Butchers and Butchery is a profession that has existed since ancient times, however it developed into more of a profession as rules and regulations were introduced and guilds were set up to train medieval butchers in the skills of Butchery.
In our quest to learn about the life and working conditions of a medieval butcher, one thing is clear, the elites of the medieval period ate more exotic meats and had a wider choice of food and spices than the lower classes.
All types of meat, poultry and fish were sold to the wealthy people who lived in castles and cities. A wide array of fish was also consumed by the inhabitants of a castle or city.
The trade of butchery is one of the oldest official trades to form a guild. The guild, like most other trades, had an apprenticeship system. For at least six months, the apprentice was taught the skills of a butcher by watching and assisting the master butcher.
After that time period was over, the apprentice would be asked to show his skill by performing various tasks including skinning and dressing beefs, cutting up hogs and pigs in pieces, preparing ducks or chickens for cooking or sale.
As the medieval period progressed sanitation became more important, new rules and regulations were introduced and Butchers became members of a Guild (a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often with alot of power) During this period animals were slaughtered at designated slaughter houses that operated under specific rules and regulations.
A Butcher might have a market stall in a designated area of a city or town, as towns and cities became more popular butchers would open shops that became important and thriving businesses. Commonly a Butchers shop would have a Guild sign denoting his profession above the shop entrance.
The life of butchers in the Middle Ages was far from easy. It was not only physically demanding and dangerous, but also quite complicated, requiring sharp observation and careful precision.
Meat and fish could be expensive, commonly only the wealthy were able to afford it. This is why butchers would prepare poultry or game birds for people who were less fortunate. The weathly commonly ate meat such as beef or veal while the meat served to the peasantry class could be pigeon or chicken.
The elite of medieval society would eat meat while the peasantry class commonl ate bread, cheese and pottage. If the poor could afford meat it would often be the cheaper cuts whilst the wealthy were served the top cuts.
