I’ve just got back from living as a medieval person, AMA

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

First time in my life I’ve ever done anything worthy of an AMA!

Ooh tell us all about it! Was it for a TV show?

It wasn’t for tv but local BBC came to film us and it was shown on national BBC Breakfast.

Were you rich or poor?

Basically it was a full immersion reenactment. We occupied one of the houses at the Weald and Downland Museum in Sussex. It ran for 9 days but I was only there for the second half (was a late addition to the team).

I was a servant but it was a middle class household, so there was no glass in the windows but we had enough to eat, plenty of firewood and candles.

Did you have any type of heating or hot water and/or - how did you stay warm?

Were you on the news the other day ?

That aside what did you miss the most.

What did you eat? Was it tasty?

Oh I've always wanted to do something like this, how did you get into it? What was the food like? What did you miss the most from the modern world?

How cool! What was the hardest thing/what did you appreciate most when you came ‘back’?

Yes I saw 😀

The Weald and downland is a fascinating place. Which house did you stay in?

Was every aspect of it truly authentic, including food, clothes, getting washed etc? What were the worst and best bits of medieval life?

I keep meaning to visit that place!

where did you go to the toilet?

We had a fire going all day from when the first person got up to when we went to bed, and there was always a pot of water standing close to the fire to stay hot.
We wore lots of clothes. I basically had 3 wool dresses on all the time (wool smock over my linen one, lined wool kirtle and gown) and given that the weather was pretty cold we were surprised how little we felt it. Tbh I think it’s because we had plenty to eat and enough firewood. It made me think about class differences and how much harder life would have been for the poor- just as at any time.

Why was it done in February, instead of, say... June? 😁

Singleton! I loved, loved the Weald and Downland Museum as a child. It was one of my favourite places and the Littlehampton granary was my favourite building.

What did you eat?

Did you have the opportunity to wash / stay clean?

Yes we were!
I didn’t miss anything much. I was surprised.
We had another building that had tea and coffee in for those of us who didn’t intend to give up caffeine cold turkey but I didn’t really feel the need much. Normally I absolutely have to have my first cup of tea in the morning but I was meh about it. I was sitting by the fire at one point thinking, if someone had put a cup of hot water in my hand that would have been nice but I actually didn’t need tea.

Gosh, I never take any notice of AMA's but I know that museum very well and am very interested in medieval history.

I would like to ask did you adjust to the cold? Did you feel more tired than usual?

Ohhh I'm so envious! I bet that was amazing. Did anything surprise you about the experience that you weren't expecting?

It was lovely because the people cooking were very good.
All authentic and seasonal food, very little sugar. Bread we baked on site, lots of game people had killed (a deer, some rabbits). Leg of mutton for the Candlemas feast. Preserved fruits. Fish on Friday.
I could have done with more fresh vegetables, I could see why people would have got excited about the first young nettle tops of spring etc.
And I brewed ale.

What were your jobs?

Nothing was really hard. Maybe if we had been there longer.
I thought I was going to struggle with going to the loo in the night but it’s fine, you just do everything by feel.

Did you sleep well?
What was your bed like?