Medieval Prices: Recovered from the Internet Archive
This page is reproduced as it once ran on Paul Halsall's Internet Medieval Sourcebook and is the product and intellectual property of Kenneth Hodges. I have no idea why it disappeared from Halsall's excellent site and would be happy to redirect this link to it if someone will point me toward it. Ken's resource is too good not to be available to scholars.
[Courtesy of Kenneth Hodges hodges@jif.berkeley.edu ]
The list of medieval prices which follows is by no means complete or thoroughly researched; I merely extracted references from some of the books I have, and I thought others might like to inspect it. The sources I used are listed at the end. If an item is listed several times, it is because I had several references I wished to record.
Money goes as follows:
1 pound (L) = 20 shillings (s) 1 crown = 5 shillings 1 shilling = 12 pence (d) 1 penny = 4 farthings 1 mark = 13s 4d
The French livre, sou, and denier are equivalent to the pound, shilling and penny (Latin liber, solidus, and denarius, which is where the English abbreviations "L.s.d" come from).
For ease, I've divided this list into the following sections:
Of course, a price list is a misleading guide to a medieval economy, because so many goods were either produced within a household, or supplied by a lord. Retainers could get money, but they would also get food, lodging, weapons (sometimes), and cloth. Knights Templar were provided with clothes, horses, and armor.
TOOLS
Item Price Date Source Page 2 yokes 4s c1350 [3] 170 Foot iron of plough 5d " " " 3 mason's tools (not named) 9d " " " 1 spade and shovel 3d 1457 " " 1 axe 5d " " " 1 augur 3d " " " 1 vise 13s 4d 1514 [5] 27-28 Large biciron 60s " " " Small biciron 16s " " " Anvil 20s " " " Bellows 30s " " " Hammers 8d-2s 8d " " " 2 chisels 8d " " " Compete set of armorer's tools L13 16s 11d " " " Spinning Wheel 10 d 1457 [3] 170
HORSES
Item Price Date Source Page War Horse up to 50s 12 cen (?) [7] 30 War Horse up to L80 13 cen [3] 72 Knight's 2 horses L10 1374 " 76 High-grade riding horse L10 13th cen " 72 Draught horse 10s-20s 13th cen " "
Note: Horse prices varied dramatically; for instance, they doubled between 1210 and 1310. ([3], p. 37).
FOOD AND LIVESTOCK
Item Price Date Source Page
Wine:
Best Gascon in London 4d/gallon 1331 [2] 194
Best Rhenish in London 8d/London " " "
Wine:
Cheapest 3d-4d/gal Late 13 cen [3] 62
Best 8d-10d/gal " " "
Ale (beer comes later):
Good 1.5d/gal 14 cen [2] 201
Medium 1d/gal " " "
Poor .75d/gal " " "
Ale:
First-rate 1-1.25d/gal 1320-1420 [3] 58
Second-rate .75-1d/gal " " "
Ale (best):
Somerset .75d 1338 [3] 210
London 1.25d " " "
Beer, good 1d/quart late 16 cen [8] xx
Dried Fruit (eg raisins, dates, 1-4d/lb, up
figs, prunes), almonds, rice to 6d rare 14 cen(?) [3] 62-63
Spices (cinnamon, cloves, mace,
pepper, sugar, etc). 1-3s/lb " " "
Pepper 4s/lb mid 13 cen [9] 218
Pepper 6d/.5lb 1279-1280 [3] 11
Saffron 12s-15s/lb 14 cen(?) [3] 62-63
Cow (good) 10s 12 cen(?) [7] 30
Cow 9s 5d mid 14th [1] 99
Cow 6s 1285-1290 [3] 206
Ox 13s 1.25d mid 14 cen [1] 99
Sheep 1s 5d " " "
Wether:
Somerset 9d-10d 1338 [3] 210
London 1s 5d " " "
Pig:
Somerset 2s 1338 [3] 210
London 3s " " "
Fowl 1d " " "
2 Chickens 1d 14 cen [4] 78
2 Dozen Eggs 1d " " "
Goose (in London) 6d (legal)
7d-8d asked 1375 [2] 198
80 lb cheese 3s 4d late 13 cen [3] 114
Salted herring (wholesale) 5-10/1d 1382 [2] 198-199
Salt conger 6d each 1422-1423 [3] 69
Oats:
Somerset 1s/quarter 1338 " 210
London 2s 2d per " " "
quarter
Cost of feeding a knight's or L30-L60, 15 cen [3] 199
merchants household per year up to L100
Related note: around 1380, these are the average costs per day of feeding people on an estate ([3], p. 65): lord, 7d; esquire, 4d; yeoman, 3d; and groom, 1d.
