Page 3 - A History Of Food And Drink In Wokingham

Chronology

1227

Following an earlier temporary licence in 2019, King Henry III gave Richard Poore, the
Bishop of Salisbury, a Charter dated 23rd March 1227 which gave new powers to the bishop
and his agents.

The Charter also granted permission for bishop (and agents) to hold a weekly Tuesday
market in Wokingham. It is from this period that Wokingham dates its origins as a market
town providing a hub for food and drink.
1258

Richard was granted permission by the Crown to hold two annual fairs. The first of these
was on the eve of, the day of and the day after of the Feasts of St Barnabas, an important
th
early Christian missionary mentioned in the New Testament, and was held on 10th to 12
nd
June. The second fair was for the Feast of All Saints, and was held on 31st October to 2
November. Food was central to these fairs.

1383
A writ was issued for the arrest and deliverance to the Constable of Windsor Castle of
Matthew Bailey of Wokingham, butcher, who had resisted arrest for trespass and killing
venison.
1558

Queen Elizabeth I was crowned. What did the Elizabethans drink and eat?

Firstly, everyone – adults and children alike – drank English ale, wine, sherry, mead or cider,
usually in pints. This was because the fermentation process killed off germs in the water
used to make alcoholic beverages. Water could not be drunk unless it was boiled, as it was
always unclean and not many people could afford the fuel to do this.

What did people eat? Poor people ate mainly black bread, rabbit, hare, fish, turnips,
cabbage, beans, onions, cheese, porridge and honey.

Richer people dined on known recipes such as mutton in claret and Seville orange juice,
spinach tart, birds such as crane, swan and stork. For pudding, flavoured cheesecakes,
custards and meringues were on offer.

There were some luxury items. Tea and coffee were as yet unknown, but spices and sugar
had been bought back from voyages abroad. Tudor people loved cinnamon, cloves, garlic
and black pepper. Salt and vinegar were used to preserve foods. Our modern-day recipes
for mulled wine, minced pies, candied peel, cinnamon sugar and marzipan (marchpane as it
was called back then) stem from Tudor times. Sugar and honey were loved by everyone and
added to both sweet and savoury dishes with equal abandon. As there was no knowledge of
dental hygiene, the consumption of sugar and honey led to people’s teeth turning black.

1580

By this date there were sixteen alehouses and two inns in Wokingham. These were much
frequented during the market days and also provided cheap food.

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