The course will cover the periods 1400-1600, 1600-1800 and 1800-1945 in three-week sections. For each time period we will look at food supply – what was available and where it came from; preparation and cooking, including recipes; and eating and drinking and how manners and customs changed. Because surviving records come from families who could read and write, or employed someone who could, the early part of the course will concentrate on the better-off end of society, extending coverage as records increase.
Course aim
To discover how much – or how little – food has changed in availability, choice and flavours from 1400-up to WW2.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- 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
- No skills or experience needed
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Assess difficulties of getting certain types of food in the late medieval period
- Discover (and perhaps use) old recipes.
- Identify changes in eating habits.
- Identify sources for further study
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
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
- Handouts each week (downloadable on Canvas after each session) will summarise the week's content, with suggestions for further reading
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
What else do I need to know?
- Nothing else is needed
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
- Visiting places mentioned on the course - as circumstances allow.
Download full course information sheet







