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Year 7

Women in medieval Norwich

I can explain the different experiences women had in medieval Norwich.

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New
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Year 7

Women in medieval Norwich

I can explain the different experiences women had in medieval Norwich.

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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Women in medieval Norwich were involved in a wide range of trades and industries.
  2. Some women in Norwich entered religious communities.
  3. Some women in Norwich enjoyed high levels of literacy, including Julian of Norwich.
  4. Women faced many barriers such as restricted opportunities and male jealousy.
  5. Women's experiences were affected by their class.

Keywords

  • Nun - a nun is a woman who has withdrawn from normal life to dedicate her life to God

  • Literate - if you are literate then you are able to read and write

Common misconception

All women in medieval Norwich had the same experience as one another.

Female experiences were varied, especially by wealth and social class. Those from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to be literate.


To help you plan your year 7 history lesson on: Women in medieval Norwich, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

In learning cycle 3, introduce students to this Julian of Norwich quote: 'Just because I am a woman, must I therefore... not tell you about the goodness of God?' Ask what the quote suggests about attitudes to women writing and discussing religion.
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Teacher tip
content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. A _______ is a man who has withdrawn from ordinary life and dedicated himself to God.
Correct Answer: monk, Monk
Q2.
Who provided most of the hospital care in medieval Norwich?
Correct answer: churchmen
elites
king
merchants
Q3.
Which job was was not common in medieval Norwich?
leather worker
merchant
Correct answer: miner
weaver
Q4.
Which statement is most accurate?
Correct answer: Nuns and monks were better educated than most other people in medieval Norwich.
Nuns and monks were educated as well as most other people in medieval Norwich.
Nuns and monks were less educated than most other people in medieval Norwich.
Q5.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - Queen Boudica fights against the Romans
2 - Empress Matilda fights her cousin for control of England
3 - Queen Elizabeth I becomes queen of England
4 - Queen Victoria becomes British queen
Q6.
How were freemen in medieval Norwich different from other people?
freemen led the churches
freemen could not be sent to jail
freemen could leave the city
Correct answer: freemen could vote in elections
freemen could work in the city

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. People who are _______ are able to read and write.
Correct Answer: literate, Literate
Q2.
Which of the following jobs did women not hold in medieval Norwich?
beer producer
glass worker
Correct answer: mayor
weaver
Q3.
Where did some women receive an education from in medieval Norwich?
Correct answer: Cowry Abbey
the Guildhall
Norwich Cathedral
Q4.
How did male weavers react to women doing the same job in Norwich in 1511?
they accepted the female weavers
they refused to buy goods from female weavers
Correct answer: they rioted because of female weavers
Q5.
Which statement about female literacy in medieval Norwich is most accurate?
Almost no women in medieval Norwich were literate.
Correct answer: Most women who were literate came from elite families.
Most women in the city were literate, even those who were poor.
Q6.
Which statement best describes what historians can learn from Julian of Norwich's life?
Women were not interested in religion.
Some women wrote about religion but were not respected.
Correct answer: Some women wrote about religion and were respected.
Some women wrote about religion and became bishops.

Additional material

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