Guildhall

In England, these guilds went by many different names including: fraternity, brotherhood, college, company, corporation, fellowship, livery, or society, amongst other terms.

When not required for guild members' events, the hall often became place where townspeople could hold entertainments such as Passion plays.

Guild members often cleaned streets, removed rubbish, maintained a nightwatch and provided food relief to the poor.

[10][11] The Low Countries used to have guildhalls in every city, often one gildenhuis (Dutch, literally "guild house") for each trade.

[13] In the Low Countries, each guildhall was marked by the coat of arms of that guild, hanging from the facade of the building.

Occasionally, the coat of arms was replaced with a gable stone depicting a member of the guild, surrounded by the tools of his trade.

Every evening, the guild brothers gathered in the tavern room of the guildhall to discuss the events of the day while the gildeknecht served beer.