Let’s be honest, daily life for a medieval serf in England, and many other European countries wasn’t much fun. The feudal system meant that peasants were bound by law to work for the nobility, who owned the land they lived on. The outside working day started at dawn, which meant that during the summer months it could be as early as 3am. And it didn’t end until dusk. Work in the fields was back breaking and included reaping, sowing, ploughing and haymaking depending on the time of year. As well as helping her husband with the farming, women were also responsible for the preparation of all meals. They took care of any children and livestock such as chickens and tended the vegetable plot as well as foraging for berries and herbs. Weaving, spinning and the mending of clothes were also part of a womans work. And children were also expected to join in.