Table of Contents
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.
How are castles kept warm?
Thick stone walls, tiny unglazed windows and inefficient open fires made the classic castle something of a challenge to keep warm. By heating the stones as well as the chamber, and directing the smoke away from the room, these fireplaces made life in a medieval castle a considerably more comfortable affair.
Do castles have heaters?
Castles would be warmed by fireplaces and braziers. Some halls would have open fire-pits in the center of the room. Blankets were very heavy to keep one warm at night.
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.
Did castles have vents?
The natural ventilation inside the castle was achieved through five main elements: the large pool in the garden at the front, the fountain located on the ground floor, the two ventilating chimneys and large wet sheets hung beneath the ceilings of the various rooms on the upper floors.
How did castles stay cool?
Medieval Castles kept cool during the summer due to their thick walls and high ceilings. Most castles also had small windows (glass wasn’t used for windows until the 1300s, and then only the well-to-do could afford it), which could be easily covered with shutters or curtains.
How did people stay warm in medieval?
During medieval times, men, especially outlaws, would keep warm in the winter by wearing a linen shirt with underclothes, mittens made of wool or leather and woolen coats with a hood over a tight cap called a coif. Even if the men lived outside and it rained, they would wear their wet woolen clothing to stay cozy.
Why are castles so cold?
The Keep of Goodrich Castle, built in the 1100s, only had tiny windows – which meant that little light could enter the castle. This meant that most structures could only support tiny windows – which resulted in dark rooms that were constantly cold, as the thick stone could never be fully warmed by the sun.
Do families still live in castles?
The funny thing is, there are a surprising number of historic castles still in use today. These medieval castles are not only still standing, they remain private residences (at least in part) to families that can trace their lineage back through the centuries.
Why did they put straw on castle floors?
Historical use. In the early Middle Ages, bathing had declined in England. As people got smellier, the use of fragrant herbs became more popular. The herbs were laid on the floor along with reeds, rushes, or straw, so that pleasant odours would be released when people walked on them.
Where did they poop in medieval times?
As for the rest of the populace of cities, they generally pooped into containers, the contents of which they would (usually) deposit into a nearby river or stream, or gutter system that led to such.
How did they go to the bathroom in medieval times?
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. Even better, waste went directly into a river as is the case of the latrines of one of the large stone halls at Chepstow Castle in Wales, built from the 11th century CE.
Were medieval castles painted?
The interior walls were usually plastered and painted, often with elaborate frescos and bright, expensive colours. Ultimately, the castle was a symbol of its owner’s wealth and power.
What kind of rooms would a castle have?
Rooms in a Medieval Castle The Great Hall. Bed Chambers. Solars. Bathrooms, Lavatories and Garderobes. Kitchens, Pantries, Larders & Butteries. Gatehouses and Guardrooms. Chapels & Oratories. Cabinets and Boudoirs.
How did people heat their homes in the Middle Ages?
Hypocausts were heating systems that distributed the heat from an underground fire throughout a space beneath the floor. Sometimes, the heat was also fed through cavities in the walls before escaping from the building, thereby warming up the walls, too.
What was a medieval toilet called in a castle?
In a medieval castle, a garderobe was usually a simple hole discharging to the outside into a cesspit (akin to a pit latrine) or the moat (like a fish pond toilet), depending on the structure of the building.
How did medieval people stay cool?
They were built around central courtyards with fountains and gardens that created a cool shady environment for the inhabitants. Bowls of water were set out around the home to evaporate and cool the air. Servants hung Wet cloths on windows and doorways to catch a breeze and provide some cooling.
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.
What did it smell like in the medieval times?
Medieval cities likely smelled like a combination of baking bread, roasting meat, human excrement, urine, rotting animal entrails, smoke from woodfires — there were no chimneys so houses were filled with smoke which likely seeped out of them into the streets — along with sweat, human grime, rancid and putrid dairy.