BOOKS AND EDUCATION
Item Price Date Source Page
Monastary School L2 (approx) 1392-1393 [3] 75
per year
Schoolmaster at Croyden:
Board 2s/week* 1394 [2] 186
Instruction 13s 4d/year " " "
Oxford:
Board 104s/year 1374 " "
Clothing 40s/year " " "
Instruction 26s 8d/year " " "
University:
Minimum L2-L3/year Late 14 cen [3] 75
Student of good birth L4-L10/year " " "
Fencing Instruction 10s/month Late 16 cen [8] xx
7 Books L5 (approx) 1479 [3] 76
126 Books L113 1397 [3] 77
To Rent a book .5d-1d per mid 13 cen [9] 172
pecia**
* Source says 2s/day. This is not only insanely high, but the text also claims that the board was the same as at Oxford--i.e., 2s/week or 104s/year.
** A pecia is 16 columns of 62 lines of 32 letters, i.e., 31 744 letters, or about 7 500 - 8 000 words. Rental period is not specified, but I would guess a year; books were rented to be copied, and copying the Bible took 15 months. See [9], p. 172.
BUILDINGS
Item Price Date Source Page
Rent per annum for 138 shops on
London Bridge L160 4s 1365 [2] 114
Rent for the three London
taverns with the exclusive
right to sell sweet wines
(hippocras, clarry, piments) L200 1365-1375 [2] 195-196
Rent cottage 5s/year 14 cen(?) [3] 208
Rent craftsman's house 20s/year " " "
Rent merchant's house L2-L3/year " " "
Cottage (1 bay, 2 storeys) L2 early 14 cen " 205
Row house in York (well built) up to L5 " " "
Craftsman's house (i.e., with
shop, work area, and room
for workers) with 2-3 bays
and tile roof L10-L15 early 14 cen [3] 205
Modest hall and chamber, not
including materials L12 1289 [3] 79-80
Merchant's house L33-L66 early 14 cen [3] 205
House with courtyard L90+ " " "
Goldsmiths' Hall (in London,
with hall, kitchen, buttery,
2 chambers) L136 1365 [2] 114
Large tiled barn L83 1309-1310 [3] 79
Wooden gatehouse (30' long),
barn, and drawbridge:
Contract L5 6s 8d + 1341 [3] 81
builder's
clothing
Estimated total L16 " " "
Stone Gatehouse (40' X 18'):
with all except stone L16 13s 4d 1313 [3] 79-80
estimated with stone L30 " " "
Tower in castle's curtain wall L333, L395 late 14 cen " "
Castle & college at Tattershall L450/annum 1434-1446 " 81
for 13 years
Transept of Gloucester Abbey L781 1368-1373 [3] 79-80
Stonework of church (125', no L113 13 cen(?) " "
tower) (contract)
note: tithes were often calculated at 1d a week for every 20s of annual rent paid (4, p. 208).
The following are the estimates of raw materials and labor that went into the tower of Langeais, a rectangular, tapering stone tower built in 992-994. The source is [6], pp. 47ff. The dimensions at the base were 17.5 meters by 10 meters; the height was 16m (3 floors); the walls were 1.5m thick, made of two shells filled with loose rock.
Limestone in building: about 1050 cubic meters, or 2 600 000 kg
Wood in building: 47.5 cubic meters, or 34 600 kg
Nails: 3 400, or 50 kg
Mortar: 350 cubic meters.
