Giving sheep shelter from the storm: a consideration of fourteenth-century sheep housing

Description

Wool production was an important industry in the fourteenth century. The English landscape created some high quality wool and its productivity made it highly profitable. Edward III’s taxation of wool to finance the war with France highlights the political importance of sheep farming and wool production. Many manors kept large sheep flocks during the fourteenth century, with some manors specializing in sheep rearing. But there was significant risk involved in sheep farming. Sheep murrain took its toll on the flocks over the century; war and politics affected the price of wool. These animals needed housing, shelter from the weather, and protection from predators and thieves. This paper will look at how sheep were housed in the fourteenth century, and how those buildings were constructed and maintained. Manorial buildings were important to the lord, as they were symbols of authority and wealth; even agricultural buildings had a role to play. But to what extend did sheephouses fit into this social world? Did they too form part of the lord’s display of power, or were they merely functional buildings? This paper will combine archaeological evidence with documentary and economic evidence to create a holistic picture of sheep rearing and the importance of their housing.

Period	Sept 2015
Event title	21th EAA Annual Meeting 2015 at Glasgow
Event type	Conference
Degree of Recognition	International