Medieval public town

Question 1

Did they have clean water?

Answer 1

Most people got their water from local springs wells or rivers. These often became polluted by cesspits and therefore people tended to drink beer instead

Question 2

Sanitation

Answer 2

The lack of sanitation was partly due to their lack of knowledge of germs and disease. They believed disease was spread by bad air so they were keen to remove unpleasant smells

Question 3

Industry

Answer 3

In towns people lived beside local businesses. leather tanners used dangerous chemicals and smelled awful whilst butchers created waste products such as blood and guts which they often dumped in the river

Question 4

Toilet waste / rubbish

Answer 4

Many towns people used the rivers and stream to remove their sewage and other waste. Sometimes people threw their toilet waste onto the streets along with other household rubbish