To make the mortar:
sand: 225 cubic meters, or 360 000 kg
limestone: 40 cubic meters, or 160 000 kg
green wood: 540 cubic meters, or 286 000 kg
Labor Costs, in Average Working Days (AWD):
procurement: 14 250
transport: 2 880
labor:
unskilled: 63 500
mason: 12 700
smith: 1 600
CLOTH AND CLOTHING
Item Price Date Source Page
Fashionable gown easily L10, late 14 cen [2] 53
up to L50
Gentry:
Shoes 4d 1470s [3] 79
Boots 6d " " "
Purse 1.5d " " "
Hat 10d, 1s 2d " " "
Craftsman's tabard and super-
tunic 3s 1285-1290 [3] 206
Reeve's murrey (dark brown) robe 6s 4d 1349-1352 " 176
Reeve's red robe 5s 3d " " "
Peasants (wealthy):
Linen Chemise 8d 1313 [3] 175
Shoes 6d " " "
Woolen garment 3s " " "
Fur-lined garments 6s 8d early 14 cen " "
Tunic 3s " " "
Linen 1s " " "
Landless serfs' tunics 1d-6d mid 14 cen " 176
Cloth for peasant tunics 8d-1s 3d early 14 cen " "
per yard
Best Wool 5s/yard 1380 [3] 78
"Tawny and russet" 6s/yard 1479-1482 " "
Silk 10s-12s 15 cen(?) " "
per yard
Furs added to garment +L2-L3 to 15 cen(?) " 79
garment
The worth of cloth provided
yearly by a lord to:
esquires 2s 11d/yard 1289-1290 [3] 78
yeomen 2s/yard " " "
lesser servants 1s 7d/yard " " "
Note: loose tunics take 2.25-2.5 yards. In the late 14th century, shorter doubled (lined) tunics, known as doublets, became fashionable, requiring 4 yards ([3], pp 175,176).
ARMOR
Item Price Date Source Page
Mail 100s 12 cen(?? [7] 30
Ready-made Milanese armor L8 6s 8d 1441 [4] 112
Squire's armor L5-L6 16s 8d " " "
Armor for Prince of Wales,
"gilt and graven" L340 1614 [5] 20
Complete Lance Armor L3 6s 8d 1590 [5] 185
Complete corselets 30s " " "
Cuirass of proof with pauldrons 40s " " "
Normal cuirass with pauldrons 26s 8d " " "
Target of proof 30s " " "
Morion 3s 4d " " "
Burgonet 4s " " "
Cuirass of pistol-proof with
pauldrons L1 6s 1624 [5] 189-190
Cuirass without pauldrons L1 " " "
Lance Armor L4 " " "
Targets of Proof 24s " " "
Cuirass with cap L4 " " "
Armor of proof L14 2s 8d 1667 " 68
Bascinet 13s 4d + 1369 " 88
3s 4d to
line it
Armor in a merchant's house
(leather?) 5s 1285-1290 [3] 206
Total Armor owned by a knight L16 6s 8d 1374 " 76
Armor in house of Thomas of
Woodstock, duke of Gloucester L103 1397 " 77
Fee for cleaning rust off
corselets 5d each 1567 [5] 80
Fee for varnishing, replacing
straps, and rivetting helmet
and corselet 1s 4d 1613 [5] 90
Barrel for cleaning mail 9d 1467 [5] 79
Note: mail is chain mail; almost all the rest is plate-armor. The armor of the knight in 1374 was probably mail with some plates; same for Gloucester's. Mail was extremely susceptible to rust, and was cleaned by rolling it in sand and vinegar in a barrel. Pauldrons are shoulder plates; morions are open helms, burgonets and bascinets closed helms; and a target refers to any of a number different kind of shields. Armor of proof is tested during the making with blows or shots from the strongest weapons of the time; if a weapon is listed, the armor does not claim to be proof against everything, only that it is proof up to that weapon's strength (eg pistol proof is not musket proof, but may be sword proof). All plate armor was lined with cloth, to pad the wearer, quiet the armor, and reduce wear between the pieces. This, along with the necessary straps, was a significant amount of the expense. An armorer asking for money to set up shop in 1624 estimated production costs and profit for a number of different types of armor: I give two examples below ([5], pp. 189-190).
Cuirass of proof with pauldrons: plates: 5s 6d finishing, rivets, and straps: 7s 6d selling price 26s Lance armor: plates 14s 5d finishing, et cetera 40s selling price 80s
WEAPONS
Item Price Date Source Page Cheap sword (peasant's) 6d 1340s [3] 174 Pair of wheel-lock pistols, with tools for them L2 16s mid 17th [4] 208 Holsters for pistols 6d " " " Wheel-lock carbine L1 10s " " " Shoulder belt for carbine 1s " " " Pair of flintlock pistols L2 5s " " " Flintlock carbine L1 2s " " " Musket 16s 6d-18s 6d " " "
Note: It was mandatory in England for all freemen to own certain types of weapons and armor. (In 1181, every freeman having goods worth 10 marks (1 mark = 13s 4d) had to have a mail shirt, a helmet, and a spear. All other freemen should have helmet, spear, and gambeson (quilted armor) [4], p. 39.) Later, the government stored arms and armour in churches for use; in the 13th century anyone with an income of L2-L5 (wealthy peasants) had to have bows; archery practice became compulsory on Sundays and holidays. You may know that the extreme range of the longbow was 400 yards, but did you know that a statute of Henry VIII no one over 24 could practice at a range of less than 220 yards? (See [4], p. 95 and elsewhere).
