Contrasting lifestyles of rich and poor
Lifestyles of the rich
Homes
The rich were keen to show off their wealth and social status. As a result of this wealth and the fact that times were more peaceful, they began to build and live in grand stately homes. The Between 1536 and 1541, Henry VIII closed all of the monasteries in England and Wales. All of their land and buildings were sold. had freed up large areas of land for the rich. The money to build these houses often came from rents paid for land.
It was labelled 'the age of the great rebuild' which was partly fuelled by the Queen's progresses, creating a desire amongst the wealthy to show houses at their best. These stately homes had many rooms and great care was taken over decoration.
They were distinguished by having many windows (an expensive luxury), ornate woodwork and rich tapestries. Rich people had more leisure time and grand landscaped gardens were designed.
Some were styled in the shape of the letter 鈥楨鈥 or 鈥楬鈥, symmetrical in pattern. Famous examples of Elizabethan stately homes are Longleat House, Hardwick Hall and Burghley House.
Clothing and fashion
Clothes also varied a great deal between rich and poor. Rich Elizabethans would buy expensive clothes made from luxurious materials. Fashion was very important at the Royal Court and courtiers would often spend vast amounts on their clothes.
For the middle classes, fashion was measured more in the quality of the cloth, rather than in the cut or the colour. The clothes you wore reflected your social status. These were laws that regulated what could be worn by different social classes. were passed to make sure that people did not wear clothes above their social rank.
Education
Children of nobility were often taught by tutors at home. Boys from the lesser gentry from 7 to 14 years old often attended grammar schools, before university in Oxford, Cambridge or London.
Lifestyle of the poor
Life for the poor was very difficult. The A person who does unskilled, manual work., who made up the majority of the population, still lived in little more than one-roomed, single-storeyed huts. The design of these had changed little since medieval times. They were usually filled with smoke, with open windows and a pot over the fire for cooking.
These houses would be sparsely furnished, maybe just a bed, table and a few stools. Those who were able to, for example skilled craftsmen or small farmers, might accumulate enough money to build a more permanent house.
The working day for tenant farmers and labourers would be long 鈥 from around 05:00 to 17:00. The relatively few clothes owned by the poor would be practical, as opposed to fashionable. Life expectancy was low and many children did not live beyond the age of five. These people lived in considerable poverty.