The Anglo-Saxons, made up the majority of British citizens for nearly six centuries and, yet we as average citizens know very little about their everyday lives. In Anglo-Saxon England many different groups adopted many different lifestyles. Nevertheless, the most significant differences in citizen’s lifestyles emerge within the class distinctions.
The ordinary freedmen, known as the ceorl, took up the majority of society and were split into many groups based on financial standing. As young boys these freedmen usually attended school in a nearby monastery and many boys and girls grew up to work in these same monasteries. Ceorl children had many forms of leisure: playing board and dice games, playing with carved wooden animals, playing with rag dolls, playing with toy swords, playing wooden flutes, and juggling. Ceorls had a variety of professions ranging to everything from farmers to the shire-reeves that carry out the nobility’s dirty work. During the time of the Anglo-Saxon’s, farmers made up a large majority of the population and at first freedmen owned their own land, but the greedy nobles eventually started to take the farmer’s lands and basically insert them into indentured servitude. In thegn ruled, Anglo-Saxon society, the freedmen served the nobles as shire-reeves. These freedmen looked out for the nobles’ financial concerns, by collecting taxes, and they also enforced the law of the area. Outside of this, many freedmen with special skills used their skills to finance themselves entering professions such as blacksmith, woodworker, potter, shoemaker, beekeeper, and swineherd. Many freedmen also worked as traders and fishermen to support themselves. Women, on the other hand, usually worked within the house and produced fine embroidery, many pieces of this of since become very famous. In their free time, the ceorl often shared stories and created riddles to attempt to fool each other. Ceorl men enjoyed athletic activities such as wrestling, weightlifting, and horseracing.
Finally, by the end of the Anglo-Saxon era, all classes of Anglo-Saxons enjoyed a game called Taefl, which has been described as a predecessor of chess. Due to this game along with many others gambling was extremely popular in this time period.
The king and the noblemen, known as the thegn, had the laborious responsibility of ruling over their followers, which they usually carried out through the use of personal shire-reeves also known as sheriffs. Other than ruling over their kingdom, their only real responsibility was to host dinners and to portray their wealth and power in lavish ways. The exception to the stereotypical noble life, were the nobles who became fierce some warriors, these men, like Beowulf, traveled the lands using their talents to achieve glorious feats. Therefore, these men spent most of their lives merely being waited on hand and foot. During this time schooling for young boys usually occurred in the comfort of their own home. For leisure this “privileged” class enjoyed falconry and hawking, dancing, theatricals, and competitive games such as dog and horse racing.
The ordinary freedmen, known as the ceorl, took up the majority of society and were split into many groups based on financial standing. As young boys these freedmen usually attended school in a nearby monastery and many boys and girls grew up to work in these same monasteries. Ceorl children had many forms of leisure: playing board and dice games, playing with carved wooden animals, playing with rag dolls, playing with toy swords, playing wooden flutes, and juggling. Ceorls had a variety of professions ranging to everything from farmers to the shire-reeves that carry out the nobility’s dirty work. During the time of the Anglo-Saxon’s, farmers made up a large majority of the population and at first freedmen owned their own land, but the greedy nobles eventually started to take the farmer’s lands and basically insert them into indentured servitude. In thegn ruled, Anglo-Saxon society, the freedmen served the nobles as shire-reeves. These freedmen looked out for the nobles’ financial concerns, by collecting taxes, and they also enforced the law of the area. Outside of this, many freedmen with special skills used their skills to finance themselves entering professions such as blacksmith, woodworker, potter, shoemaker, beekeeper, and swineherd. Many freedmen also worked as traders and fishermen to support themselves. Women, on the other hand, usually worked within the house and produced fine embroidery, many pieces of this of since become very famous. In their free time, the ceorl often shared stories and created riddles to attempt to fool each other. Ceorl men enjoyed athletic activities such as wrestling, weightlifting, and horseracing. The slaves were the lowest class of society; they served the master as long as necessary, in the task he chose. The slaves also made up the majority of their area’s army, due to the fact that local armies were usually only a mere couple hundred men. These slaves had the same forms of leisure as the freedmen, but they of course had much less time for leisure.
Finally, by the end of the Anglo-Saxon era, all classes of Anglo-Saxons enjoyed a game called Taefl, which has been described as a predecessor of chess. Due to this game along with many others gambling was extremely popular in this time period."BBC - Primary History - Anglo-Saxons." BBC - Homepage. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/>.
"Anglo-Saxon Life." UK Travel and Heritage - Britain Express UK Travel Guide. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.britainexpress.com/History/anglo-saxon_life.htm>.
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