Medieval times

Life in Medieval times was hard, waste was everywhere, both human and animal.

So what did people do with all their waste in medieval times?

They would throw it out the window.

It wasn’t just the contents of chamber pots that lined the streets either, people in the Middle Ages would let rubbish pile up outside their homes too.

The smell on the streets of any town in medieval times was bad enough already, yet somehow, that got worse when it rained. Although the Middle Ages did have streets - something that was helped by the Ancient Romans - they were made from cobblestones and dirt.

They also sloped in the middle to catch rainwater and avoid floods.

While it was good in theory, the practical side didn’t have the payoffs they hoped.

That’s because all the trash thrown out of windows quickly clogged the road ditches and meant the roads simply flooded instead.

Unfortunately, the floodwater included everything left in the streets, including the contents of all those emptied chamber pots!

Things didn’t change until the 14th century when King Edward II introduced laws that all rubbish was to be cleared within a week of it being left.

Sadly, not many listened.

Instead, the wealthy would carry perfumed cloths to their face to avoid the smell, while chivalrous men allowed women to walk on the inside of the pavements, to avoid the sludge collecting at the side of the road.

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https://foodies1st.com/.../facts-about-life-in-medieval...

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Medieval street in Dinan, Brittany, Picture Credit~lavignassey