In our major exhibition, Medieval Women: In Their Own Words, we find evidence of women undertaking a wide variety of roles across all levels of society. While many women had to do unpaid household chores, they also engaged in paid employment in agriculture, trade, domestic service and textile production. They acted as notaries and financiers, contributed to their family businesses or ran businesses of their own. Some even became professional authors, musicians, artists, printers and bookmakers.

Agricultural labourers bringing in the harvest, from the Luttrell Psalter; Lincolnshire, 1325-40: Add MS 42130, f. 172v

Here is a selection of some of the occupations that were available to women during the medieval period and that'll you find when you visit the exhibition:

Weaver

A female artisan weaving on a loom, from the Egerton Genesis Picture Book; England, 14th century: Egerton MS 1894, f. 2v

Domestic Servant

A domestic servant cleans her master's bedchambers, from the Hours of Joanna of Castile; Bruges, 1486-1506: Add MS 18852, f. 1v

A servant combs her mistress's hair, from the Luttrell Psalter; Lincolnshire, 1325-40: Add MS 42130, f. 63r

Book illuminator

Jeanne de Montbaston and her husband Richard writing and illuminating manuscripts in their workshop, from the margin of a copy of the Roman de la Rose; Paris, 14th century: Bibliotheque nationale de France, ms fr. 25526, f. 77v

Silkworker

A group of noblewomen spinning silk, from Les Fais et les Dis des Romains et de autres gens; Paris, 1473-80; Harley MS 4375/3, f. 179r

A woman spinning silk, from the Luttrell Psalter; Lincolnshire, 1325-40: Add MS 42130, f. 193r

Wet nurse

A woman selects a potential wet nurse, from Aldobrandino of Siena's Régime du corps; France, 1265-70: Sloane MS 2435, f. 28v

Teacher

A schoolmistress with a ferule (wooden paddle), a tool of discipline, teaching for young girls in a classroom, from a Latin primer probably made for a girl; Bruges, c. 1445: Harley MS 3828, f. 27v

Medical Practitioner

A female medical practitioner caring for a patient and performing a cupping treatment, from a collection of medical treatises in Middle English; England, 15th century: Sloane MS 6, f 177r

Ale-Seller

An ale-seller, from the Smithfield Decretals; Southern France and London, c. 1300-40: Royal MS 10 E IV, f. 114v 

Writer

The professional writer, Christine de Pizan working in her study, from the 'Book of the Queen'; Paris, c. 1410-14: Harley MS 4431/1, f. 4r

To find out more about the working lives of medieval women, visit our exhibition Medieval Women: In Their Own Words, on show at the British Library from 25 October 2024 to 2 March 2025. You can purchase your tickets online now.  

This exhibition is made possible with support from Joanna and Graham Barker, Unwin Charitable Trust, and Cockayne – Grants for the Arts: a donor advised fund held at the London Community Foundation.  

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