Samuel Peterson’s Reviews > The Middle Ages: Everyday Life in Medieval Europe > Status Update

"Meanwhile, the images and relationships that structured medieval life are deeply imbedded in the culture we have inherited from the Middle Ages, and continue to resonate even when the world that gave them their meaning can only be seen dimly across the centuries." And continues to be dim with every Hollywood portrayal that is inaccurate.
Good concluding sentence, though.

"People's private and public identities were generally one: a tradesman's house was also his workshop, a villager's cottage was integral to the landholding that supported him, an aristocrat ate and worked in the great hall of his castle or manor house."
This is very different from most of modern society. Also something to consider when playing RPGs like DnD.

Going by days surrounding religious holidays or observances instead of a calendar is an interesting detail.

"Travelers to the shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket at Canterbury in thirteenth century England could purchase tiny tin bottles containing holy water mixed with a fragment of the saint's blood." Lol what a tourist trap! 1) how long did that scheme last? 2) How much did that bottle go for?

"To reduce risk of attack [by highwaymen], the sides of the road might be cleared of trees and brush, depriving highwaymen of convenient hiding places: an English law of 1285 required that the roads between market towns be cleared for 200 feet on either side, although the law was probably not effectively enforced." That's interesting. I will take note of that.

"Riding was the fastest mode of transport available; a rider could easily travel thirty or thirty-five miles in a day." That's why in DnD they have this listed among the modes of travel.

"Scholars did not actually believe that Europe looked like a quarter circle, nor did they even think the world was flat as represented on the map." A misrepresentation that originated from the late Renaissance and early Victorian era when people were looking back on this time period. This misrepresentation has continued to today with the "Flat-Earth Society."

"...Medieval people saw their world from the surface, and related places to each other by landmarks, relative directions, and times of travel." Well, at least Brian Jacques had considered this when writing, although I don't think he was involved in the map-making. Considering how much he contradicted himself. But it is something to consider when making my own maps for my fantasy world.

I was a fan of St. Francis of Assisi back when I was younger.

"The friars differed from monks in that they were bound to collective as well as individual poverty. A monastery was free to own property, but a friary was supposed to be dependent on borrowed resources and donated provisions." See, I think this is better and much more attuned to the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels.