England's Medieval Festival boasts its very own Market Day Celebrations - trading stalls range from the authentically medieval with demonstrations being done within the Living History Encampments; to Medieval Traders' Market, offering medieval related goods; and the Market Lane & the Craft Marquee where traders offer more contemporary handcrafts.
The following is a list of some of the Traders & Craftsmen who will be attending the Festival this summer:
Roo the Leathercarver |
Spellbound Supplies |
Spirit of the Fens Leather |
Bad Ceramics |
The Unfound Door |
Wyrd Sister |
Greenland & Game |
Anderida’s Secrets |
Sebastian Drost |
Pilgrams Pottery |
Maidenshair Mead |
House of de Lytton |
Minstrel's Rest |
Ingela Tapper |
Trollcraft |
The Green Man |
| Mangus Creative Ltd |
| History in Brass |
| Gallardo & Blaine Designs |
Traders (Merchants) were considered the elite of towns, and in an attempt to make it into the middle class structure parents paid a fine price to place a son within the care of a master craftsman as an apprentice. This apprenticeship could last as long as seven years by which time he became classed as a journeyman - derived from the French word journee meaning 'day' - and paid daily for his efforts. Over a period of time the very best went on to be accepted in to the various Guilds - the Merchant Guilds and Craft Guilds controlled the entire practise of trading within the towns, and this newly appointed Master Craftsman usually went on to own his own shop.
With the increase of trading routes towns and cities became focal points for Festivals and Markets, with the craftsmen throwing open their doors for the custom of 'crying the wares' as their only means of advertising to the people; and some times grabbing unsuspecting passers-by in an effort to make a sale.
