Towns/Countryside Flashcards
Gongfermor
Someone who dug out and removed human excrement from privies and cesspits.
Raker
Someone who cleaned the streets of both human and animal excrement.
Conduit
A water fountain for all to use.
Water Carriers
Brought water to places that were either far from a stream or couldn’t get access to water.
Small Beer
A weak beer/ale that was drank over water as water tasted awful.
Small Beer Brewing
Decontaminated water making it healthier in some ways than water.
What were wells used for?
Used to get drinking water.
What were streams used for?
Were bathed in frequently (animals + humans) which made drinking water contaminated. They were also used for drinking water.
What is ergotism caused by?
A type of fungus that grew on rye (what poor people used to make bread).
What does ergotism do?
Victims suffered from an outburst of painful spots filled with pus and a horrible burning feeling all over their skin. Some also had hallucinations which drove them mad.
Privies
Privies were toilets and were a hole in the ground with a cesspit underneath.
Midden
A midden was a waste tip
What would go into Middens?
Floor sweepings and animal dung etc.
What was waste from cesspits and middens used for?
The waste was valuable so was frequently collected and used as fertiliser on fields where crops would be grown.
Wattle and Daub
Walls made out of sticks being covered with sticky mud, clay, sand, animal dung and straw.
