The districts of a medieval town: who works where

Where its trades gather, as old towns did: those who foul the water downstream, those who burn at the edge, the market at the crossroads. The counts come from the city's trades (a household per master, 4 to 5 people); the placement is a convention, never a street name.

A town of 20,000 on a river

• The market: on the market square, where the roads meet or by the main gate. Merchants, Money-changers, Innkeepers. 89 households, about 400 people
• The quays: along the water, among warehouses and boats. Porters and boatmen, Fishmongers. 61 households, about 280 people
• Tanners and dyers: downstream, so as not to foul the water the town drinks. Tanners and cobblers, Weavers and fullers. 110 households, about 510 people
• The shambles: by the water, which carries the blood away. Butchers. 4 households, about 18 people
• The fire trades: at the edge, away from roofs that burn. Smiths, Potters, Chandlers. 52 households, about 230 people
• Around the places of worship: around the great temple and the main places of worship. Clergy, Scribes and public writers, Physicians and healers, Apothecaries and herbalists. 160 households, about 710 people
• The upper town: in the safest place: on high ground if there is any, near the palace, the fortress or the town hall. Notables, Goldsmiths, Guards. 240 households, about 1,100 people
• In every street: everywhere, every quarter has its own. Bakers and cooks, Millers, Brewers and taverners, Masons and carpenters, Carters. 47 households, about 210 people
• The rest of the town: about 17,000 people no master counts: journeymen, apprentices, servants, day labourers, the poor, in every street

A town of 20,000 away from water

• The market: on the market square, where the roads meet or by the main gate. Merchants, Money-changers, Innkeepers. 88 households, about 400 people
• Tanners and dyers: at the edge, by a stream or wells of their own. Tanners and cobblers, Weavers and fullers. 110 households, about 510 people
• The shambles: outside the walls, or at their foot. Butchers. 4 households, about 18 people
• The fire trades: at the edge, away from roofs that burn. Smiths, Potters, Chandlers. 52 households, about 230 people
• Around the places of worship: around the great temple and the main places of worship. Clergy, Scribes and public writers, Physicians and healers, Apothecaries and herbalists. 160 households, about 710 people
• The upper town: in the safest place: on high ground if there is any, near the palace, the fortress or the town hall. Notables, Goldsmiths, Guards. 240 households, about 1,100 people
• In every street: everywhere, every quarter has its own. Bakers and cooks, Millers, Brewers and taverners, Masons and carpenters, Carters. 49 households, about 220 people
• The rest of the town: about 17,000 people no master counts: journeymen, apprentices, servants, day labourers, the poor, in every street

Hear it

• The market: Medieval Village Marketplace (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• The quays: Medieval Harbor District (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• Tanners and dyers: Busy Medieval Industrial District (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• The shambles: Medieval Village Marketplace with Livestock (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• The fire trades: Medieval Industrial District (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• Around the places of worship: City Temple (album RPG Ambiences Vol. 6)
• The upper town: Manor Room in Wealthy District (on Patreon, Guardian tier)
• In every street: Water Mill (album RPG Ambiences Vol. 8)
• The rest of the town: Slums (album RPG Ambiences Vol. 4)

Try it in the builder

Orders of magnitude for play: sourced figures and Hearth estimates together. Every source, and every figure still waiting for one, is listed in the builder under Sources.

Open the city builder — MGS Toolbox