Medieval Market Then and Now!

There is an interesting town in England called Norwich. It was once a Saxon town and a thriving trade center. It became a Norman town under William the Conqueror and he founded a castle there between 1066 and 1075. Interestingly, the market still exists in Norwich today, and there are over 190 stalls with people selling all sorts of things from food to clothing and more! Here is a link to an interactive map of what the market place looked like in the year 1300 and what sorts of things people were selling: http://www.norwich-market.org.uk/Medieval/wares.shtm . Roll your cursor over the pictures bordering the map for more information! Here is a link to what the market looks like today: market.org.uk/stalls/stalls_videos_WMV/stalls_WMV.shtm  Roll your cursor over the numbers on the booths for information about what is being sold there today!

Medieval Guilds and Trade Fairs

The Crusades focused people's attention on religion, but they ended up having a powerful impact on Medieval Life in another way. They helped introduce people in Europe to new products from other countries, like spices, scented soaps, colorful rugs, and more. As people wanted to have these and other products, new trade routes opened and people from many countries began transporting their goods by land and by sea. Along some of the main routes, trade fairs were set up so merchants could sell their goods. Go to this web site and read more: http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/tradefairs.html.