What was life like in medieval castles?

Life in a castle in medieval times was very dark and cold. Windows were narrow, open slits. Toilets were benches with holes in. The waste would drop into a stinky cesspit or the moat.

What makes a good medieval castle?

The typical features of a medieval castle were: Moat – a perimeter ditch with or without water. Barbican – a fortification to protect a gate. … Keep (aka Donjon or Great Tower) – the largest tower and best stronghold of the castle.

What’s it like living in a castle?

What was it like living in a castle? Even when it wasn’t under attack, living in a castle was hectic, noisy and they were often packed full of people. … Castles were large, dark, draughty and cold. Windows were often small, with wooden shutters or (if the nobleman could afford it), leadlight glass-panes.

Who would live in a medieval castle?

During the late Middle Ages, from the 10th to the 16th centuries, kings and lords lived in castles. As well as the lord, the lady (his wife), and their family there were lots of staff. Some were important officials, such as the constable who took care of the castle when the lord was away.

What makes a castle good?

A castle was built to withstand attack from enemy. Castle builders added many defensive features to make their castles difficult to attack. Many castles were built on high ground with clear views of the surrounding land. … Tall thick curtain walls surrounded the castle buildings like a strong shield.

What makes a good castle location?

Castle builders would usually choose a strategic site that would double as an additional natural layer of protection against outside attackers. A castle built in such a strategic manner, such as one located atop a mound or outcrop, was more secure than a castle which was located on ground level.

Were castles clean or dirty?

Castles were very difficult to keep clean. There was no running water, so even simple washing tasks meant carrying a lot of bucketfuls of water from a well or stream. Few people had the luxury of being able to bathe regularly; the community was generally more tolerant of smells and dirt.

How did castles stay cool?

Medieval Castles kept cool during the summer due to their thick walls and high ceilings. … Many of these manor houses featured high ceilings and large shade trees in the yard to keep the sun from penetrating into the house. Later, porches became a popular way for shading the perimeter of the house.

What is inside a medieval castle?

A typical European castle was like a little village inside, with kitchens, workshops, gardens, stables, and a chapel. This castle is built of stone, but many early castles were wooden.

Do castles have toilets?

The toilets of a castle were usually built into the walls so that they projected out on corbels and any waste fell below and into the castle moat. … The protruding shaft of masonry that made up the toilet was buttressed from below or might nestle in the junction between a tower and wall.

How did they keep castles warm?

Castles weren’t always cold and dark places to live.

But, in reality, the great hall of castle had a large open hearth to provide heat and light (at least until the late 12th century) and later it had wall fireplace. The hall would also have had tapestries which would have insulated the room against too much cold.

Did castles have glass windows?

Windows were equipped with wooden shutters secured by an iron bar, but in the 11th and 12th centuries were rarely glazed. By the 13th century a king or great baron might have “white (greenish) glass” in some of his windows, and by the 14th century glazed windows were common.

What is a kitchen in a castle called?

I’ll talk about the people in the castle in another post. The rooms in a castle were very similar to rooms that are found in modern houses, with similar names. For example, kitchens were called kitchens as were pantries and cellars.

Who invented the toilet?

Ismail al-Jazari

Joseph Bramah

John Harington

Alexander Cumming

Flush toilet/Inventors

Can you live in a castle?

Live in your very own castle.

Many people only dream of owning a castle, but you can actually do it. As long as you’re willing to commit to a few improvements, you can renovate a historical castle into a livable place. Or you can build your own.

Where did the king sleep in a castle?

At the time of Chr tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.

What is the strongest part of a castle?

Discover the might of the castle gatehouse, the strongest and most defensive part of any castle.

How many rooms are in a castle?

How many rooms does a castle have? – Quora. Anything from two to several hundred. Early medieval castles, and many small ones throughout the medieval and early modern period, consisted of a single tower with each storey containing a single room.

What is a bedroom in a castle called?

The room in the castle called the Lords and Ladies Chamber, or the Great Chamber, was intended for use as a bedroom and used by the lord and lady of the castle – it also afforded some privacy for the noble family of the castle.

What was a medieval toilet called in a castle?

garderobes
In the medieval period luxury castles were built with indoor toilets known as ‘garderobes‘, and the waste dropped into a pit below.