a hail of arrows flying through the air!