The Medieval Aldermen of the City of London

Among the documents on display in our Spotlight in Medieval London display are a set of 15th‑century Aldermen portraits. To the modern eye, they are somewhat curious, as they appear unfinished, contain unfamiliar heraldry, and depict the aldermen wearing unusual and impractical headwear.

In the medieval City of London, aldermen were senior civic officials: wealthy and influential men who represented the City’s wards, oversaw law and order, and played a central role in urban government.

In this illustrated talk, we will begin to decode these images as a way into the wider world of medieval aldermen and the London they inhabited.