Medieval monks lived harsh, exhausting lives that looked nothing like modern stereotypes. Clean water was rare, so beer and ale were safer to drink. Alcohol was consumed daily, sometimes from morning ...

An ale-tasting tradition dating back to the 1300s has made a comeback in a town after a few years off. The mayor, town crier, town beadle and mace bearers of Marlborough, Wiltshire, visited seven pubs ...