South-east
Southampton
In the twelfth century
Southampton moved in late Saxon times from the old port of Hamwic to a site on the tongue of land between the Test and the Itchen. In the 12th century it is a royal port and the natural crossing point to Normandy, used by kings, courtiers and their baggage. Ships bring wine from Normandy and, after 1152, from Gascony, along with woad for dyeing, and wool goes out. A royal castle stands in the north-west corner of the town by 1153 at the latest. The town's merchants build themselves stone houses near the western shore, some of which still stand, and a Norman house south of St Michael's church dates from this century. Henry II grants the town privileges, and it has a guild merchant governing its trade. The town walls are largely later.
Landmark: The Norman stone merchants' houses by the western shore (e.g. the house now called King John's Palace), with the royal castle behind.
Known for
- Wine imports (Normandy, then Gascony)
- Wool exports
- Woad for dyeing
- Cross-Channel passage to Normandy
Caveats (confidence: medium)
'King John's Palace' and 'Canute's Palace' are later names for late 12th-century merchant houses; neither king had anything to do with them. Their dating (around 1180) is architectural and approximate. The great stone walls and gates are 13th–14th century, so they should not be drawn, although some earth-and-timber defences existed. The castle began as timber and earth; its keep was rebuilt as a stone shell-keep in 1187. The date of Henry II's charter is not given in the source I used.
Sources: british-history.ac.uk · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org
Playtest: in development, may be reset
In the playtest world now
What the test world shows at Southampton, as of Year 12, winter, month 11, day 6. About the playtest
Last season's market
Autumn, year 12. Each good's price at the close of last season, against its usual price in this town: dear, usual or cheap.
- Usual
- Pick, Ox cart, Pit saw, Adze, Axe, Iron hammer, Awl, Chisel