Medieval Sex Work

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History Hit

Society, Sex, Scandal, Education, History

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Despite Christianity coming in hot and heavy in the medieval period, sex work was thriving.

In many places it was legal, even.

In this second episode in our mini-series exploring sex work through history, Kate is joined by the legend of sex worker history, Ruth Karras.

What did a medieval brothel look like? How did sex workers dress? And why does the word 'spinster' mean sex worker?

This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, I'm your host, Kate Lister.
0:02.4	If you would like Betwixt the Sheets,
0:04.4	ad free and get early access, sign up to History Hit.
0:08.7	With a History Hit subscription,
0:10.6	you can also watch hundreds of original documentaries
0:13.6	with top history presenters
0:15.6	and enjoy a new release every single week.
0:19.8	Sign up now by visiting historyhit.com forward slash subscribe.
0:26.6	Life throws challenges at all of us.
0:29.0	But how do we cope?
0:30.4	I'm John Robbins and on my podcast I sit down with incredible people to ask the very simple question.
0:36.4	How do you cope?
0:37.6	We explore the moments that shaped them and the ways they've learned to move forward.
0:41.8	Whether it's mental health, grief or overcoming fear, we talk about it all, honestly and openly.
0:47.8	So if you're looking for real conversations about resilience and finding light in the dark,
0:52.4	follow How Do You Cope, Brought to you by Audible,
0:55.4	wherever you get your podcasts.
0:59.2	Hello, my lovely betwixters. It's me, Kate Lister. You're listening to Betwicks the sheets.
1:05.2	So if this isn't the podcast that you are hoping for, this is your chance to get out now.
1:09.0	And if that doesn't convince you that you are now
1:11.3	on risky territory, how about this? This is an adult podcast book by adults to other adults,
1:15.2	adults about adultery things in an adulty way covering a range of adults subjects. And you should be an
	...

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