Note: for guessing prices, see the section on tools (an axe for 5d). An armorer might make 24s a month; say a week to make a decent sword, and you might get a price that way. See the section on books and education for fencing instruction.
MARRIAGE
Item Price Date Source Page
Sample peasant dowries: 13s 4d, 14 cen(?) [3] 179
35s 11d,
57s, 63s 4d
For serfs, mechet (fees) to lord,
depending on wealth 1s-13s 4d 14 cen(?) [3] 179
Wedding feast, wealthy peasant 20s " " "
Wealthy peasant wedding total L3-L4 " " "
Dowry for esquire's daughter up to L66 15 cen " 84
13s 4d
Dowry for baron's daughter L1000 + " " "
London parents (both sets)
each offered couple L100 1385 [2] 154
Note: these costs will be wildly varying depending on circumstance.
FUNERALS
Item Price Date Source Page Cheap gentlewoman's funeral (bell-ringing, clergy, food) L7 1497 [3] 85 Brass monument, with a figure incised, on marble base-- fitting for lesser aristocrat L8 early 14 cen " " Bishop Mitford's funeral (with 1450 guests!) L130+ 1407 " " Memorial Chapel for Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick L2481 1439-1463 " " Bronze effigy on guilded tomb L400 " " " Note: Christopher Dyer gives as a rough rule of thumb 1 year's income for a funeral ([3], p. 85)
TRAVEL
Item Price Date Source Page Queen's chariot L400 14 cen [1] 99 Lady Eleanor's chariot L1000 14 cen [1] 99 Chariot L8 1381 [3] 72 Chariot maintence 1-3s/year 14 cen " " Barge L10 " " " Iron-bound cart 4s c1350 " 170 Guide for a night 1d 14 cen [1] 129 Ferry ride per horseman 1d " " " Keeping an earl's warhorse 82 days in summer 36s 9.5d 1287 [3] 71
Note: [1], pp 126-129, gives the following prices at an inn in 1331. For one day, 3 men with 4 servants spent: Bread, 4d; beer, 2d; wine 1.25d; meat, 5.5d; potage, .25d; candles, .25d; fueld, 2d; beds, 2d; fodder for horses, 10d. The four servants staying alone sleep 2 nights for 1d. Generally, all 7 spend 2d a night on beds; in London, it is 1d per head.
MISCELLANEOUS
Item Price Date Source Page 6 silver spoons 14s 1382 [2] 24 2 gold rings with diamonds L15 " " " Gold Ring with ruby 26s 8d " " " 3 strings of pearls 70s " " " 6 gold necklaces 100s " " " Fee to enroll an apprentice: with mercers (rich merchants) 2s 14 cen [2] 111 with carpenters 1s " " " Fee to join guild at end of apprenticeship: with mercers 20s " [2] 111 with carpenters 3s 4d " " " Fee to join guild 6s 8d-L3 14 cen(?) [3] 208 Fee to gain freedom of a town (to enjoy its exemption from feudal duties, I assume) 3s 4d-20s 14 cen(?0 [3] 208 To empty a cesspit in a city 6s 8d 15 cen(?) [3] 209 Candles Somerset 1.5d/lb 1338 [3] 210 London 2d-2.5d/lb " " " Candles tallow 1.5d/lb 15 cen(?) [3] 74 wax 6.5d/lb 1406-1407 " " Vat 4d 1457 [3] 170 Barrel 3d " " " Bottle 4d " " " 2 buckets 1s " " " 1 sheet 4d " " " 1 mattress 2d " " " 4 pillows 4d " " " 3 boards for a bed 4d " " " 2 sheets, 4 blankets 5s 8p 1349-1352 " " 16 bedspreads, 20 sheets, 8 featherbeds L3 1s 1285-1290 [3] 206 Duke's bed of cloth of gold, with blue satin canopy L182 3s 1397 [3] 77 Table 6d 1457 [3] 170 Chair 3d " " " Chest with necessaries thereto 2s 2d " " " 2 chests 6d each " " " Metal ewer 6d 1349-1352 " " Brass pot 2s " " " Basin and ewer 8d " " " Basin and ewer 2s 8d " " " Towel 6d " " " Coffer 1s " " " 2 stools 8d " " " Ceramic cooking pot .5d 1340s " 174
Note: most of these come from inventories of peasants' belongings. The fine goods would be more expensive.
