Editing Common Quelmar Occupations

In alphabetical order;

'''Almoners''': ensured the poor received alms.

'''Atilliator''': skilled castle worker who made

crossbows.

'''Baliff''': in charge of allotting jobs to the peasants,

building repair, and repair of tools used by the

peasants.

'''Barber''': someone who cut hair. Also served as

dentists, surgeons and blood-letters.

'''Blacksmith''': forged and sharpened tools and

weapons, beat out dents in armor, made hinges

for doors, and window grills. Also referred to as

Smiths.

'''Bottler''': in charge of the buttery or bottlery.

Butler: cared for the cellar and was in charge of

large butts and little butts (bottles) of wine and

beer. Under him a staff of people might consist

of brewers, tapsters, cellarers, dispensers,

cupbearers and dapifer.

'''Carder:''' someone who brushed cloth during its

manufacture.

'''Carpenter''': built flooring, roofing, siege engines,

furniture, panelling for rooms, and scaffoling for

building.

'''Carters:''' workmen who brought wood and stone

to the site of a castle under construction.

'''Castellan:''' resident owner or person in charge of

a castle (custodian).

'''Chamberlain:''' responsible for the great chamber

and for the personal finances of the castellan.

'''Chaplain:''' provided spirtual welfare for laborers

and the castle garrison. The duties might also

include supervising building operations, clerk,

and keeping accounts. He also tended to the

chapel.

'''Clerk:''' a person who checked material costs,

wages, and kept accounts.

'''Constable:''' a person who took care (the governor

or warden) of a castle in the absence of the

owner. This was sometimes bestowed upon a

great baron as an honor and some royal castles

had hereditary constables.

'''Cook:''' roasted, broiled, and baked food in the

fireplaces and ovens.

'''Cottars:''' the lowest of the peasantry. Worked as

swine-herds, prison guards, and did odd jobs.

'''Ditcher:''' worker who dug moats, vaults,

foundations and mines.

'''Dyer:''' someone who dyed cloth in huge heated

vats during its manufacture.

'''Ewerer:''' worker who brought and heated water

for the nobles.

'''Falconer:''' highly skilled expert responsible for

the care and training of hawks for the sport of

falconry.

'''Fuller:''' worker who shrinks & thickens cloth

fibers through wetting & beating the material.

'''Glaziers:''' a person who cut and shaped glass.

'''Gong Farmer:''' a latrine pit emptier.

'''Hayward:''' someone who tended the hedges.

'''Herald:''' knights assistant and an expert advisor

on heraldry.

'''Keeper of the Wardrobe:''' in charge of the tailors and laundress

'''Knight:''' a professional soldier. This was achieved

only after long and arduous training which began

in infancy.

'''Laird:''' minor baron or small landlord.

'''Marshal:''' officer in charge of a household's

horses, carts, wagons, and containers. His staff

included farriers, grooms, carters, smiths and

clerks. He also oversaw the transporting of

goods.

'''Master Mason:''' responsible for the designing

and overseeing the building of a structure.

'''Messengers:''' servants of the lord who carried

receipts, letters, and commodities.

'''Miner:''' skilled professional who dug tunnels for

the purpose of undermining a castle.

'''Minstrels:''' part of of the castle staff who

provided entertainment in the form of singing

and playing musical instruments.

'''Porter:''' took care of the doors (janitor),

particularly the main entrance. Responsible for

the guardrooms. The person also insured that

no one entered or left the castle without

permission. Also known as the door-ward.

'''Reeve:''' supervised the work on lord's property.

He checked that everyone began and stopped

work on time, and insured nothing was stolen.

Senior officer of a borough.

'''Sapper''': an unskilled person who dug a mine or

approach tunnel.

'''Scullions:''' responsible for washing and cleaning

in the kitchen.

'''Shearmen:''' a person who trimmed the cloth

during its manufacture.

'''Shoemaker:''' a craftsman who made shoes.

Known also as Cordwainers.

'''Spinster:''' a name given to a woman who earned

her living spinning yarn. Later this was

expanded and any unmarried woman was called

a spinster.

'''Steward:''' took care of the estate and domestic

administration. Supervised the household and

events in the great hall. Also referred to as a

Seneschal.

'''Squire:''' attained at the age of 14 while training as

a knight. He would be assigned to a knight to

carry and care for the weapons and horse.

'''Watchmen:''' an official at the castle responsible

for security. Assited by lookouts (the garrison).

'''Weaver:''' someone who cleaned and compacted

cloth, in association with the Walker and Fuller.

'''Woodworkers:''' tradesmen called Board-hewers

who worked in the forest, producing joists and beams.