This series of lectures explores the everyday life of ordinary people living in a medieval rural community. Starting with the feudal system, the lectures discuss the relationship between tenants and their lords, life working on the land, manorial courts and the legal system, and the importance of religion and the parish church. The focus for each lecture will be a different class of document which can still be found surviving in archives today. During the lecture, we will think about how and why each of these was put together and what they can tell us about life in medieval villages. This course will be presented in a lecture style with opportunities to ask questions.
Course aim
To explore everyday life in a medieval village using documents which survive in today's archives.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- This is a live lecture delivered by a subject specialist in an online webinar video learning platform. You will need to be able to access the internet on a device with speakers or earphones. There will be opportunities to take part in discussions and chats. If you’d like to know how to use Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- No skills or experience needed
- This course is suitable for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Discuss the lives of ordinary people in a medieval village.
- Evaluate the economic changes in the medieval period and their impact upon rural communities.
- Evaluate the importance of religion and the parish church to medieval communities.
- Discuss the ways in which the lives of medieval people were documented and how we can interpret these documents today.
How will I be taught?
- The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- You will be encouraged to share your work with the group and discuss your learning
What else do I need to know?
- What you need: You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. If you’d like to understand more Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas so that you can receive resources, record your progress and achievement and to work with others and share ideas. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- No pre reading or pre course work is required
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
- Progress to a course with another provider
Download full course information sheet
Life in a Medieval Village: Exploring the Archives- A Lunchtime Lecture Series