Note about lighting: great houses could use 100 lb of wax and tallow in a single winter night ([3], p. 74). Others, not as rich, would go to sleep earlier.
WAGES
Profession Wage Date Source Page
Mercenaries:
knight banneret 4s/day 1316 [4] 78
knight 2s/day " " "
man-at-arms or squire 1s/day " " "
Regular Army
Esquires, constables, and
centenars 1s/day 1346 [4] 79
Mounted archers, armored
infantry, hobilars,
vintenars 6d/day " " "
Welsh vintenars 4d/day " " "
Archers 3d/day " " "
Welsh infantry 2d/day " " "
Captain 8s/day late 16 cen [4] 181
Lieutenant 4s/day " " "
Ensign 2s/day " " "
Drummer or trumpeter 20d/day " " "
cavalryman 18d/day " " "
infantry 8d/day " " "
Laborer L2/year max c1300 [3] 29
Crown revenues (at peace) L30 000 c1300 " "
Barons per year L200-500+ c1300 " "
Earls per year L400-L11000 c1300 " "
Sergeant at Law (top lawyer) L300/year 1455 " 47
Chief armorer 26s 8d/month 1544 [5] 182
Other armorers in same shop 24s/month 1544 " "
except "Old Martyn" who made 38s 10d/month 1544 " "
Apprentices in same shop 6d/day 1544 " "
Master mason 4d/day 1351 [2] 24
Master carpenter 3d/day " " "
Carpenters' Guild stipend to
a sick member 14d/week 1333 [2] 156
Weavers 5d/day, no 1407 [2] 146
food
Chantry priest per year L4 13s 4d 1379 [2] 24
Squires per annum 13s 4d-L1 14 cen [1] 116-117
Carters, porters, falconers 5s-8s 8d 14 cen [1] 116-117
grooms, messengers per year
Kitchen servants 2s-4s/year 14 cen [1] 116-117
Boys and pages 1s-6s/year 14 cen [1] 116-117
Wardens of London Bridges L10/year 1382 [2] 128
Note: sheriffs of London paid 300L per year, hoping to make a profit from the fines they collected.
Note: 30 adult sheep could produce about 20s of wool per year in 1299 ([3], p. 114).
Note: To get a VERY ROUGH sense of money, I reproduce the following chart from Dyer ([3], p. 206). These are averages of daily wages in pence.
Decade Thatcher Thatcher's mate 1261-70 2 - 1271-80 2.5 1 1281-90 2.25 1 1291-1300 2.5 1 1301-10 2.5 1 1311-20 3 1.25 1321-30 3 1 1331-40 3 1.25 1341-50 3 1.25 1351-60 3.5 2 1361-70 3.5 2 1371-80 4.25 2.5 1381-90 4 2.25 1391-1400 4.25 2.75 1401-10 4.5 3 1411-20 4.75 3 1421-30 4.5 3 1431-40 4.5 3.25 1441-50 5.25 4 1451-60 5.5 3.25 1461-70 4.75 3.75 1471-80 5.25 3.75 1481-90 6 3.75 1491-1500 5.5 3.5 1501-10 5.75 4 1511-20 5.25 4
Sources
[1] English Wayfaring Life in the XIVth Century, J. J. Jusserand, trans Lucy Smith, Putnam's Sons, New York,1931 (Orig. 1889).
[2] London in the Age of Chaucer, A. R. Myers, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1972
[3] Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages, Christopher Dyer, Cambridge University Press, 1989
[4] English Weapons & Warfare, 449-1660, A. V. B. Norman and Don Pottinger, Barnes & Noble, 1992 (orig. 1966)
[5] The Armourer and his Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century, Charles ffoulkes, Dover, 1988 (orig. 1912)
[6] "The Cost of Castle Building: The Case of the Tower at Langeais," Bernard Bachrach, in The Medieval Castle: Romance and Reality, ed. Kathryn Reyerson and Faye Powe, Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, Iowa, 1984
[7] The Knight in History, Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1984
[8] Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay, Craig Turner and Tony Soper, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 1990
[9] Life in a Medieval City, Joseph and Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1969
Source.
The former location of this files was
http://www.fit.qut.edu.au/~mcarthur/medieval.htmlIt was mounted at the Medieval Sourcebook after it was removed from the form location.
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
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© Paul Halsall, February 2000
halsall@fordham.edu