What did the Dairymaid do in the medieval times?

Answer 1

A 12th century description of "The ideal dairymaid" says that she should be honest and reliable, hard-working , wise and neat, not lavish but thrifty. She must not permit anyone to take away anything from the dairy that would reduce the account. She must receive the materials and vessels for her work from the reeve and keep a careful record, including the day she began work.

She must receive the milk by tallies and make cheese and butter according to the tally of gallons of milk; she must guard the poultry and give to the bailiff and reeve frequent reports on the profits gained from them; she must make at least 12 silver pence per year from each goose and 4 for each hen in regard to eggs.

She is also required to help with winnowing and sifting at harvest time, to cover the fire each evening at 8 pm and she is called upon to perform other tasks as required.

Dairy maids were also required to keep themselves clean, particularly with regard to their hands - something that did not apply to field workers, grooms, shepherds, ploughmen and other servants.

Answer 2

Medieval dairymaids tended cattle, milked cows, and brought the milk in to the kitchens. They may have had other work to do, depending on the nature of the manor or farm where they worked.