The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was the last in October but was undated. It was described as payment for a yard of frieze to mend one of the Children of the Chapel’s coats. The amount was 6 pence, which was the equivalent of about £11.03 today. Frieze was a highly durable coarse woollen, plain weave cloth with a shaggy or raised nap on one side. Originally, it was known as “Frisian cloth”. This name originated from the Middl

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 21st October. It was described as a reward to Lord Hastings’ minstrel. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today or, at that time, the equivalent of 2 days’ wages for a skilled tradesman. As has been seen in numerous previous entries in the Middleton Accounts, it was common practice for travelling liveried minstrels of high-ranking lords to perform at th

The next two entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 20th October. The first was described as payment for six caps for the Children of the Chapel and the amount was 6 shillings, which was the equivalent of about £132.38 today. The second was described as payment for six pairs of shoes for the Children of the Chapel and the amount was 3 shillings 7 pence, which was the equivalent of about £79.06 today. As mentioned in previous po

The next four entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 13th October. The first was described as payment for linings, kersey and fustian and costs for Master Draycott, Mistress Alice and the Children of the Chapel. The amount was 14 shillings, which was the equivalent of about £308.89 today. The second was described as a reward to Mr Worth’s son for his going to London and the amount was 2 shillings 4 pence, which was the equivale

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 10th October. It was described as a payment allowed to Sir William for sugar to make conserves. The amount was 12 pence, which was the equivalent of about £22.06 today. The Sir William in this entry is believed to have been Sir William Webster (or Webb), who was the private chaplain of Sir Henry and is thought to have been the Master of the Children of the Chapel. In a previous entry

The next two entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 both related to the Children of the Chapel and the first of these was dated 9th October. This first entry was described as a payment for three pairs of shoes for the Children of the Chapel and the amount was 18 pence, which was the equivalent of about £33.10 today. The second was described as a payment for books and combs for the Children of the Chapel and the amount was 9 pence, which w

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 7th October. It was described as a reward to Robert Bertull for his marriage. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today. In 1526, that amount would have been the equivalent of about two days’ wages for a skilled tradesman, a week’s work for an unskilled labourer and even more for a domestic worker. Wedding at Middleton Hall, West Lawn. For enquiries abou

The next two entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 5th October. The first was described as a payment to the blind woman at Wollaton for her to buy a petticoat and the amount was 2 shillings 8 pence, which was the equivalent of about £58.84 today. The second was described as payment to Roger Leech, the surgeon. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today or, at that time, the equivalent of about 2 da

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 2nd October. It was described as payment for 4 ells of cloth for smocks for Mistress Jane. The amount was 2 shillings 8 pence, which was the equivalent of about £58.84 today. The Mistress Jane referred to in this entry is Jane Harbottle, the widowed daughter of Sir Henry. An ell was an historic unit of measurement, particularly used in the fabric trade. The word ell comes from the Ol

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 1st October. It was described as payment for Master Catesby’s school hire, schoolboard for 15 weeks and the making of gear (clothes). The amount was 20 shillings, which was the equivalent of about £441.28 today. School hire referred to the school fees paid specifically for the provision of basic educational tuition. However, additional charges could be applied for a physical desk spa

The next three entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 30th September. The first was described as payment to Sir Henry’s brotherhood of Our Lady of the Chapel of the Sea and the amount was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today. The second was described as Sir Henry’s reward to the Friars of Nottingham who had held an ale (feast) and the amount was 8 shillings 8 pence, which was the equivalent of about £191.22 to

The 26th September is European Day of Languages and, to mark this, this blog will give a brief history of Middleton Hall in Welsh. Welsh is an important language in the history of Middleton Hall. For centuries, the Willoughby family were Welsh speakers due to their business interactions with the Welsh. Many of their servants were also native Welsh speakers and, as a result, Welsh words are present throughout the Middleton Manuscripts. Furthermore, it is known that Francis Wil

The next five entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 25th September. The first was described as Sir Henry’s offering at the rood of Nottingham and the amount was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today. The second was described as alms given at the same place and the amount was also 4 pence. The third was described as payment for 2 yards of fustian for a doublet for Master Catesby and the amount was 16 pence, whi

When the occupation of “caterer” is stated today, it is common to think of a person or company that has been hired to provide and serve food. However, this meaning of this occupation only developed in the 19th century. In the historic meaning, which dates from at least the 15th century, it referred to someone who was employed to obtain fresh provisions. The Middleton Manuscripts make many references to the caterer of Middleton Hall, in this historic meaning, but the first cat

This post will focus on John Trussell who was bailiff of Wollaton Hall in the mid-16th century. The previous blog focused on his fellow steward of Middleton Hall, John Hall. Together, these posts provide an example of two very different lives in a similar occupation for the same family at the same time. John Trussell was, like John Hall, a gentleman servant. He was a younger son of minor nobility but, due to his situation, he needed an occupation. John Trussell descended from

The next three entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 12th September. The first was described as a reward to the horsekeepers of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, and the amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today. The second was described as a reward to Master Grey’s servant for bringing a present to Wollaton Hall and the amount was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today. The third w

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 10th September. It was described as a reward to the officers of the Lady Abbess of Polesworth, when Sir Henry spent one night there on his way to the manor of Thomas Grey, 2nd Lord Marquess. The amount was 2 shillings 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £51.48 today. This entry in the Accounts reveals that the visit of the Marquess to Middleton Hall was part of a journey that

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 9th September. It was described as a payment to Toll, on the commandment of Sir Henry, when Toll went on pilgrimage to the sweet rood of Garendon in Leicestershire. The amount was 12 pence, which was the equivalent of about £22.06 today. In the Middleton Manuscripts, from the time of Sir Henry to his grandson Sir Francis I Willoughby, there are multiple entries that make mention of s

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was described as payment for pears. These were also purchased for the visit to Middleton Hall of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today. This entry was undated but a date of somewhere around the 7th September can be estimated. This is because, due to later Accounts entries, it is believed that the banquet for the Marquess pr

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 6th September. It was described as payment for diverse spices that were purchased for the visit to Middleton Hall of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset. The amount was 9 shillings 9 pence, which was the equivalent of about £215.12 today. The wider Middleton Accounts provide enough evidence to make it possible to draw conclusions about the types of spices the Willoughby family used,