John Pynchware and son, Shoemakers
John Pynchware and his son were successful shoemakers in medieval Chester.
Shoemakers and saddlers worked in the Foregate Street area of the city in the medieval period, extending up towards Eastgate. The shoemaker John Pynchware and his son, also called John, are first mentioned in the records in 1435. John senior was obviously very successful in his shoemaking business, rising to become councillor and constable for Eastgate in 1462-3. But with a name like ‘Pynchware’, how did their shoes fit?
Create your own tour
Explore the map and create your own personal tour of Chester's medieval sites. Get started
Guide our pilgrims to St. John's!
Can you help our pilgrims Tom and Alyson get to St. John's? Play the game