Life & Work Inside the Tower of London’s Medieval Palace

The Tower of London underwent significant change during the 1200s under the medieval kings, Henry III and Edward I. But the Tower wasn’t just home to knights and royals. Life in the medieval palace was only possible because of hundreds of servants who lived with king and queen, and followed the court wherever it went. But what was life like inside the medieval palace? Today we take a closer look inside the palace and objects from its past, to tell us what life could have been like working within the palace itself.
Visit the medieval palace at the Tower of London: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/the-medieval-palace/

Object credits:
Bone tableman and ivory dice on loan from the London Museum.
Crystal chess piece on loan from the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Seal Matrix, c.1200s and silver groat, penny and farthing, c.1272-1307 on loan with thanks to The Trustees of the British Museum

Image credits:
Edward I, c.1280-1300, Courtesy British Library. Cotton MS Vitellius A XIII, fol. 6v.
Henry III being crowned, from Effigies ad Regem Angliae, c. 1280–1300, Cotton MS Vitellius A. XIII, folio 6r, London. British Library
Dining, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.208. British Library
Lord & Lady feasting, France, 1290 – 1300. Add. 28162, f.10v British Library
A feast, Netherlands, 1520-1530. Add. 24098, f.19v British Library
A spit-roast, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.206v British Library
A banquet, France, c.1416. Ms.65, f.1v, Condé Museum
Falconry, Zurich, c.1300-1340. Heidelberg University Library
Games, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.76v British Library
Woman with hurdy gurdy, c.1325-1335. Add MS 42130, folio 81v . British Library
Woman with tamborine, c.1325-1335. Harley MS 6563 Book of Hours. British Library
Chess players, Zurich, c.1300-1340. Heidelberg University Library
Chess players, Naples, 1340-1350. Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Golbeater, Bologna, ca. 1394–95. The Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.1056, fol. 1v detail
Scribe, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.1. British Library
Travelling, England, c.1325-1335. Harley 4372 f.79v, British Library
Travelling, France, c.1460-1487. British Library
Ceasar travelling, 1473-1476. British Library
Coachman, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
A lady’s maid, England, c.1325-1335. British Library
Lying-in, England, 1434-1444. Harley 2278, f.13v British Library
Doctor, England, c.1325-1335. British Library
Ear treatment, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.35v. British Library
Blood letting, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.11v . British Library
Laundry, Germany, 1582. Harley 3469, f.32v British Library
Laundress, 1401-1500, France. Bibliothèque nationale de France
Matthew Paris illustration of an elephant from his Chronica Maiora or Greater History. © Parker Library Corpus Christi Cambridge
Coachman, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.173v British Library
Fisher, Nuremberg, 1426. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Fisher, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Preparing food, England, c.1325-1335. British Library
Cooking, England, c.1325-1335. British Library
Coachman, England, c.1325-1335. British Library
Cooks, England, c.1338–1410. Bodleian Library
Clothier, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Armour polisher, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg – Hausbuch der Mendelschen Zwölfbrüderstiftung, Band 1. Nürnberg 1426–1549. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg, Amb. 317.2°, via http://www.nuernberger-hausbuecher.de/ (and below)
Groom, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Saucerer, Nuremberg, 1475. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Cook, Nuremberg, 1527. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
Cook, Nuremberg, 1527. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg
The expulsion of Jews following the Edict by Edward I, 1290. Marginal Illustration from the Rochester Chronicle (British Library, Cotton Nero D. II.), folio 183v. British Library
Horse, 1201–1225. MS. Ashmole 1511 Bodleian Library