Charlotte - The Reeve's Wife

The life of a reeve's wife

Often seen as taking a place in the shadows of medieval society, women such as Charlotte organised and ran the most important element - the family.

They also looked after the cottage garden which would provide root crops such as radish and onion and legumes such as peas and beans and many of the domesticated herbs.

In Charlottes case you might also find them organising the accounts and organising the servants.

Charlotte's story...

Although from Norman descent, Charlotte's family settled in the Welsh Marches during the 11th century. Although not of noble stock, she has great pride in her Norman roots. Her father was reeve and his father before him. As such she considers herself the representative of the most important family in the village.

It was a great shock to all when she married Walter. He came through the village one daya man at arms - in the retinue of Lord Despenser. Being an impressionable young maid, Charlotte was instantly besotted. Soon they were married, although Walter continued his military career before eventually settling down.

Charlottes children are Ethel and Margaret who are 9 and 12 years old, and Richard aged 20 at present fighting in France.

Unfortunately, all is not well in the marital bed. Charlotte, feels that she has married beneath herself and despises Walter's crude and unmannered ways, arguments are common and loud!

Charlotte makes sure that she looks after her husband's finances and that every penny is accounted for. She considers this a very important role as most of the money is hers!

She is also the bane of many of the poorer members of the village and enjoys making sure that they know how important she is and how unimportant they are.

She takes particular pride in her pottery which she buys from Phillip and Catherine and has some examples of French imports.

Charlotte is never backward in reminding everyone that she has also been on pilgrimage, to Saint Winifreds' and she has a badge to prove it. One more trip and she thinks that with her saint like ways, she will definitely go straight to heaven when she dies and no waiting in purgatory. If only the same could be said about Walter!