“Bread and Ale to The Muster at Mellis: The Story of England’s Last Tudor Armoury” by Kathleen Hallaways

This talk begins the story of the Mendlesham Militia by looking very briefly at the very first militia, the Saxon Fyrð, and exploring the iterations of the mediaeval militia from the Assize of Arms in 1181 until, in Mary Tudor’s reign the responsibility for the arms, armour and provisioning is vested not in the individual but in the township.  Then she turns her attention to the Mendlesham Militia and explores it in detail.  She covers the militia, arms, armour and training at the musters from the first mention of ‘our men’ in the Church Wardens Accounts in 1552 until, in 1695, there is the last mention of the Mendlesham Militia.