During medieval England, which role served as a night patrolman responsible for maintaining peace and watching for criminals or fire?

During medieval England, which role served as a night patrolman responsible for maintaining peace and watching for criminals or fire?

• A. Sheriff
• B. Constable
• C. Watchman
• D. Shire Reeve

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is recognizing the specific urban policing role tasked with patrolling streets at night to keep peace and watch for trouble or fire. In medieval towns, a watch system operated after dark, with watchmen roaming the streets, carrying lanterns, sounding bells, and raising alarms if they saw criminals or a fire. They were typically local townspeople serving in shifts, focused on overnight safety and fire prevention. Sheriffs (also called shire reeves) were county officials responsible for broader law-and-order duties across a district and could summon help when needed. A constable was a local peace officer, but the role wasn’t uniquely tied to night patrols. The shire reeve is just another term for the sheriff. Because the question points to the duty of patrolling at night to maintain peace and watch for criminals or fire, the watchman is the best fit.

The key idea here is recognizing the specific urban policing role tasked with patrolling streets at night to keep peace and watch for trouble or fire. In medieval towns, a watch system operated after dark, with watchmen roaming the streets, carrying lanterns, sounding bells, and raising alarms if they saw criminals or a fire. They were typically local townspeople serving in shifts, focused on overnight safety and fire prevention.

Sheriffs (also called shire reeves) were county officials responsible for broader law-and-order duties across a district and could summon help when needed. A constable was a local peace officer, but the role wasn’t uniquely tied to night patrols. The shire reeve is just another term for the sheriff. Because the question points to the duty of patrolling at night to maintain peace and watch for criminals or fire, the watchman is the best fit.