One of my favourite things about research ...
... is the strange things you can find that really surprise you.
In this post, I'll explore some of the things that have made me audibly go 'huh' as I've researched the worlding for my novel, set in 1351 England (just after the Black Death) and how they have affected my story.
These are listed in no particular order.
The Fact:
Most wolves had been hunted to extinction throughout England, though there were still some reoprted to be living in the most northern parts. Similarly, at the time my story takes place, the number of wild boar had significantly decreased due to over-hunting and habitat destruction. The remaining boar population was kept within royal hunting grounds and forests.
How it Affected Sanctuary on Severn:
This revelation significantly reduced the number of potential threats my characters could face while on the road. It was a groan-inducing limitation. I didn't want to rely solely on the human element - bandits, threatening strangers, organised gangs, etc. - as that would get boring pretty quickly. So, I decided to amplify the weather, making it one of the antagonists of the story. Now, the cold biting wind, the ever-growing threat of frost, and all the implications that came with it in medieval England work harder to make the characters' lives as difficult as possible.
The Fact:
People in medieval England were shorter than they are today, but not as much as people think. The average woman was 5 ft 2", while the average man was 5ft 7". Today's averages are 5ft 4" for women and 5ft 9" for men - so only a 2" difference between the two eras. The population would have mainly consisted of people aged 21 or younger, with those under 15 making up around 30 to 40% of the population by themselves. Many people would have been maimed, crippled, pock-marked, or scarred from years of intermittent wars, skirmishes, riots, and disease.
How it Affected Sanctuary on Severn:
These facts helped shape the world of Sanctuary-on-Severn when it comes to the people the characters see and meet. I want to make the worldbuilding as realistic as possible, so although things like height and ages aren't often mentioned much in stories (unless there's a specific reason to draw attention to them - e.g. someone is abnormally tall), knowing that people over 65 made up only 5% of the population and that a lot of people would have been injured or disfigured in some way means I can really paint a picture of what that era was like to live in.
The Fact:
Most people (myself included) like to imagine the medieval landscape as being full of sprawling forests. But, in reality, they only covered about 7% of the country, which isn't much more than today. Not only that, but there were far fewer tree species than there are today - only around 20 different ones - with very few evergreens!
How it Affected Sanctuary on Severn:
Where learning about the lack of wolves and boars in medieval England reduced the number of threats my characters could face, discovering that there were significantly fewer trees meant they had less shelter and fewer places to hide or seek safety from the weather and human antagonists they might encounter along the way. Together, these discoveries have made the world of my story far more dangerous than it was before.
Trigger warning: Before you read the next fact, please be advised that it discuss the topic of suicide.
The Fact:
One of the most shocking things I have learned so far is that, at the time my story is set, suicide was considered treason, and both your land and belongings would be forfeited to the king. This left families in dire situations while also grieving the sudden loss of their loved one.
How it Affected Sanctuary on Severn:
This affected Sanctuary on Severn when a character finds one of their loved ones has committed suicide. They must make the heavy decision to tell the authorities and lose more than the person who died, or keep it a secret.
Did any of these facts surprise you too? Which ones did you know already? Let me know below - I'd love to hear from you 🙂
Keep your eyes peeled for more news on my writing here and on my Instagram!
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