91热爆

Watch: Punishing crime in Tudor Britain

Watch this video to find out how crime was punished in Britain during Tudor times.

Back to top

Life in Tudor Britain

Tudor style house in England.
Image caption,
Some Tudor houses still exist in England today.
  • The Tudor period was from 1485 to 1603CE.
  • This was a time of many changes. Explorers discovered new lands. Maps had to be rewritten and there were religious changes in England and Wales.
  • There was religious fighting between the Protestant and Catholic faiths.
  • The church was a centre for communities. Most people were very religious and went to church regularly.
  • Life for people hadn't changed much since medieval times.
  • Life could be harsh and many people died before they were 35.
  • Most of the population lived in small villages and worked by farming.
  • When the harvest failed it was tempting for poor people to steal food to feed their families.
Tudor style house in England.
Image caption,
Some Tudor houses still exist in England today.
Back to top

How did parish constables keep control?

Parish Constable with dog.
Image caption,
An illustrated depiction of a Parish Constable with his dog.
  • There was no police force in Tudor times.
  • Often in smaller towns and villages, preventing crime was left up to the people. Some villages and towns employed Parish Constables who would be responsible for keeping the peace and catching criminals.
  • The laws were strict and most crimes were punished severely.
Tudor courtroom
Back to top

How did the Tudors punish people?

A scold bridle from the 16th Century.
Image caption,
A 'scold's bridle' was used to punish people, often women, who gossiped or spoke too freely. It went over the head and had a metal gag that went in the mouth.
  • Whipping was used often. Vagrants (homeless people), thieves who stole goods worth less than a shilling and those who refused to go to church could all be whipped.
  • Being branded (burned) with a hot iron was also used a lot.
  • Criminals were also locked in stocks. These were large wooden frames that held your head between two planks of wood. Stocks were placed in the centre of the village so everyone could make fun of you.
  • The worst punishments were for the most serious crimes. Executions, such as beheading, being hung, drawn and quartered or being burnt at the stake were punishments for people guilty of treason (crimes against the king).
  • Executions were public events that huge crowds would come to watch.
A scold bridle from the 16th Century.
Image caption,
A 'scold's bridle' was used to punish people, often women, who gossiped or spoke too freely. It went over the head and had a metal gag that went in the mouth.
Back to top

Activities

Activity 1: Tudor crime quiz

Back to top

Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
Back to top